Ispahan Cake (Raspberry Loaf Cake)

Quick Summary: Ispahan cake is a French raspberry loaf cake created by pastry chef Pierre Hermé, flavored with rose and studded with fresh raspberries. Made with almond flour for a dense, moist crumb, this 9x5-inch loaf serves 12 and takes about 2 hours to make.

What is Ispahan cake?

Ispahan cake is a raspberry loaf cake with a rose twist, named after the renowned Damask rose. Made with almond flour and fresh raspberries, this dense and moist cake features an eye-catching berry arrangement.

This cake is one of 42 sweet treats under the family desserts called Ispahan, created by the French pastry chef Pierre Hermé: tart, choux, mille-feuille, croissant, Ispahan madeleines, Ispahan macarons, sablé, tea, jam, nougat, caramel, etc.

They are all famous for their unique Ispahan flavor, a combination of rose sweetness, the power of raspberry, and the floral note of fresh lychee.

Once a year, in Pierre Hermé's boutiques, there is a Fetish Ispahan season, which is a reason to overeat rose, lychee, and raspberry creations. So, if you plan a trip to Paris, experience all variations of Ispahan desserts in the City of Light.

Why you'll love this recipe

Here is why you will love this raspberry loaf cake Ispahan:

• Beginner-friendly: this raspberry loaf cake recipe is simple enough for a beginner baker.
• Soft and moist: the cake is soft, buttery, and moist. Read more about how to make a cake moist.
• Full of fresh raspberries: thanks to their juiciness, they make a great summer fruit dessert, and the batter holds the berries so they do not sink to the bottom.
• Romantic rose flavor: it adds a romantic touch, perfect for Valentine's Day, thanks to the rosewater.
• Perfect anytime: this easy loaf cake suits celebrations, dinners, and picnics, or enjoy it with a cup of coffee or tea.

Equipment

Here are the tools you need to make this Ispahan cake:

• 9 x 5-inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan, light-colored or nonstick
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Flour sifter
• Egg separator
• Mixing bowls
• Rubber spatula
• Piping bag (optional, for the batter)
• Wire cooling rack

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Butter: Use unsalted, softened butter. Take it out of the fridge one to two hours before you start.

• Icing sugar: Make it yourself with a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

• Almond flour: Use blanched, finely ground almond flour to make the cake. Please do not substitute it for coarse almond meal. Instead, follow one important tip: gently spoon it from a container into a measuring cup while measuring almond flour. 

• Eggs: Use large eggs for egg whites and egg yolks. Use an egg separator to easily separate egg whites from yolks while the eggs are chilled.

• Sugar: Use granulated or caster sugar.

• Milk: The recipe calls for whole milk.

• Rose water: Use top-quality rosewater to flavor the dessert. If you aren't a fan, omit this ingredient, or replace it with vanilla or almond extract.

• Flour: Use all-purpose flour to make the recipe.

How to make a raspberry loaf cake

Step 1. Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C). Sift dry ingredients (almond flour and icing sugar) into a large bowl and set aside. Sift all-purpose flour into a separate bowl.

Step 2. To make the cake batter, place the softened butter and almond mixture in a large mixing bowl and beat for 3 minutes using an electric mixer (photo 1). Alternatively, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment.

Step 3. Add the whole egg, including the egg yolks, to the butter mixture and whisk for 2 minutes. Then add milk mixed with rosewater and beat for 1 minute (photo 2).

Step 4. In a separate small bowl, beat egg whites, gradually adding sugar until soft peaks form (photo 3).

Step 5. Gently fold the fluffy egg whites into the cake batter as you add the flour.

Step 6. Gently stir the mixture with a rubber spatula, starting from the center and working outward (photo 4). Be careful not to over-mix! It is best to under-mix than over-mix.

Step 7. Transfer the cake batter to a piping bag.

Step 8. Butter a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan (opt for a nonstick or a light-colored aluminum pan) and dust it with flour.

Alternatively, use nonstick spray to spray the bottom and sides of the baking pan. Next, line the pan with parchment paper, ensuring that it extends beyond the long sides of the pan.

