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Cardamom cake is a warm, aromatic spice cake that’s moist, coated with almonds, and easy to make.
What is Cardamom Cake?
Cardamom Cake is a traditional cake in Scandinavian cuisines, but I love it especially for that distinctive cardamom flavor that we enjoy so much in Lebanese and other Middle Eastern cuisines. The cake is fragrant and moist, with a blend of aromatic spices in an oil-based cake that creates a very tender and moist crumb. The Swedish cardamom cake is the basis for my recipe, a treat has gained popularity worldwide. I consider this a tea, brunch or breakfast cake with its balance of sweetness and spice. The ground cardamom, combined with other ingredients, gives this cake a warm, inviting scent that fills the kitchen with a heady aroma.
Why You’ll Love This Spiced Delight
It’s with good reason why cardamom cake should be on your must-make list!
- Versatile Flavor: The ground cardamom has such a unique flavor that pairs well with both sweet and savory dishes.
- Moist Texture: The combination of sour cream and unsalted butter ensures a buttery cake with moist crumbs.
- Easy to Make: You donโt need fancy equipment; a simple hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment will do.
- Customizable: This cake can be modified easily, turning it into an orange cardamom delight or a maple syrup-infused variant.
Ingredient Notes
To make the perfect cardamom cake, using the right ingredients is key. Here are the essentials:
- Ground Cardamom: Ground from cardamom seeds in green cardamom pods. I include cinnamon and nutmeg too, to balance the cardamom flavor. Learn more about cardamom in my post all about this special spice.
- All-Purpose Flour: Preferred over cake flour here because the cake is quite tender and needs the structure all-purpose flour provides.
- Yogurt: Keeps the cake moist and adds a tangy flavor. A fine substitute is sour cream or creme fraiche.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the depth of flavor and pairs really well with the spices.
- Three types of sugar: granulated white sugar, brown sugar, and confectioners’ sugar all play a role in this cake.
How to Make Cardamom Cake
Making a cardamom cake involves some straightforward steps. Here’s a simple guide:
- Prepare the Pan: Coat a 9-inch round cake pan with butter, line it with a parchment paper round, and coat the parchment with butter. Evenly coat the pan with a mixture of sugar and cardamom, then sprinkle a layer of sliced almonds over that.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour and spices into a medium bowl.
- Beat the eggs and sugar: Use a stand mixer or electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugars until thick and creamy, then adding the oil, vanilla, and yogurt and mixing to combine.
- Stir in the flour: Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just until no dry spots remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake: Bake at 350ยฐF until the top bounces back when touched and toothpick comes out with moist crumbs, about 35 minutes.
- Cool: Allow the baked cake to cool 10 minutes, then invert onto a cake platter and cool completely before slicing into wedges to serve.
Recommended Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: Essential for incorporating air into the eggs and sugar for a light batter.
- Spice Grinder: If you like to grind your spices fresh, use the grinder for the cardamom seeds and cinnamon and a fine grater for the nutmeg.
- 9-Inch Cake Pan: A simple cake pan works fine here; many recipes call for a springform pan but it’s not necessary with my recipe. The cake turns out of the standard pan with ease.
Customization Options
Personalizing your cardamom cake is easy and fun:
- Orange Cardamom Twist: Add orange juice in place of the vanilla or in addition to it, along with orange zest, for a citrus kick.
- Maple Syrup Glaze: Mix maple syrup with powdered sugar for a thick yet spoonable glaze. Drizzle over the top of the cooled cake for added sweetness.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Top the cake with a smooth layer of frosting. Incorporating flavors like vanilla, rose water, orange blossom water, or orange zest.
FAQs
What does cardamom taste like?
Cardamom offers a complex flavor with slightly spicy undertones. It’s a great enhancement to a simple cardamom cake, bringing a warm and earthy note.
How should I store cardamom cake?
To maintain freshness, store the cardamom cake in an airtight container, either at room temperature for a few days. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Always wrap the cake well in plastic wrap.
What goes well with cardamom cake?
Cardamom cake pairs beautifully with a dollop of soft whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. This cake is excellent for afternoon tea. A dollop of crรจme fraรฎche or labneh (thickened yogurt) also make a sophisticated accompaniment.
Serve a fruit compote alongside the cake. Choose seasonal fruits such as berries or stone fruit. Add a touch of honey and rose water or orange blossom water to the fruit salad for added flavor.
Cardamom Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the almond topping:
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cup sliced almonds
For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup neutral oil, such as grapeseed, safflower, avocado, or canola
- 1/2 cup whole milk plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Arrange an oven rack to the middle position in the oven and preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with butter. Line the pan with a parchment round and coat the parchment with butter.
- Make the topping. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the granulated sugar and ground cardamom. Place the sugar mixture in the prepared pan and coat the bottom of the pan with the sugar. Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the sugar. Set aside.
- Into a medium mixing bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the eggs on medium speed for 1 minute. Add both sugars and the vanilla and beat again on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the oil and yogurt and beat to combine. Stop and scrape down the bowl.
- Use a spoon to stir in the flour, just until no dry spots remain.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly with an offset spatula. Bake until the cake is golden brown and baked through, 35-40 minutes or until the top springs back when touched in the center and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Removethe cake from the oven and cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a platter, so that the parchment lined almonds are now on top. If the parchment remained on the cake, carefully remove it.
- Coolthe cake completely. Sift the confectionerโs sugar over the top of the cake, slice in wedges, and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
