This {unbelievably good!} gluten-free vegan pistachio rose water cake comes to you thanks to one of your wonderful new recipe suggestions. Recently on the blog someone shared a memory of rose syrup flavored cakes from their childhood -- a classic middle eastern flavor for cakes, cookies, and other baked treats. I used to live in a middle-eastern neighborhood that was filled with little Persian, Turkish, and Greek cafes and restaurants, and the simple, light, and incredibly flavorful Mediterranean desserts they made were always such a treat!
With the lovely reminder from Mollie about delicious rose flavored desserts, I promptly jumped at the opportunity to create a new treat using one of my favorite flavor combos: pistachios and rose water -- a flavor I got hooked on after a friend brought me {delicious!} rose flavored cookies from Morocco years ago {hmm... I should probably make those too sometime... ;) }.
I already shared a recipe for pistachio rose water cupcakes in the past, but felt inspired to create something new just for the blog {and something refined sugar-free too, while I'm at it}. Don't mean to toot my own horn here, but honestly this rose pistachio cake was one of the most incredible cakes I've ever had. If you love rose flavored desserts, I am beyond positive you'll be a huge fan of this exotic cake! As a bonus, it's a simple one-bowl cake that's incredibly easy to make. So go grab some rose water and pistachios and let's get to it ;)
P.S. If you're not familiar with rose water, don't be deterred -- it's really not intimidating! It's basically water that has been steeped with rose petals and is therefore infused with a wonderfully distinct flowery aroma and flavor. You can find culinary rose water in many middle eastern shops and markets, at health food shops, baking specialty shops, or online {if buying online, I recommend this brand or something similar}. Note: make sure your rose water is food grade. I once had someone I know make one of my recipes with rose essential oil instead {eek!} and it turned out tasting like inedible soap! You definitely don't want to make that mistake ;)
Pistachio Rose Water Cake
Soft gluten-free vegan cake made with fresh pistachios and lovely, fragrant rose water.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 9.5" bundt cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Wet:
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce {I used homemade}
- 1½ cups maple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup non-dairy butter, melted {or cooking oil of your choice}
- 2 tbsp rose water
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Dry:
- 2¼ cups of my gluten-free flour blend {combine 1 cup brown rice flour, ¾ cup tapioca starch, ½ cup sweet rice flour, ¾ teaspoon guar gum} {or, if using store-bought, I recommend Pamela's Artisan Flour Blend}
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp cardamom
- dash of salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Fold-Ins:
- 1 cup pistachio nuts
Optional:
- Some coconut milk powder for dusting {or another non-dairy milk powder. Or use icing sugar if you're not opposed}
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a non-stick 9.5" bundt cake pan and set aside.
- Mix all wet ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add in dry ingredients and mix everything thoroughly. Fold in the pistachios. Transfer the cake batter into the bundt pan. Smooth out the batter and make sure it is distributed evenly.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven for 40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted down the center comes out dry. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
- Optional: dust with some coconut milk powder and enjoy!
Bella says
This is simply gorgeous- I would like to bake some mini muffins and invert them to serve as petit cakes with a rose or rose water refined sugar-free icing. I can’t do white sugar at all and even the maple syrup amount is too much for me sadly. How low could I go with it? Also, I keep a very, very dark Coombs pure maple syrup on hand and am afraid it may ‘stain’ the cakes. Would agave work just as well? Any ideas for a ‘pink’ icing to stream atop? I love your blog- please keep creating in 2024. Happy New Year!
The Real Person!
Hi Bella. Thank you so much! :)
Re: sugar sweetness reduction, I'm sorry but I haven't played around with less maple syrup in this cake, so not sure how it would behave. If you're ok with the flavor of it, you can try to swap some of the maple syrup for a stevia-based sugar-free syrup (I'm not a fan of them, but they do work for some people). As for the color, I think the dark maple syrup should work fine. I had a reader share they made this cake base with 1 cup maple syrup and 1/2 cup date syrup (which is very dark usually) and it came out just fine. So I think you're ok on the dark maple syrup there :)
As for the frosting, maybe something like this? :) https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/gluten-free-vegan-raspberry-rhubarb-bundt-cake-with-raspberry-frosting/
alex says
I made this yesterday with regular cake flour and it turned out amazingly! I didn't have a bundt pan, so I split it into 2 9-inch round cake pans and baked for less time (about 27 mins). I added a light lemon glaze. This cake was delicate and fragrant and delicious! I think I may personally add a bit more rosewater next time, but the flavours were really well balanced - the cake was not too sweet but just perfect. The texture was on-point and you would never be able to tell this was vegan.
