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Persian Tea Cake

03/08/18 | cake, cardamom, comforting, dessert, exotic, family, festive, Fragrant, old fashioned, party, persian, pistachio, rose, saffron, tea-time, yogurt

Persian Tea Cake  

My favorite aunt and uncle were in town last weekend and I was hell-bent on making a batch of saffron nazook for them. Somehow I ended up with extra filling and I wasn’t about to waste a smidge of precious saffron. So I tossed it into the mixing bowl and ended up with Persian Tea Cake. This is a delicious concoction with hints of saffron and cardamom topped with rosewater icing, crushed pistachios and crowned with a fresh rose from our garden. Perhaps the most unexpected ingredient is the pinch of fragrant Earl Grey tea. There couldn’t be a more beautiful way to welcome Spring and Nowruz, the Persian New Year. 

Persian Tea Cake

Happy Days

When I was a kid, both my parents worked. So, my grandmothers were lucky to get me during the day. The ladies typically had very busy weekdays and I’d tag along for the ride. In the morning, we’d go grocery shopping. The local supermarket had affectionately dubbed me The Earthquake since I’d grab things off the shelves and other peoples’ shopping carts. I’d snatch onions, potatoes from the bins and take a few bites before dropping them here and there. 
 
Or, so I’m told.
 
Most days a warm meal welcomed husbands home for lunch, unless there was a doreh (coffee gathering) to attend. Then, I’d go to one of Grandma’s friend’s houses for lunch. My memory isn’t the best, but I have dreamy visions of white lace curtains flowing in the breeze, revealing glimpses of a canvas tent in the backyard where the housekeeper’s family stayed in the summer months. More importantly, there was always a never-ending table stacked with delicious homemade food to try. 

The first day of Spring marks the Persian New Year called Nowruz in Farsi. This time of year always brings back happy memories from my childhood in Iran as I set up my Haft Seen table and make some classic confections like rose milk pudding to celebrate. Dainty little pistachio cakes inspired this moist and fragrant Persian Tea Cake. It’s a snap to bake and have ready to welcome guests coming to join the festivities. 

Persian Tea Cake

Serves: 6 
Prep: 10 mins
Oven: 350*F
Bake: 45 mins
 
Ingredients
Cake
1 tsp dried Earl Grey tea leaves
1 tsp saffron 
1 stick butter
2 free-range eggs @ room temp
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 cup yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt

Icing
1/2 tsp rosewater
1/3 cup water
3 drops red food coloring
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup ground pistachios
fresh or dried organic roses

 
Instructions
Butter and flour a loaf or small (6-cup) Bundt pan.
Remove eggs and 3/4 yogurt from the fridge. Set out to warm to room temp.
Preheat oven to 350*F.
Grind tea leaves and saffron using a clean coffee grinder or mortar & pestle.
Add both to butter and melt gently in a small saucepan. Set aside.
Beat eggs and sugar will fluffy, ~3 mins.
Add yogurt and butter mixture.
Sift flour, baking powder and salt over the bowl and mix just until incorporate.
Pour into prepared pan and transfer to hot oven.
Bake 45 mins, until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 mins before turning onto a metal rack to finish cooling.
 
Once the cake is completely cooled, make the icing.
Mix rosewater, water, food coloring.
Add to powdered sugar and mix until a thick paste forms.
Mound over the top of the bundt cake.
Sprinkle ground pistachios and decorate with fresh or dried organic roses.
 
Persian Tea Cake
 

Peace Offering

My dad’s mom, Vilik Mama often took me to lunch parties. This one time, a bunch of us kids went out to play in the host’s backyard. While the ladies enjoyed coffee inside, we were in the lovely rose garden, hanging around an elephant bush. Then, one of us had the genius idea of disrobing the branches, yanking the thick juicy leaves off and stomping them into the ground. Before long, the concrete path was stained with hundreds of squishy wet spots.

Oddly, I was never reprimanded for this appalling behavior and, many years later, the lady of the house, Khanoom Sheysi came to visit my grandparents in the US. She insisted on seeing me. I was far too ashamed to show my face. A freshly baked Persian Tea Cake would probably have given me the courage to ask for her forgiveness.

Persian Tea Cake

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Comments

  1. Valentina says

    March 27, 2018 at 08:38

    Colette, THIS is GORGEOUS! That rose! Whether it’s a peace offering, or a birthday, or a no-reason-needed-cake — I’LL TAKE IT! Lovely!

    • colettezabo says

      March 29, 2018 at 08:02

      Thanks, sweetie! Hope you try it. xo

  2. Cathy says

    April 11, 2018 at 08:49

    What a gorgeous and fascinating cake. I am intrigued by the Earl Grey tea leaves in the cake. I must give this a try.

    • colettezabo says

      April 11, 2018 at 13:45

      Thanks, Cathy. I think you’ll love it!

  3. David says

    June 30, 2018 at 07:03

    A magical cake, Colette! I love all the flavors you use, especially the bergamot in the Earl Grey!

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Welcome to Coco in the Kitchen! I am a proud Wife and Mommy cooking up some delicious meals and treats for my family. Follow along and collect some great dishes inspired by my Armenian roots and chocolate cravings! Get to know me more...

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