Ingredients

For the cake:

• 2 cups AP flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp fresh ground cardamom
• Zest of 1 orange
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 4 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tbsp rose water

For the frosting:

• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp rose water
• pinch of salt
• Food coloring as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Line 2 8inch cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, add the cardamom, orange zest and sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingers, the sugar mixture should feel like sand and be fragrant. Add the butter but don't combine yet.
4. In a large measuring cup, add the buttermilk, egg whites, and rose water, whisking together until combined.
5. Using a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar mixture until it's light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl halfway through to make sure everything is combined.
6. Turn the mixer to a medium speed, and alternate between adding the flour and buttermilk mixtures, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and scraping the bowl halfway through. Mix until just combined, do not over mix the batter.
7. Divide the batter between the two cake pans and place on the middle rack of your oven.
8. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, checking for doneness around 30 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Remove from oven and let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack. When cool, flip the cakes out of the pans and let cool completely before frosting.
10. To prepare the frosting, add all of the ingredients into a stand mixer and whip together until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl down halfway through.
11. Decorate cakes as desired, enjoy!