I agree with the other commenter who suggested trying it with almonds and orange blossom water instead of pistachio and rose - I feel like this recipe is really versatile and could work with any other nut if you don't have pistachios on hand. So so delicious, thank you audrey!
The Real Person!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback, alex! I'm so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for sharing your modifications too. Always great to hear what swaps work.
Ritika says
Hi I would absolutely love to try this out since rose and pistachio is my favourite combo ! Was just curious to know if I could add in dried rose petals into the cake batter? And if so, how much qty of dried rose petals should I add? And would that affect the addition of rose water ?
And also would like to make this a regular cake. What size cake tin would you suggest for that ?
Thanks in advance! Can’t wait to try this out ! Xoxo
The Real Person!
Hi Ritika. I don't think it's an issue to add rose petals inside the cake, though typically rose water is used to flavor cakes instead of the petals because lends a better rose flavor as it gets distributed more evenly throughout the batter. I do add some dried rose petals to cookies from time to time, but I've never added them to cake batter yet. So I'm not 100% sure what to expect in terms of texture and flavor here. So what I'm trying to say is: your guess is as good as mine, but I see no reason not to experiment :). And I'd love to hear what you decide to do and how the rose flavor turns out as a result.
As for cake size, the bundt pan I used here is 9.5" in diameter, and holds about 10 cups by volume. The volume of ingredients going into the pan is just under 7 cups, though of course the cake will rise. So you can other cake pans that hold about 10 cups by volume. You can check cake size volumes online, here's an example of a website with some standard measurements: https://www.allrecipes.com/article/cake-pan-size-conversions/
Shannon says
This cake was amazing! So moist and the flavor was delicate and delicious. I used cake flour instead of the gluten-free mix. Guests loved it and commented that Vegan desserts can be hit or miss, and this cake knocked it out of the park!
The Real Person!
Best feedback ever!! :) Thanks for sharing, Shannon. I'm so glad to hear it worked well with the regular flour too.
Homebaker says
I love the taste and the idea of this recipe.
The Real Person!
Thank you, I'm glad you like it :)
Christian Stanley says
This is a fantastic food recipe, thank you for sharing it with us.
The Real Person!
Thanks Christian, enjoy it!
Alison says
I loved this recipe! So delicious! I substituted cake flour and made it a round layered cake with almond lemon frosting and gum paste roses. It was a huge hit. The flavors are fantastic! Thank you!
The Real Person!
That sounds amazing, Alison! Thanks so much for the lovely feedback and for sharing -- especially that it worked well with regular cake flour (a lot of people ask, and it's not something I'm able to test out bc of gluten issues).
Malvika says
Excited to try this cake out for my boyfriend's bday! I was wondering how far in advance this could be made and stored. I'm looking to make this a layer cake as well with some vegan almond buttercream or vegan cream cheese frosting! :)
The Real Person!
Hi Malvika. So sorry for the delayed reply. This cake will definitely work well as a layer cake. I think it's best consumed within 1-2 days of making it if keeping it fresh (though it will last longer than that -- I just fined the cake better when it's fresher). That said, you can make it in advance and freeze the layers. Then frost and let it thaw out in the fridge for half a day or a day in advance even.
Malvika says
Hi!! No problem at all. I ended up making the cake 2 days in advance (subbed cake flour for GF flour) and chilled in fridge. I wrapped the layers separately in saran wrap. Then I made a vegan cream cheese frosting and iced the cake on the day of his bday and it worked out really nicely!! The cake was a HUUUUGE hit!! https://www.instagram.com/p/Bbpo2ldlFcr/
Thanks for an amazing recipe :) loved it and would totally make it again <3
The Real Person!
