Cardamom Cake
Cardamom with its unique taste and distinctive scent, is used extensively in Scandinavian baking recipes. Among them are Sweden’s Cardamom Buns (Kardemummabullar), Norway’s Christmas Bread (Julekake), and Finland’s Cardamom Sweet Bread (Pulla). And the most well-known, Denmark’s Danish Pastry (Wienerbr¸d).
This simple yet delightful Cardamom Cake relies on that Scandinavian baking spice as the primary flavor element, with the sour cream providing moistness. It is a perfect cake to have around over the holidays to provide a slice (or two) for a sweet treat with afternoon coffee or tea. The recipe originated from the Greyston Bakery, founded in 1982 as part of the Zen community of New York.
Cardamom Cake is baked in a Bundt pan, which used to come in one basic shape. Now, with a plethora of interesting styles produced, mostly by the Nordic Ware company, a home baker can alter the look of their cakes simply by changing pans.
A straightforward cake like this one depends greatly on the quality of the few ingredients for its flavor. Cardamom, like all spices, will lose its potency over time, so do use a fresh jar that provides a signature cardamom scent when opened. Additionally, high quality butter will help elevate this cake to most favored cake status.
The baking method for Cardamom Cake is Creaming. In the past Creaming method cakes I listed the dry ingredients first, which were set aside. The reason for that was to allow you to get all the mise en place together before starting. I switched it a bit here, listing the butter and sugar first, which is the first action step and needs proper time to achieve the proper lightness. While that step is progressing, you can measure out the other ingredients.
I love this cake just as is, with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. However, a bittersweet ganache glaze is lovely, as the cardamom marries extremely well with chocolate.
Cardamom Cake
| Yield: 1 cake | # of Servings: 8 to 10 | Method: Creaming |
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (8 oz / 227 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cup (10.5 oz / 297 g) sugar
- 2 cups (9.3 oz / 264 g) cake flour, sifted
- 2 tsp (.35 oz / 10 g) baking soda
- 2 tsp (.15 oz / 4 g) ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
Ganache glaze (optional):
- 6 oz (170 g) 60% to 64% chocolate, wafers or chopped
- 6 fl oz heavy cream
Special tools and equipment required:
- One 10-cup bundt pan
- Hand held or free-standing mixer with paddle attachment.
Pre-recipe preparations:
- If using butter for the pan, carefully butter and flour the Bundt pan, getting into all the crevices.
- Alternatively, you can use a spray such as Baker’s Joy or Pam for Baking. Do not use regular cooking spray. Spray the pan just before adding the batter.
- Have all ingredients at room temperature.
- Preheat oven to 350 °F.
Directions:
1. Start creaming the butter and sugar, scraping down the bowl as needed.
2. While butter is creaming, stir together dry ingredients in medium mixing bowl, set aside.
3. Beat eggs and vanilla in small bowl or 1 cup liquid measuring cup.
4. Once the butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy, slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix until homogenous.
5. Add the dry ingredients in three stages, alternately with the sour cream in two stages, beginning and ending with the dry. Use a plastic spatula to scrape up from the bottom to ensure a well-blended batter. This is a thick batter.
6. If using baking spray, spray the pan well.
7. Spoon batter into the prepared bundt pan and level it around the pan. The batter will only fill just over half the 10-cup pan,
8. Bake until firm and a cake test comes out clean, 43 to 45 minutes.
9. Remove form oven and let sit for 8 minutes in the pan.
10. Place cooling rack over pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Let cool. Store at room temperature.
Glazing (optional):
1. Bring the heavy cream to the simmer.
2. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate. Cover the pan and let sit for 15 minutes.
3. Place the cake on a cooling rack over a clean surface.
4. Pour the ganache over the cake allowing it to drip down the sides. Using a small offset spatula, you can scoop up the ganache from the surface and cover any open spots on the cake.
5. Let sit until the ganache glaze is totally set. Store at room temperature.
Baking tips:
a) As with all Creaming method cakes, room temperature butter is very important to allow for proper creaming of the butter, sugar, and eggs.
b) Baking time may vary depending on size, shape, and material of the Bundt pan.
