Cake Yazdi – Persian Cardamom Muffins
Mar 12, 2019, Updated Jan 28, 2025
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These Cake Yazdi muffins are soft and aromatic, with warm cardamom tastes and a hint of rosewater. Perfectly fluffy with a golden top sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds, these Persian-style muffins are as appealing as they are delicious.

These Persian muffins are very simple to make and you can have them for breakfast, dessert or just as a snack! My favorite part is when they go into the oven and after approximately 7 minutes, my home starts smelling like home back in Iran, as if I never left, as if everything is just like it was 10 years ago when I was dreaming of spending all my day cooking and baking. Little did I know that in 10 short years I’d be writing about those dreams that came true in this little corner of internet.
If you’re a fan of Persian sweets, you know I have some tasty recipes on the blog such as Persian Saffron Cake (Cake Sharbati), Persian Love Cake, Persian Rosettes (Nan Panjereh), and Cardamom Cookies. These Persian cardamom muffins are one of my favorites that is so easy to make.
Table of Contents

What is Cake Yazdi
Cake Yazdi is a traditional Persian recipe for delicious cardamom muffins filled with Persian flavors. These delightful muffins, originating from Yazd province in Iran, are a staple in Persian baking, loved for their delicate sweetness, soft texture, and aromatic flavors.
What makes these muffins extra good is the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch. Cornstarch makes these rosewater cardamom muffins really soft and fluffy on the outside while keeping the muffins’ top crispy.

Ingredients and Substitutes
- Eggs: They bind the ingredients together, ensuring the muffins hold their shape while adding moisture and a tender crumb.
- Granulated Sugar: It sweetens and helps achieve a beautifully golden crust by caramelizing during baking.
- Plain Greek Yogurt: It adds moisture and gives the muffins a subtle tanginess, balancing the sweetness and enhancing their tender crumb.
- Vegetable Oil: It ensures the muffins stay soft and moist without overpowering the delicate flavors. If you want a slightly nutty note, try substituting half the oil with melted unsalted butter.
- Ground Cardamom: It provides a warm, floral, and slightly citrusy aroma that is distinctive to Persian pastries, giving Cake Yazdi its signature fragrance.
- Rose Water: It infuses the muffins with a subtle floral aroma, complementing the spices and creating a unique flavor profile. If you don’t have rose water, use orange blossom water or vanilla extract for a different but equally delightful flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: The base that provides structure to the muffins, creating a balance between fluffiness and density.
- Cornstarch: It helps to reduce the density of the muffins, making them airy and fluffy without compromising structure.
- Baking Powder: It acts as a leavening agent, helping the muffins rise evenly for a domed, bakery-style top.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds: Lightly toasting the sesame seeds before sprinkling them on top enhances their nutty flavor and adds a subtle crunch to the muffins. Add a few edible rose petals or crushed pistachios instead of sesame seeds.

How to Make Cake Yazdi
Step 1: Prepare the Oven and Muffin Tin
Preheat the oven to 400°F to ensure the initial rise. Line a muffin tin with paper liners to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
Step 2: Whisk Eggs and Sugar
Whisk together eggs and granulated sugar in a large bowl until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy. This incorporates air, resulting in a fluffy texture.
Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients
Stir in the Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, ground cardamom, and rosewater. Mix until smooth and well combined.
Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.
Step 5: Gradually Mix Wet and Dry Ingredients
Add half of the flour mixture to the egg-wet ingredients. Whisk well. Then, add the remaining flour mixture and mix until combined but do not overmix the batter.
Overmixing can result in dense muffins, so once the ingredients are combined stop mixing.
Step 6: Fill the Muffin Liners
Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to evenly distribute the batter into the muffin liners, filling them about ¾ full to allow room for rising.
Step 7: Sprinkle with Sesame Seeds
Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top of each muffin for added flavor and texture.
Step 8: Bake in Two Stages
Place the muffins in the preheated oven at 400°F and bake for 8 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 350°F and continue baking for another 10-12 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Once baked, take the muffins out of the oven, let cool for 15 minutes then serve with tea, coffee, or milk.

