Cardamom Rosewater Pistachio Cake

September 14, 2016

Cardamom Rosewater Pistachio Cake - Festive Flavors

Cardamom Rosewater Pistachio Cake. When the flavors of rose water and aromatic cardamom combine it creates magic! And it ignites the festive spirit in us. This cake is inspired by a very popular Bengali/Indian dessert - Rasmalai (Rosomalai/Roshmalai). Traditionally, saffron is used to make Rasmalai, but I wanted to infuse this cake with the delicate hint of rose water.

One month before Durga Pujo.

Cue the anticipation.

Cue the Pujo frenzy.

Running to stores. Running to the tailor. Making lists of gifts. Visiting families to give them their gifts. Making plans of Pandal hopping. Making lists of the eateries we planned to eat at. We would always get a little extra spending money and boy, would we feel rich. A whole twenty rupees to spend on whatever I want. Twenty Rupees went a long way in the 90s. And I would spend the most of it on

The smells and sounds of Sharat (autumn) were enough to put a spring in everyone's steps. After the hot summer days and humid monsoon months, everyone would look forward to the pleasant autumn months which would bear the promise of cooler mornings, balmy afternoons and the crisp evenings.

Bengalis cannot remain calm when Durga Pujo is just around the corner. Period.

All these are a thing of the past now. We are just about 3 weeks away from Durga Pujo all we have is memories of our childhood and early adulthood doused in nostalgia.

We try to make the most of Pujo while we are here. This year we will be going to Indianapolis. The almost 7 yo and the husband are participating in a dance and a drama respectively. I try to stay behind the scenes for the better part or I am mostly seen running around with my camera.

It is fun but each year I feel that something is missing. So to perk my mood up, I usually go on a dessert making frenzy. This year I am starting with Cardamom Rosewater Pistachio Cake.

Ingredients: For the cake

All Purpose Flour - 2 Cups
Butter - 1 stick or 1/2 Cup softened/at room temperature
Confectioners Sugar - 2/3 Cup
Eggs - 2 large, at room temperature
Baking Powder - 1 tbsp
Ground Cardamom - 3/4 tsp
Salt - 1/8 tsp
Milk - 1/2 Cup + 1 tbsp
Rose water - 1 tablespoon + 1 tsp (I picked up a bottle from Wholefoods)
A handful of unsalted pistachios - chopped, for garnishing
Dried Rose Petals - 2 tbsp for garnishing

Milk-Rose Water Syrup - for brushing the cake + icing

6 tbsp milk
1 fat pinch of cardamom powder
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Rose water - 1 tsp

For the Icing

Confectioners Sugar - 1/2 Cup (add more confectioners sugar if you want thicker icing)
Couple of tablespoons of the Milk-Rose Water Syrup (adjust to get your desired level of consistency)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a Bundt pan.

In a measuring cup (I just find it easier to pour, a bowl works just as well) stir in the rose water with the milk. Keep the milk-rose water mixture aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cardamom and salt till you see beautiful specks of brown in the flour. Keep aside.

Cream the butter and sugar using a hand mixer together till fluffy. Whisk in one egg at a time. Now add the dry ingredients and the milk-rose water mixture alternatively while mixing it all together. Be careful not to over-mix.

Transfer the batter to the greased bundt pan and bake it for 25 to 30 minutes or till it is baked through. Insert a toothpick and if it comes out clean, your cake is done.

While the cake is baking, heat the milk, along with the cardamom powder, sugar and rose water till the sugar melts. Be sure to cook on it low heat, while stirring frequently. Take it off the heat and let it cool down. Reserve couple of tablespoons for brushing the cake and use the remaining to make the icing.

Once the cake has cooled down, brush it with the milk-cardamom-rose water concoction. Let the cake soak in all the fragrant goodness.

In a measuring cup (once, again I find it easier to pour) mix the icing sugar with a tablespoon of the milk-cardamom-rose water concoction. Add more icing sugar if you prefer a thicker glaze. Pour the icing on the cake. Garnish it with the chopped pistachios and dried rose petals.

Serve. Enjoy.