It looks gorgeous! I'm so happy it worked out and glad to hear it works well with cake flour. Thanks so much for sharing.
yasmin says
I made this with rice malt syrup and was success! Thanks for the great recipe
The Real Person!
I'm glad to hear it worked with rice malt syrup. Thanks so much for the great feedback, Yasmin :) So happy you enjoyed the cake.
Minnaloushe Meow says
Absolutely LOVED this recipe. It does use a lot of maple syrup, but I guess that's okay for a special treat ;-) curious to try the same ingredients substituting pistachios for chopped almonds or hazelnuts and rose for orange blossom water. Also wondering whether you can use treacle as a more economical sweetener? Thanks so much again for sharing this X
The Real Person!
Thanks so much for the lovely feedback :)
You can definitely use another liquid sweetener to your taste (or what's more affordable locally) -- agave works well in this cake, but other sweeteners can work well too. Just keep in mind that some have a stronger flavor than others. I make this cake with orange blossom water as well and it's lovely :)
Kamini Raghavan says
Just discovered your site today and am speechless. Amazing.
Can i use store bought gf flour? I hate to buy ingredients that I might never use again. Thanks a ton.
The Real Person!
Hi Kamini. You can give it a try, though the gf mix I used contains sweet sticky rice flour which gives the cake a different texture to a regular mix (more springy / light / airy). Pamela's mix (I linked to it in the recipe) works well as a ready-made gf mix, if it's available where you are.
Janet says
I came across your recipe whilst looking for vegan rosewater and pistachio cake recipes. This looks amazing and seems to be quite straight forward :) Would you by any chance know if this recipe would work for a normal round cake tin, or sandwich tins, or even a loaf/pound cake tin? (I don't have a bundt tin and don't fancy going out to buy one especially ^^")
Thank you!
The Real Person!
Hi Janet. Yes, it works in a normal cake tin. It should work as a loaf as well, though I wouldn't fill it too high just to be safe. I totally get it -- I resist getting extra pans as well, though I do love bundts :)
Janet says
Thanks Audrey! Looking forward to giving this recipe a try :)
Ann says
Hi Audrey -- Your Gluten-Free Vegan Pistachio Rose Water Cake looks delicious. I cannot have rice flour -- or any grain flour for that matter -- do you think all almond flour would work? I generally use Wellbee's Fine Almond Flour. Thanks.
The Real Person!
Hi Ann, to be honest I think it probably won't work just as a straight substitution, so the recipe would need to be tried out (probably a few times) to adjust it to grain-free as it was currently configured specifically for that flour blend. If you did venture out to try it though anyhow, I'd recommend using a mix of almond flour and some tapioca starch to soften it. But again, can't make promises as I haven't tried adjusting this one myself.
I do have a baked grain-free bundt cake recipe here that might work though -- if you simply omit the rosemary and use rose water and pistachios in there. Hopefully that could work to satisfy the pistachio cake cravings :)
Yasmin says
Hi Audrey, I love the recipe and the cake looks amazing! Could you please let me know what size bundt mould you used for your recipe? Look forward to hearing from you, thanking you in advance, Yasmin
The Real Person!
Hello Yasmin,
I used a standard 9" bundt for this cake. Lately I've been just using a 6" to make smaller cakes though (which uses half the batter).
Thank you for bringing my attention to this though -- I should have specified it in the recipe. Just edited it to include the pan size.
Rae says
Hi Audrey this cake looks amazing. I have indian heritage so this combo brings up memories. I was wondering if instead of making the flour you describe you can use another gluten free flour such as coconut flour? Or would that ruin the flavor? Reason being is I have a pack of coconut flour I need to use up! Thank you
The Real Person!
Hi Rae, coconut flour acts very differently to grain-based flours in a recipe and is generally not a good substitute. It won't work on its own in this recipe unfortunately.
