Rose & blackberry, Pistachio olive oil cake with vanilla honey yogurt
Roses are red, violets are blue, you can have your cake + eat it too!
I have fallen head over heals for floral notes in my food. Scent is a crucial trigger for our memory. The smell and flavor of rose reminds me of my formative trip to India last summer. Upon exiting the airport in Delhi, a strong aroma washed over me and filled my nostrils with delight. Jasmine filled the air. It was as if the wind was scented.
As I traipsed through the crowded streets of Old Delhi, overwhelmed with sensory overload and unforgiving humidity, I could not escape that floral smell. Finally after a long day of pushing my way through sweaty crowds and dodging near death traffic scenarios, I took a break, and washed away my internal heat with an ice cold rose lassi. It was so refreshing, and the cloying sweetness that is characteristic of the yogurt drink was cut with a floral bitterness that made the lassi more interesting and complex. Needless to say, I did a lot of eating in India, but that rose lassi was by far the most memorable. This post is a homage to the drink that made me fall in love with floral flavors. Here's my recipe for a rosewater olive oil cake with blackberries, pistachio and a to-die-for vanilla honey yogurt.
CAKE INGREDIENTS
- 1 and 1/3 cups all-purpose (or whole wheat) flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- ⅔ cup coconut sugar (or white)
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1/3 cup of pistachios
- 1/3 cup of blackberries
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 Tbs. honey
YOGURT INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup of yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbs honey
DIRECTIONS
Oil and flour a springform pan or a bunt mold. Pre heat oven to 350.
With a standing mixer or hand mixer, beat the eggs until frothy. Add the sugar and beat for 5 mins until it's thick. Add the rosewater, olive oil and vanilla.
Meanwhile mix together the flour, baking power, salt, and pistachios. Once the wet mixture is fluffy, graduallly fold in the dry ingredients. Do not over mix. Add the blackberries. Pour mixture into pan, and place in over for 30 mins, or until a knife comes out clean.
Sprinkle the cake with coconut sugar, and serve with blackberries, yogurt and a sprinkle of honey on top.
There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence. - Emerson
