Persian Almond Pistachio Cake – Gluten‑Free, Dairy‑Free, and Full of Cardamom Flavor
There are cakes that clamor for attention — towering, frosted, festooned with sugar — and then there are cakes like this one, which speak more quietly, but with far greater authority.
This Persian almond, cardamom and pistachio cake, adapted from The New York Times (Recipe from Soraya Nazarian, Adapted by Joan Nathan) belongs firmly in the latter camp. It is a dessert for those who prefer restraint over spectacle, a cake that understands sweetness as something to be measured, not declared. Made without flour or butter, it leans instead on ground almonds and eggs for structure, producing a crumb that is tender, almost plush, and entirely gluten- and dairy-free.
The flavor is anchored by cardamom — a full two teaspoons of it — which gives the cake its unmistakable perfume. For some, that may feel like a bold hand on the spice jar. If you’re inclined to soften it, you might reach for a more familiar quartet: a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg, warming and complex, but less insistent.
What the original recipe does not call for, but quietly benefits from, is a flicker of citrus. A little orange zest, or even a drop or two of orange extract, threads a bright note through the richness of the nuts and spice, lifting the cake just enough to keep you coming back for another slice.
Serve it with coffee, or better yet, strong tea. It is not a cake that begs for adornment. It doesn’t need it.
Equipment
- Stand or hand mixer
- 3 mixing bowls
- kitchen scale optional, if weighing the almond flour
- 9 inch round cake pound or springform pan, or 9 inch square baking pan.
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegetable oil plus additional for pan
- 7 large eggs separated
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon almond extract
- 420 grams almond flour 4½ cups plus 1 tablespoon
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom (or a combination of any of cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg)
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar for dusting
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped pistachio nuts for garnish
- 1 tbsp orange zest or orange extract optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil the baking dish bottom and sides and set aside. Tip: To ensure the finished cake comes away easily from the pan, after oiling the pan, I cover the bottom with parchment or wax paper, and lightly oil that as well.
- Whisk the egg whites until stiff but not dry, and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, and whisk to blend. Whisk in almond extract, oil and orange zest or extract (if using). Add the cardamom (or spice mixture) to the almond flour and mix until the spice(s) are distributed evenly. Add to the egg and sugar mixture and stir to combine. Gently stir a third of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until just incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack. To decorate, dust with confectioners’ sugar and chopped pistachios. Delicious on it's own, or with some fresh fruit alongside.
YUMMY!
It definitely was yummy Jeanne! Really simple recipe, and easy to make.