Rose Pistachio Cake — an eggless Indian semolina cake with gulkand and cardamom

i. Origin & history

Rose and pistachio together are one of the oldest flavour pairings in the sweets of the Indian subcontinent. Both arrived in force with Persian and Central Asian influence on North Indian cooking, and the Mughal kitchens used rose water, pistachios, saffron and cardamom lavishly. Today the combination runs through Indian mithai — in kaju-pista rolls, rose-scented phirni, rasmalai, and the thick rose syrup used in falooda and rose milk.

Cakes, by contrast, came to India with European bakeries, especially in the colonial port cities, and Christmas plum cakes and simple sponges became widespread. India's large vegetarian population, many of whom avoid eggs, encouraged a whole tradition of eggless baking, using yoghurt (curd), condensed milk or milk with baking soda to replace eggs. Semolina (rava) cakes, a speciality of Goan and Mangalorean bakers among others, add a fine, slightly grainy crumb.

The rose pistachio cake belongs to the recent wave of 'fusion' or 'mithai-inspired' cakes popular in Indian cafés and home baking, and among South Asian bakers in Britain, North America and the Gulf, especially for Diwali, Eid and celebrations. It takes Indian sweet-shop flavours — rose, pistachio, cardamom, gulkand — and puts them into a cake. It is a relative of the Persian-inspired pistachio rosewater cake and of the Western 'Persian love cake', but is distinctly Indian in its semolina, yoghurt and gulkand.

Gulkand, the rose-petal preserve, is a key part of this version. Made by layering rose petals with sugar and leaving them to mature in the sun, it is traditionally eaten as a cooling summer tonic and is the sweet heart of a Banarasi paan. In the cake, a thin layer of gulkand gives a burst of rose flavour that rose water alone cannot match.

ii. How yoghurt and semolina replace the eggs

In a conventional sponge, eggs do three jobs: they bind the batter, trap air for lift and add moisture and richness. An eggless cake needs replacements for each.

Yoghurt is the main one. It adds moisture, a little fat and protein, and tenderness. Its acidity also reacts with bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), producing carbon dioxide that lifts the cake as it bakes; baking powder adds a second, slower rise in the oven. This acid-alkali reaction starts as soon as the wet and dry ingredients meet, which is why the batter must go into the oven promptly once the raising agents are added.

Semolina provides structure and texture. Its coarse granules absorb liquid more slowly than flour, so the batter is rested for about 20 minutes before the raising agents are added. During this time the semolina swells and softens; skipping the rest gives a gritty cake. The result is a moist, close crumb with a pleasant, faintly sandy texture, similar to Middle Eastern semolina cakes.

Ground pistachios add richness and flavour, and keep the cake moist for days. The rose comes from three sources: rose water in the batter for perfume, gulkand in the middle for concentrated flavour, and a rose glaze on top. Rose water is potent and brands differ, so it is used with restraint.

iii. Ingredients

Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust

• 150 g fine semolina (rava)
• 250 g plain yoghurt
• 160 g caster sugar
• 120 ml neutral oil or melted ghee
• 100 ml milk
• 2 tbsp rose water
• 100 g plain flour
• 90 g unsalted pistachios, finely ground
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp ground green cardamom
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp gulkand (rose-petal preserve)
• 120 g icing sugar, for the glaze
• 1 tbsp rose syrup or rose water, for the glaze
• 30 g pistachios, chopped, to decorate
• 1 tbsp dried edible rose petals

Use fine semolina (sometimes sold as Bombay rava); coarse semolina stays gritty. Full-fat yoghurt gives the best texture; it should be fresh, not sour. Ghee gives a richer, more Indian flavour, oil a lighter, moister cake. Gulkand is sold in jars at Indian grocers; if unavailable, use 2 tbsp rose-petal jam. A rose syrup such as those used for falooda gives the glaze a pink colour and stronger flavour. Use culinary rose water, and start with less if your brand is strong.

iv. Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the semolina, yoghurt, sugar, oil or ghee, milk and rose water. Cover and leave to rest for 20 minutes so the semolina softens.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 175 °C (350 °F), or 160 °C fan. Grease a 20 cm round cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
3. In another bowl, mix the flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cardamom and salt.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the rested semolina mixture until just combined, without overmixing. The batter should be thick but pourable; add a splash of milk if it is too stiff.
5. Pour half the batter into the tin. Dot the gulkand evenly over it, keeping it away from the edges, then cover with the remaining batter and smooth the top.
6. Bake immediately for 40–45 minutes, until risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the cake (avoiding the gulkand) comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
8. Whisk the icing sugar with the rose syrup or rose water to a thick, pourable glaze. Pour over the cake and scatter with chopped pistachios and rose petals.

v. Tips & common mistakes

• Rest the semolina. Twenty minutes in the yoghurt mixture softens it; skip the rest and the cake will be gritty.
• Bake straight after adding the raising agents. The yoghurt and bicarbonate start reacting immediately; a batter left standing loses its lift.
• Do not overmix. Fold until just combined. Overmixing toughens the crumb.
• Keep the gulkand in the centre. Near the edges it can sink and stick to the tin.
• Use rose water carefully. Too much makes the cake taste of soap; taste the glaze before using it.
• Test for doneness away from the gulkand. The sticky preserve can make a skewer look underbaked.

vi. Variations

For a rose pistachio cake with eggs, replace half the yoghurt with 2 beaten eggs and omit the bicarbonate of soda. A rose milk cake soaks the baked cake in a mixture of milk and rose syrup, in the style of a tres leches. A thandai cake adds fennel, black pepper and saffron, the flavours of the Holi drink. For a layer cake, bake two thinner cakes and sandwich them with whipped cream mixed with gulkand.

For a Persian take on the same flavours, see our pistachio rosewater cake. Semolina-based relatives include the syrup-soaked rosewater semolina cake, Egypt's basbousa and Greece's revani.

vii. Serving & storage

Serve at room temperature in slices with masala chai, cardamom coffee or a glass of rose milk. It also makes a fine dessert with a scoop of vanilla or pistachio ice cream, and is a popular cake for Diwali, Eid and birthdays.

The cake keeps for four days in an airtight container at room temperature, and up to a week in the fridge in warm weather; bring it back to room temperature before serving. Un-glazed, it freezes well for up to two months.

ix. More from Indian & South Asian

• Rosewater Semolina Cake — syrup-soaked rava cake
• Pistachio Rosewater Cake — Persian-style
• Kaju Katli — cashew fudge diamonds
• Rasmalai — chhena in saffron milk
• Phirni — rose-scented rice pudding
• Basbousa — Egyptian semolina cake