That said, if you're looking for something to use it up in, I've got lots of recipes that use it, like:
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/blueberry-coconut-bliss-balls-recipe/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/blackberry-coconut-cake-no-bake/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/no-bake-glazed-donut-holes/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/caramel-coconut-cake/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/vegan-raspberry-rose-coconut-bars/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/cinnamon-pumpkin-vegan-energy-bites/
https://www.unconventionalbaker.com/raw-ginger-turmeric-lemon-cream-bars/
Phillius Thomas says
I have not heard of using pistachios in a cake before, and it seems rather yummy! Thinking about it though, you can make it into ice cream though, so why not in to other tasty treats? I am going to need to buy some pistachios so I can try making this cake. My husband loves just eating them a lot though, so I may have to hide them until I can use them.
The Real Person!
:) it'll be a treat for you both.
Paula says
If I wanted to make this into a layered cake, what type of GF/DF frosting would you recommend?
The Real Person!
Hi Paula,
I'd go with a cream cheese-type frosting or a simple vanilla buttercream. If you want something more zingy, a lemon flavored frosting would work great too.
As for recipes, I'd either adopt a dairy-based recipe using non-dairy ingredients {i.e. DF cream cheese, etc.}, or if you wanted a more wholesome alternative, the frosting from these cupcakes would work well here {you'd just need to multiply the recipe depending on your cake size as the quantities given in the recipe are to frost 6 cupcakes only}.
Paula says
Thank you so much for replying! I really appreciate it :)
The Real Person!
No worries, Paula. Enjoy it! :)
Karina says
Hi!! This looks delicious! I am not gluten intolerant so what kind of flour would you recommend I use? Should I use cake or all purpose? Also, instead of folding the pistachio nuts in, could I make a pistachio flour and add it to the dry ingredients to make a full-on pistachio flavor? Thanks!!
The Real Person!
Hi Karina, I think cake flour would work best in terms of giving the cake a gentler texture. All purpose flour would work well too, but it will be a little more bready -- like a coffee cake. And absolutely on grinding the pistachio nuts in -- that would be delicious. A mix could work well too -- like grinding some in and also adding some larger pieces. Enjoy it and happy baking! :)
Levan @ MyWifeMakes.com says
Love rose flavored anything! This recipe looks awesome! I'm also a fan of Turkish delights.
Thanks for sharing this awesome recipe! Pinning this and following you on Pinterest! Five stars, cause you're awesome. :)
The Real Person!
Mmm... Turkish delights. Haven't had those in ages, but anything that is reminiscent of their flavor is a winner on my list ;) Thanks so much, Levan!
Savanna @ Glutenfreeveganpantry.com says
Audrey, this cake looks amazing! My husband is Persian so I have a serious love for all things rosewater and pistachio and I can actually imagine how good this cake must taste just by looking at it. We'll be celebrating Persian New Year this Saturday with his family and I think this would be the perfect dessert to bring. If I can find rose water in town, I'm definitely going to be trying this out on Friday - I'll let you know how it goes :)
The Real Person!
Thanks so much, Savanna! I had no idea Persian new year is coming around, but this cake is one of my favorites and it would be a wonderful addition to the celebration. I hope you find some rose water. Orange blossom would work well too btw.
Laura says
Am I missing something? What raspberry frosting?
The Real Person!
Hi Laura, thanks for spotting that that. That is a typo! I copied that step from the wrong recipe in my notes {happens to me sometimes when I work on several recipes in one go...} -- fixed that now. This cake is {obviously} unfrosted, and I just dusted it with a hint of powdered coconut milk.
Laura@Baking in Pyjamas says
Lovely flavours Audrey, it sounds wonderful. Thanks for linking up to Sweet and Savoury Sunday, stop by and link up again. Have a great day!!
The Real Person!
Thanks Laura! :) I'm always happy to share at your party!
Raia says
My kids are huge pistachio fans, I'm sure they would go nuts over this. Haha. :) Thanks for sharing it at Savoring Saturdays, Audrey!
The Real Person!
I don't blame them, Raia -- I go nuts for pistachios too ;)
Sharon @ What The Fork Food Blog says
I haven't been able to bring myself to eat rose flavored things yet but the pistachios sound lovely :)
The Real Person!
Haha -- I hear ya, Sharon. I guess I was lucky because no one told me the secret ingredient was rose water the first time I tried a rose-flavored treat. I might have been skeptical as well, but I really do love the flavor -- it was a love at first bite :) . This cake can definitely work without it too though, and since I know how much you love pistachios and chocolate together, I'm sure you'll be able to figure out a delicious way to serve this up ;)
Julia says
I'll be on the lookout for rose water now! Pinned!