Serving Suggestions
Cake Yazdi is a delightful addition to breakfast, afternoon tea gatherings, or festive dessert tables. Its delicate cardamom and rosewater flavors make it an exquisite treat that pairs beautifully with a range of flavors.
I love having it with a cold glass of milk but I know people usually prefer it with a hot cup of coffee or Persian Tea, lightly brewed and infused with a hint of cardamom for a harmonious match. For a cozy and authentic Persian treat, try Yazdi cakes with Saffron Milkshake.

Recipe Tips
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure eggs, yogurt, and other ingredients are at room temperature for a smooth batter and even baking.
- Use Rose Water Sparingly: Make sure you don’t use too much rose water because it can overpower all the other flavors.
- Choose Your Mixing Tool: You can easily make this recipe using a whisk (as seen in the video). Of course, you can also use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.
- Proper Mixing: Whisk the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining to avoid overmixing and ensure a tender texture.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds for Extra Flavor: Toasted sesame seeds give a great extra flavor to the muffins, I use Rodelle Toasted Natural Sesame Seeds and love it!
- Preheat the Oven: Start with a properly preheated oven to create the initial rise and golden crust on the muffins.
- DIY Ground Cardamom: If you don’t have ground cardamom, break open cardamom pods and crush the seeds with a pestle and mortar. You can also place the cardamom seeds in the rosewater and set them aside for a couple of hours to infuse the rosewater flavor.
- Follow the Oven Temperature Steps: The oven heat is very important to bake cake yazdi. You have to bake these muffins on 400°F first and the reduce the heat to 350°F for perfectly golden results.
How to Store Cake Yazdi
Room Temperature: Store Cake Yazdi in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigeration: Store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. Allow them to come to room temperature or warm them slightly in the microwave before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure your baking powder is fresh and don’t overmix the batter. Also, preheat your oven fully before baking.
Yes! Use a mini muffin tin and adjust the baking time to 10-12 minutes at 350°F.
Dry muffins can result from overbaking or too much flour. Be sure to measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off.
Overmixing the batter or using too much flour can result in dense muffins. Mix the ingredients just until combined.

More Delicious Persian Dessert Recipes
Persian Recipes
Tahchin – Persian Savory Rice Cake
Persian Recipes
Persian Coconut Cookies (Shirini Nargili)
Persian Recipes
Walnut Filled Persian Pastry – Qottab
Persian Recipes
Persian Raisin Cookies (Shirini Keshmeshi)
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Cake Yazdi – Persian Cardamom Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 2 tablespoons rose water
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds , to top the muffins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a muffin tin with liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until fully combined.
- Add in Greek yogurt, vegetable oil, cardamom, and rose water. Mix well.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the egg wet ingredients. Whisk well.
- Add in the rest of the flour mixture. Mix until combined.
- Using an ice cream scoop, fill the muffin liners. Top with sesame seeds.
- Bake in the oven for 8 minutes at 400℉. Then reduce the heat to 350℉ and bake for another 10-12 minutes until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the muffins comes out clean.
- Once baked, take the muffins out of the oven, let cool for 15 minutes then serve with tea, coffee, or milk.
Video
Notes
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure eggs, yogurt, and other ingredients are at room temperature for a smooth batter and even baking.
- Use Rose Water Sparingly: Make sure you don’t use too much rose water because it can overpower all the other flavors.
- Choose Your Mixing Tool: You can easily make this recipe using a whisk (as seen in the video). Of course, you can also use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.
- Proper Mixing: Whisk the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining to avoid overmixing and ensure a tender texture.
- Toasted Sesame Seeds for Extra Flavor: Toasted sesame seeds give a great extra flavor to the muffins, I use Rodelle Toasted Natural Sesame Seeds and love it!
- Preheat the Oven: Start with a properly preheated oven to create the initial rise and golden crust on the muffins.
- DIY Ground Cardamom: If you don’t have ground cardamom, break open cardamom pods and crush the seeds with a pestle and mortar. You can also place the cardamom seeds in the rosewater and set them aside for a couple of hours to infuse the rosewater flavor.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What a delightful recipe! I followed the directions and was rewarded with a beautiful, delicious muffin. I will be using this often for my family and friends. I used chopped pistachios on mine and will try the sesame seeds next. Thank you for your clear directions.