Cardamom Cake

10 hours ago
4 min read

A super moist, warmly-spiced yogurt cake you can rely on

Charlotte's spring awakening is a madcap dream. Bumblebees bouncing off blooming pear trees one moment are startled by surprise storms the next. The revived winter chill evaporates as heat reemerges with a hint of summer humidity. Proceed with caution when you peek out the window, for all will have changed by the time you step outside!* Spring's willy-nilly devil-may-care attitude reminds us daily that beauty is everywhere, and we must take notice before baby copperheads force our gaze downwards or impossible winds drive us inside.

What we can rely on, always, is the comfort, coziness and warmth of cake. Cardamom cake, to be more precise, offers softly spiced steadiness as safe harbor from the chaos outside. Its dense and lovely crumb is tender and rich with olive oil, hefty with nutritious flours and Greek yogurt, and flavored with the anytime combination of honey, almond, vanilla, and cardamom. This cake is as reliable as cake should be, whatever spring has in store for us today.

What's in this cardamom cake?

Cardamom Cake

Olive oil: provides moisture and richness
Honey: naturally sweetens the cake
Eggs: help bind the batter and add richness
Vanilla extract: everything is better with vanilla
Almond extract: lightly flavors the batter
Greek yogurt: provides protein, structure, and tang
Oat flour: provides structure and a slight nuttiness
Almond flour: adds rustic heartiness and moisture
Cornstarch: helps bind the batter and softens the texture
Baking powder: helps the cake rise
Baking soda: reacts with the acid in the Greek yogurt to help the cake rise
Cardamom: it's a cardamom cake
Salt: enhances all the flavors

Sugar Crust and Glaze

Sugar crust (optional): sugar and cardamom help release the cake
Glaze (powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and pinch of salt): just enough to bring it all together

The steps are simple and come together quickly:

Combine the wet ingredients.
Separately, combine the dry ingredients.
Incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Scrape the batter into the pan.
Bake, cool, glaze, and enjoy!

**"In the Spring, I have counted 136 kinds of weather inside of 24 hours."*

~Mark Twain, "Speech On The Weather" (1876)

Cardamom Cake Makes 1 tube or bundt cake

Author: Ambika

This cardamom cake has a lot to offer! Made with wholesome flours, natural sweetener, healthy olive oil, and protein-rich Greek yogurt, this is truly an anytime cake. The flavor improves as it sits, and the combination of an ultra-moist crumb and crunchy glaze is irresistible. I hope you enjoy it!

Prep. Time: 20 mins Total Time: 1.5 hrs

Ingredients

Cardamom Cake:

2/3 cup olive oil (or extra-virgin olive oil for more flavor)
2/3 cup honey
3 eggs, room temp.
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1 1/4 cup almond flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sugar Crust (Optional):

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
Baking spray (or 2 tablespoons softened butter)

Glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1-2 tablespoons milk
pinch of salt

Helpful Equipment: 12-cup tube pan or bundt pan

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Combine the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, use a mixer to combine the olive oil and honey. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until each is incorporated into the mixture. Beat in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and Greek yogurt until fully combined and a bit frothy.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt.
Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix until just barely combined. Then beat on high for 30 seconds.
Prepare the pan: Spray the pan with baking spray (or rub with softened butter). Optional Sugar Crust: In a small bowl, combine the Sugar Crust ingredients (sugar and cardamom). and then sprinkle the sugar crust all over, tipping and tapping the pan to evenly distribute the mixture. Briefly turn the pan upside down to release any loose sugar.
Bake: Evenly scrape the batter into the pan. Bake 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is nicely browned. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan before unmolding onto a wire rack to fully cool.
Glaze: Whisk together the Glaze ingredients (powdered sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract milk, and salt). Re-invert the cake onto a serving plate. When the cake is fully cool, pour the glaze over the cake. The glaze will take about 15 minutes to set. Slice, eat, and enjoy!

How to Store: Store completely cooled cake at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge up to 4 days.

Did you try this recipe? Feel free to leave any comments or questions below!