The Real Person!
Hey Julia, thanks for stopping by! I hope you're able to find some soon -- I know you'll be able to make a tasty treat with it ;)
Cece Leskova says
What an elegant cake!
The Real Person!
Thank you, Cece. It was such a no-fuss baking experience, yet you wouldn't know it: mix batter, pour into pan, bake, cool, dust it a little and voila! I just couldn't believe how gorgeous it turned out, especially considering the simplicity of it!
Rosie says
I happened to be over for lunch at Audrey's when she made this. I had to restrain myself from eating the entire thing! The rosewater leaves this wonderful taste in your mouth! I expected it to be kind of perfume-y but it wasn't. I made the mistake of eating something else after and it took the taste away and I really wanted it back! :) I'll be making this one at home soon so I can get that taste back :)
The Real Person!
Haha -- I'm glad you made it in time while there was still some left, Rosie! I don't think I did too well in the restraining department prior to your arrival ;)
I'm so happy you liked the rose water in this too -- it's the kind of thing that if you love it, you really love it {though I know it's not everyone's cup of tea sometimes}. I'll be sure to save you some of my next rose water & pistachio project ;)
Jose says
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The Real Person!
Thank you, Jose! I'll be sure to check it out!
Rachel E says
This looks good! I have seen rose water used on Food Networks Cuocake wars, but never tried it myself. I see that you use 2 tsp. of almond, that is often a very strong flavor, does it not over power the rose water? Or is the rose water pretty strong? Just curious. Either way, you have inspired me to try something new. I am excited.
The Real Person!
Thanks, Rachel! I know almond extract is usually very strong and is used in much smaller quantities, but it just worked really well in this recipe at this amount. I think many Mediterranean desserts have strong flavors of almonds, nuts, and rose water -- and these flavors all complement each other quite well.
So glad the recipe inspired you to try out rose water. It's such an interesting accent flavor! I add a tiny amount to recipes like my raw cranberry cheesecake sometimes and it really plays up the flavors. Rose syrup is amazing in baklava, ice cream, marzipan, delicate pastries like madeleines or cupcakes. Oh, and rice pudding -- amazing! So many possibilities... Just a caution though -- too much of it and your food can end up tasting like perfume ;) - you typically don't need much as it's more of an accent flavor {in most recipes I use anywhere between 1 tsp - 2 tbsp {closer to 1 tbsp on average} depending on how prominent a flavor I want it to be}. Have fun baking and experimenting! I'm sure you'll come up with something extraordinary, as always :)
Lisa | Mummy Made.It says
Stunning photos Audrey!
Rose water is such a forgotten gem; thanks for reminding me!
The Real Person!
Thanks Lisa & you're welcome! Maybe you can try some rose water lamingtons next? ;) It actually goes really well with marshmallows. I'd be your first customer!
Gingi says
Oh my, this looks so yummy!! Thanks for sharing! <3 - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com
The Real Person!
Thanks, Gingi! I'm still working on that pumpkin roll by the way -- so far a bunch of delicious broken rolls, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually -- I'm getting there :) At least this cake came out delicious in the meantime ;)
Gingi says
Even when I do the roll "right" I still end up cracking or breaking it, haha.. I generally let my husband roll it, then it looks great! I must just have a heavy hand with baking!!
The Real Person!
Maybe husband doing the rolling is the secret ingredient then ;)
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
I totally love how moist and decadent this cake looks! Rose water is so smart and the pistachios look like the perfect addition :)
The Real Person!
Thanks so much, Medha -- it was a real treat!
Going to check out your 3 ingredient mug cake -- sounds delish! :)
Ali the Skinny GF Chef says
Lovely lovely cake. I can imagine it would be extra yummy with your lemon curd. Thanks!
The Real Person!
Thanks Ali! Hmm... Lemon curd would be an interesting addition. I wonder if you're onto something... :)
Honestly though this cake was so good it was hard enough not to eat it all in one go. I think trying to improve it further might be dangerous... ;)