Persian Upside-Down Cake with Dates and Cardamom

• In a medium bowl, cover dates with hot water and soak for at least 20 minutes.
• Remove skin from dates, halve lengthwise, and remove pits.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Butter and flour the sides of a 9-inch round non-stick cake pan.

For the date topping

• Cream together butter, brown sugar, salt, and cardamom until well combined
• Spread butter mixture evenly across the bottom of prepared pan.
• Arrange date halves over butter mixture in a pattern of concentric circles with their cut sides facing up. 

To make the cake batter

• Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom together in a medium bowl. 
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until creamy and pale in color.
• Add eggs one at a time, incorporating one fully before adding the next.
• Beat in rosewater to fully incorporate. 
• With mixer on low speed, add ⅓ of flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated (do not over-beat).
• Follow with half of buttermilk, then second third of flour, the other half of buttermilk, then the remaining flour, mixing completely between each addition. 
• Spoon batter over arranged dates, spreading evenly and taking care not to jostle dates.
• Bake cake in middle rack of oven 30-40 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
• Cool cake in pan on a rack for about five minutes.
• Run a knife around edges of cake, then invert onto serving plate, replacing any dates that stick to pan.
• Garnish with edible flowers, ground pistachios, or dried rose petals, and serve warm or at room temperature.