Turkish Delight cake

Ingredients

• ⅘ cup (200g) soft butter 
• ¾ cup (165g) castor sugar 
• 4 large eggs 
• Grated peel of 1 lemon 
• ⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice 
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) rose water 
• ½ cup (100g) cake flour, sifted 
• 2¼ cups (215g) almond flour 
• 5 cardamom pods, seeds removed and finely ground 
• 1 tsp (5ml) baking powder 
• Pinch fine salt 

Syrup: 

• ½ cup (125ml) honey 
• Juice (125ml) of 2 lemons 
• ½ cup (125ml) water 
• 1 Tbsp (15ml) rose water 

For decorating: 

• 1 cup (250g) soft butter 
• 3½ cups (455g) icing sugar, sifted 
• 3-4 tsp (15-20ml) shop-bought rose syrup 
• ½ packet (50g) Turkish delight cubes, cut smaller 
• Dried rose petals or fresh edible flowers 

Method

1. Cream butter and sugar together using a stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 7 minutes. 
2. With the motor running, add eggs one by one, fully incorporating each one before adding the next. 
3. Pour in lemon zest, juice and rose water and mix until well combined. 
4. Preheat oven to 170°C. 
5. Combine flours, ground cardamom, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. 
6. Stir in wet mixture until well combined. 
7. Pour batter into an 18cm to 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin (or make two batches and make cake layers of different sizes, as we did in this picture.) 
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 
9. Remove cake from oven and cool in baking tin for 5-10 minutes. 
10. Heat syrup ingredients on medium heat. 
11. Pour syrup over cake (while still in the baking tin) and leave to infuse and cool completely. 
12. Whisk butter until pale and soft, then add icing sugar, a cup at a time, until incorporated. 
13. Add rose syrup to taste. 
14. Remove cake from baking tin and lightly ice the outside, stacking if you like. 
15. Decorate with Turkish delight squares and rose petals or edible flowers. 

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