Cardamom Cake

Recipe Overview 🍽️

History of the Recipe ✍️

Cardamom cake is a spice native to India and Sri Lanka, often used in Asian, Scandinavian, and Middle Eastern cuisines. It is a key ingredient in many traditional pastries and beverages. In Sweden, for example, cardamom is a favorite in brioche pastries, and in this cake, it adds a warm, fragrant note that evokes the influences of Eastern cuisine.

Ingredients 🛒

listed in the order of use in the procedure:

• 200 g flour
• 150 g sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 120 g melted butter
• 100 g milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Zest of one orange (optional)

Steps (How to Make ) 🥣

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 23 cm cake pan.
2. Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.
3. Prepare the wet mixture: In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar, then add the melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Add the orange zest if using.
4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently until smooth.
5. Bake: Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chef Tips 👨‍🍳

• If you like a more pronounced cardamom flavor, you can increase the amount of cardamom to 3 teaspoons.
• For a more indulgent touch, you can add white chocolate chunks or nuts to the batter.
• This cake is also great with fresh fruits, such as pears or apples, which complement the cardamom beautifully.

Possible Variations 🎭

• Cardamom and lemon cake: Replace the orange zest with lemon for a more tangy version.
• Cardamom and coconut cake: Add shredded coconut to the batter for a tropical twist.
• Cardamom and almond cake: Add sliced almonds for extra crunch.

Bake Time 🔥

Baking the Cardamom Cake takes about 40 to 45 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Keep an eye on the cake to ensure it doesn’t overbrown. Let it cool before dusting with powdered sugar for a beautiful finish.

How to Store 🥡

Food and Drink Pairings 🥂

Cardamom Cake pairs perfectly with a cup of black tea or green tea. It can also be served with spiced coffee or hot chocolate for an even more comforting experience.

Presentation Suggestion 🍽️

Present this cake on a platter decorated with fresh mint sprigs or sliced almonds for an elegant touch. You can also lightly dust it with powdered sugar before serving for a refined presentation.

Why It’s Healthy 💚

Cardamom cake offers health benefits due to the digestive and anti-inflammatory properties of cardamom, as well as its rich antioxidant content. While the cake contains sugar and butter, using high-quality, healthier ingredients can make it a more nutritious indulgence.