If you are a Sri Lankan, or live in Sri Lanka, or have any Sri Lankan friends in your life, then chances are that you’ve already met Love Cake. She is regal, has great taste and – like her name suggests – is much loved by one and all. Above all, she is currently on the look-out for the perfect cuppa to be her best match.
This Valentine’s season, Love Cake is making a special appearance at t-Lounge by Dilmah, in the form of a beautiful boxed selection with four different tea-inspired glazes. There’s a vibrant green glaze infused with the soothingly earthy yet upliftingly refreshing Dilmah Moroccan Mint Green Tea. There’s a beautiful blush glaze infused with the sweetly floral, aromatic Dilmah Rose with French Vanilla Tea. The mellow tan number is a contrastingly vivacious, piquant Ceylon Cinnamon glaze. The Classic glaze takes on a distinctively plain white colour. Beneath each of these toppings lies Love Cake, in all her pomp and tradition, prepared to perfection using age-old recipes tweaked by the brilliant culinary team at t-Lounge by Dilmah. It’s an eye-catching presentation with a taste of novelty, thoughtfulness and love.
Ancestral History
Love Cake’s great ancestors are believed to have been of Portuguese origin, having arrived on our little island back in the 16th century. They originally went by the name of ‘Bolo di Amor’, before integrating into local culture, taking on local flavours and evolving into the name that we all recognise instantly – Sri Lankan Love Cake.
Why ‘Love’ Cake? one might ask. There are a couple of schools of thought as to how this name came about. It is, of course, an almost direct translation of the Portuguese name, with ‘bolo’ translating to coarse cake, and ‘amor’ meaning love. Some believe that the name came about as a result of the ‘labour of love’ that it was to prepare the cake, using rich ingredients, too. Another more intriguing theory is that this special cake was used by young maidens to woo potential suitors. Whatever the reasoning, the name has been lovingly preserved and passed down through generations.
Love Cake in Sri Lanka
Fast forward several centuries, and the popularity of Love Cake in Sri Lanka has only flourished. She is highly sought after not only during festivities such as Christmas season, weddings and Valentine’s Day, but is also fondly gifted and served when meeting and greeting local and foreign friends, alike.
Love Cake’s unique and distinguished character comes from the staple ingredients that the Sri Lankan version is unmistakably enriched with – semolina, cashew, pumpkin preserve, rose water and almond essence. It makes for an aromatic affair, with the crusty top, nutty center and dense base making every encounter a journey to savour in itself.
Finding the Perfect Pairing
Like we said, Love Cake is currently on the hunt for the perfect tea to her cake. The suitors are many in number, and the sorting process has been a task. However, after chewing on it and letting it brew for a while, we’ve managed to narrow the options down to three potential matches:
. Dilmah t-Series Brilliant Breakfast Tea, a bold, brisk and bright tea from the Dimbula Valley that arouses the palate and senses with its robust liquor.
. Dilmah t-Series Rose with French Vanilla Tea, a bright Nuwara Eliya region tea with sensual floral notes from red rose combined with the soothing, sweet aroma of French vanilla.
. Dilmah t-Series Italian Almond Tea, a malty, mellow tea from the Nawalapitiya region, laced with the nutty and bittersweet aroma and flavour of Italian almond.
As you might have seen on our socials, Dilmah Chairman Dilhan believes that Brilliant Breakfast is the perfect match for Love Cake, while his beloved wife Serena is rooting for Rose with French Vanilla. Here at Dilmah HQ, a few of us think that Italian Almond might be the best suitor.
What do you think? Check them out and let us know!
‘You’re the Cake to My Tea’ Love Cake boxes are available at t-Lounge by Dilmah in Sri Lanka on a pre-order basis until 15th March 2025. DM @teatimerocks to place your order now.
Dilmah t-Series specialty teas are available for purchase at Dilmah Tea Boutiques and t-Lounge by Dilmah outlets in Sri Lanka, and can be ordered online globally.
