• Soak ½ teaspoon saffron in a cup of hot milk. Stir after 15 minutes. Set aside until cooled to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
• In a large bowl add flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and ground cardamom. Whisk to mix.
• Add the sugar, oil, vegan yogurt, non-dairy milk and saffron-infused milk into the bowl. Use a spatula to mix until a batter forms. Don't overmix.
• Stir ½ cup chopped pistachios into the batter. Mix them in.
• Pour the batter into an oiled loaf pan - line the bottom with parchment paper for easy unmolding.
• Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick in the center of the cake goes cleanly through.
• Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then carefully run a knife along the sides and lift the cake out of the pan. Continue cooling on a rack.

Make the glaze

• Soak remaining ¼ teaspoon saffron strands in 1 tablespoon milk for 15 minutes. Place room-temperature vegan cream cheese in a bowl. Whisk until creamy, then add in the milk with saffron and rose water, if using. Whisk to mix.
• Add the powdered sugar and whisk again until smooth. The glaze should become quite loose and pourable when you add the sugar. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf cake and scatter on some more chopped pistachios for garnish. Serve the cake with leftover glaze for drizzling over individual slices.