Cake Yazdi; this name comes from the Iranian city Yazd, where the cake originated from. The Persian cardamom muffins are often served with tea or coffee as a sweet snack or dessert. They are a popular treat during holidays and special occasions. They can also be enjoyed as a breakfast pastry or a midday snack. I am a muffin lover and any opportunity that I get to bake, my first thought would be to bake a muffin. This mainly is because I am not a fan of frosting. My boys have taken over me and they personally don’t care much for the frosting either. This is the first time though that I am baking a muffin with more Indian flavors. Cardamom is a spice that we use in many Indian recipes. Almost all the desserts are flavored with cardamom powder. Rose water is very unique to the North Indian dessert and I use it when making Rasgulla. One of my favorites that comes to my mind for rose water is Paneer Soda. Paneer soda is a rose-flavored soda typically sold in small stores in India (especially in rural areas). I grew up drinking this paneer soda and it is so nostalgic. I will list out more recipes below to use rose water.
Ingredients needed
Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipes. Flour - I have made the Cake Yazdi with all-purpose flour and cornstarch. I have also had great success baking muffins with whole wheat pastry flour. The secret ingredient in getting the crusty outside with the soft interior is corn starch. Baking Powder - Use fresh baking powder when baking. The expired baking powder would not work the same and the muffins might not rise well. Eggs - I always use large eggs in my baking. I have not tried this recipe eggless yet. Room temperature ingredients work the best. So bring the eggs to room temperature. Yogurt - I have used homemade yogurt in the recipe made with full-fat milk. Regular store-bought whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt will work in the recipe. Sour cream is a great substitute as well. Leave the yogurt out for some time to bring it to room temperature. Oil - I have used vegetable oil to make the muffins. Any nonflavored oil would work as a substitute. Sugar - I use white granulated sugar for the Persian muffins. Cardamom powder - Green cardamom is what we will use in the recipe. We can find whole cardamom in Indian grocery stores or can buy it online. How to make cardamom powder - Select fresh green cardamom pods and crush open the outer shell using a rolling pin or mortar and pestle. Remove the tiny black seeds and discard the outer covering. Now crush the seeds well and make it into a powder. I use my mortar and pestle for small quantities and use a spice grinder if making it in bulk. Rose water - Buy food-grade rose water from Indian stores or Middle Eastern grocery stores. Use rose water in the recipe and not rose essence. Sesame seeds and pistachios for garnish - The Cake Yazdis are traditionally garnished with sesame seeds on top. I also used pistachio in half the muffins as a garnish. Use either or both or skip them altogether.
Step-by-step process
Let the cardamom muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes and then remove them and let them cool completely on a wire rack. In a large bowl, add the eggs and sugar (1) and mix well using a whisk or an electric beater (2). We could also make this in a stand mixer. But just a regular whisk and some muscle strength will do the job fine. Now add the oil and yogurt and mix it well (3). Add the rose water and cardamom powder and mix (4). Mix it gently with the whisk or use a spatula to combine the dry ingredients with the wet (6). Do not over-mix. Just combine until well incorporated. Sprinkle the garnish over the batter (8). I used chopped pistachios on a few and sesame seeds on the rest (9). Bake it in a preheated 400 F for about 7 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 F and bake for 10 to 12 more minutes. Do not open the oven door to lower the temperature. Just change the setting to a lower temperature and let the muffins continue baking. Tip - Baking the muffins at a higher temperature in the begiining and then lowering the temperature for the rest of the baking period makes the muffin form a beautiful dome on top. When the muffins are done, they will be golden brown in color (10). Insert a toothpick in the center of a muffin to see if it comes out clean.
Expert Tips
Rose water and cardamom are both powerful spices. Do not use more than mentioned or they would overpower the whole muffin flavor. Cornstarch added along with all-purpose flour gives the muffin a crusty exterior. Baking at a higher temperature in the beginning and then at a lower temperature allows the muffin to rise well and give and dome structure. Garnishing the Persian cardamom muffin is optional, but I like it as the sesame seeds or pistachios add a lovely crunch.
How to serve Cake Yazdi?
Cake Yazdi or Persian muffins are a wonderful choice for breakfast. They are mildly sweet and that makes them the best choice. I also love to serve Persian cardamom muffins in the evening with a cup of coffee or tea. Love to make Persian muffins or any muffin as an after-school snack as it is easy to carry along. I love taking muffins with me on a road trip as well. In that case, I would bake them as mini muffins to make it easier.
How to store the Persian muffins
Let the muffins cool completely before storing them. Place the muffins in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag. This will help to keep the muffins fresh and prevent them from drying out. In a cooler and dryer temperature, the cake Yazdi can stay outside for 2 to 3 days. After this, it is better to freeze the remaining. If you want to freeze the muffins, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then place them in a freezer-safe container or resealable plastic bag. The muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw frozen muffins, remove them from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter. Once they are completely thawed, you can reheat them in the microwave or oven if desired.
More recipes to make with rose water
If you bought a large bottle of rose water and looking for more recipes to use them in, these are a few that I make often. Naan Berenji | Eggless Persian Rice Flour Cookies Moroccan Stuffed Dates | Dates Stuffed With Almond Paste Kesar Pista Kulfi | Frozen dairy dessert made with Pistachios and saffron Sheermal | Shirmal - Saffron Flavored Flat Bread Rasgulla Recipe | Cheese Balls Simmered In Sugar Syrup Paneer Soda | Rose Flavored Soda recipe If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter
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