Saffron Cake with Raisins

Each bite of this buttery saffron cake with raisins is guaranteed to transport your taste buds to a world of culinary bliss. Freshly ground saffron blends beautifully with the plump raisins to create a delectable treat that is perfect for any occasion.

Although I love to bake, I do not consider myself a baker. I gravitate towards simpler desserts, where a primary ingredient gets all of the attention, whether it be a fruit or a spice.

Creating and developing a brand-spanking new dessert recipe is challenging, where measurements and attention to detail is absolute. And, I never post one of my own baked recipes without re-creating it half a dozen times for continued success.

My family’s favorite cookie are my Persian Saffron Raisin Cookie (Shirini Kishmishi). It is buttery. Oh yeah, lots of butter. And features aromatic saffron with dots of raisins. I realized that this combination would be perfect in a buttery pound cake.

Laura’s tips

Why this recipe works

• Texture: These cookies have crispy edges and soft buttery goodness on the inside. And, you will eat the crumbs. ALL of the crumbs!
• Golden Saffron: Saffron is not only aromatic, but it has a unique flavor, too. Don’t be intimidated by using it. Saffron is expensive, but very little is needed to transform this pound cake.
• Flavor: This is a favorite that all three of my kids love. These buttery sugar cookies are incredible and the saffron flavor is not overpowering.

Ingredients you need

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• Saffron: This is the star of this recipe, so choose a high quality saffron. The quality will affect the flavor, aroma and color of your cake. I share tips on choosing saffron further below.
• Butter: I prefer unsalted butter so I can control the salt taste in my baking. I usually prefer baking with olive oil, but this recipe is all about the flavors of the Persian cookie, and that baby is made with buttah!
• Eggs: Large eggs are the standard in baking.
• Plain Greek yogurt: This is my secret ingredient in making my cakes so moist and fluffy.
• Raisins: Dark red raisins are used in this recipe. Green raisins could work, but aren’t as sweet.
• Pantry staples: All purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract and kosher salt.

Step-by-step directions

1. Bloom the saffron. Crush saffron in a mortar and pestle then add hot water. Let it steep like tea and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
3. Cream the butter. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer and whisk the sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
4. Add the wet ingredients. Mix in eggs, yogurt and vanilla into butter mixture.

4. Add the saffron. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone scraper and mix in the reserved saffron liquid.
5. Add the dry ingredients. In two batches, add dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
6. Add raisins. Stir in raisins by hand. You don’t want to over mix or you will have a tough cake.
7. Bake. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Expert tips and recipe FAQs

High quality saffron threads are ALL RED. No yellow or light orange. If it is yellow, it is probably Safflower Threads, a cheaper alternative that does not yield the brilliant yellow color or powerful aroma of true saffron.

I see a lot of food bloggers mistakenly using safflower thinking that it is saffron. It is NOT saffron. It is nothing like saffron.

I store my saffron in a sealed container in my pantry. When I pop it open, I’m blown away by the smell each and every time. THAT is what separates the cheap stuff from the good stuff.

I have baked this recipe in a metal loaf pan, glass loaf pan and silicone baking molds. It always turns out beautifully. How much the cake browns depends on the pan you use and your oven. My last bake was made in a toaster oven, so it had a nice crust around surrounding the pound cake.

Saffron Cake with Raisins

Laura Bashar | Family Spice

Each bite of this buttery saffron cake with raisins is guaranteed to transport your taste buds to a world of culinary bliss. Freshly ground saffron blends beautifully with the plump raisins to create a delectable treat that is perfect for any occasion.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Additional Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Course Cakes

Cuisine Persian

Servings 10

Calories 355 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ⅛ teaspoon ground saffron
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¾ cup unsalted softened butter
• 2 large eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup raisins

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Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 350ºF.
• In a small bowl combine ground saffron and hot water. Let saffron steep for 10 minutes before using.
• Apply non-stick spray to a 9×5 inch loaf pan, and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang.
• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder.
• In a medium size bowl, whisk together using an electric mixer sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
• Mix in eggs, yogurt and vanilla into butter mixture.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix in the reserved saffron liquid.
• On low speed, mix in half of the flour mixture.
• Mix in the remainder of the flour mixture, until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over mix.
• Stir in raisins by hand.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. The batter will be thick.
• Gently tap the pan to your work surface to remove air bubbles.
• Bake in the oven for 60-75 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Let the cake cool in the pan over a cooling rack for 30 mins.
• Life the cake out of the pan and place on the cooling rack to completely cool.
• Slice cake to desired thickness once cake is at room temperature.
• Store cooled caked, wrapped tightly in plastic at room temperature, up to 3 days.

Notes

TO STORE: Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days. You can also keep it on the counter, covered, for several days if the temperature is mild and not hot.

TO FREEZE: You can also freeze leftovers. Wrap in foil, parchment paper or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 4 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 355kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 5gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 271mgFiber: 1gSugar: 35g

Keyword raisin cake, raisin pound cake, saffron cake, saffron pound cake

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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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This post was originally published May 12, 2012. I have recently updated the content and photographs and this post.