Pro tip: If using a silicone baking pan, read about baking with silicone molds.

Step 9. Spread ⅓ of the cake batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan. Place a layer of raspberries on top, leaving some space around the edges (photo 5). Top the raspberries with another ⅓ of the batter.

Step 10. Cover the raspberries with another ⅓ of the batter. Add more berries, again avoiding the edges of the tin. Pour the remaining batter over the fresh raspberries.

Step 11. Lower the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes until golden brown (photo 6). A knife inserted into the center of the cake should leave no streaks of batter.

Step 12. Remove the cake from the mold immediately after baking. Let it cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

Expert Tips

1. Make sure to use room temperature ingredients.
2. When breaking eggs, be careful to avoid yolk and shell fragments in the egg whites. Gently beat the whites until they are not too firm.
3. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the batter to achieve a slightly rose cake color, if desired.
4. Only use fresh berries for the cake; frozen ones will make it too watery.
5. Divide the cake batter into three equal parts to make layers of batter and raspberries.
6. Using a pastry bag is optional: you can spoon the batter into a cake tin.
7. Don't open the oven door during baking.

Recipe variations

Here are a few ways to add your own touch while staying in the spirit of Ispahan:

• Decorate the cake with crystallized rose petals and crushed Pink Praline (red-colored candied almonds) to give the dessert extra crunch.

• Finish the cake with a white chocolate and freeze-dried raspberry glaze or a lemon icing (adding fresh lemon zest to the batter is also a nice option).

• Sprinkle the top of the cake with rose icing sugar and decorate it with fresh raspberries and rose petals. To make rose icing sugar, blend equal parts of edible rose buds or dried rose petals and caster sugar in a blender or food processor.

• Add lychee for the classic Ispahan trio: the authentic Ispahan flavor pairs rose and raspberry with lychee. Fold a few chopped, well-drained canned lychees into the batter or tuck them between the raspberry layers for the true rose-raspberry-lychee combination.

To flavor the cake even more, use this downloadable 11-page guide, a complete fruit flavor pairing chart.

Storing & freezing

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Can you freeze the Ispahan cake? Cover the entire cooled cake, or individual slices, with plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Or use a freezer bag and freeze the cake for up to 2 months. To thaw, place it in the fridge overnight or on the kitchen counter for 3 to 4 hours.

Recipe FAQ

What is Ispahan cake?
Ispahan cake is a French raspberry loaf cake flavored with rose, made with almond flour and fresh raspberries. It takes its name from the Ispahan flavor combination of rose, raspberry, and lychee created by pastry chef Pierre Hermé.

Who created the Ispahan cake?
The Ispahan flavor was made famous by French pastry chef Pierre Hermé. He built a whole family of Ispahan desserts, from macarons and croissants to tarts and this loaf cake, all based on rose, raspberry, and lychee.

What does Ispahan mean?
Ispahan, also known as rose d'Ispahan, is a pink Damask rose. The name is sometimes spelled Isfahan or Isphahan, after the Iranian city of Isfahan.

What are the flavors in an Ispahan dessert?
The signature Ispahan flavor combines the sweetness of rose, the tartness of raspberry, and the floral note of lychee. This loaf cake focuses on the rose and raspberry, and you can add lychee for the full trio.

Can you make this cake gluten-free?
Follow the recipe precisely to achieve an authentic result, as it relies on a specific ratio of almonds to all-purpose flour.

Can you substitute or omit rosewater?
If you do not like rosewater, omit it or use vanilla extract instead. Keep in mind that rosewater gives the cake its signature Ispahan character.

Can you make the cake with frozen raspberries?
Use only fresh raspberries when baking the cake. Frozen berries release excess juice and will not give the raspberry loaf cake its clean layers and neat look.

Love loaf cakes? Try these next!

Enjoy a collection of loaf cakes on the website, from quick bread to Pain d'epices and Leopard milk bread.

• Easy Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
• Carrot Pineapple Bread
• Apple Crumble Bread
• Sugar Free Banana Bread With Natural Ingredients

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.

The recipe was adapted from niksya.ru. It was originally published on February 19, 2018. It has been updated and may differ from what was originally published