Love cake facts for kids

Love cake is a type of semolina cake eaten in Iran and Sri Lanka on special occasions. They are often baked for cultural celebrations such as Nowruz or Christmas, birthdays and weddings, served wrapped in gold paper for guests to eat or take home.

History

The origin of Persian love cake is told through Iranian folklore, a Persian woman was madly in love with a prince. So, for him to succumb to her charms and fall in love with her, she decided to bewitch him by concocting a love potion in the form of a magic cake. This is how the recipe for Persian love cake was born.

The Sri Lankan love cake, while Persian influenced with the use of traditionally Iranian Ingredients such as rose water, has distinct origins to the Persian love cake.

The Sri Lankan Love cake was introduced by the Portuguese but has evolved into a confectionery unique to Sri Lanka. The original recipe of the Sri Lankan love cake dates back to the 16th century, when the Portuguese controlled the coastal areas of the country, known as "Bolo di Amor". The cake incorporates a mix of ingredients from Portuguese cakes, such as semolina, together with local Sri Lankan spices, such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamon.

Local folklore is that its name comes from the fact that the grinding of spices and nuts make this cake a true labor of love.

Sri Lankan Love cake is similar to the Singaporean sugee cake, which uses almonds as opposed to cashew nuts.

Characteristics

Love cake is made from semolina, cashew nuts, pumpkin preserve, butter, eggs, sugar, and honey flavoured with rose water and a variety of spices, including cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamon, creating a fragrant, sweet, lightly spiced cake with a moist chewy inside and a crunchy exterior.