Rose and pistachio cake

A few teaspoonfuls of rosewater, a handful of pistachios and a scattering of rose petals elevate this simple cream filled sponge to something exotically redolent of a Persian flower garden. Some sugared rose petals are always gorgeous on any cake flavoured with rosewater: just paint the petals with egg white, toss them in a bowl of caster sugar and lay to dry on kitchen paper in a warm, dry place for 6–24 hours, until crisp.