Cardamom Cake

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I saw this recipe pop up on Instagram last week, and independently Lara heard the Food52 Genius Recipe podcast about it as well. We both thought it sounded perfect. Simple, elegant, easy. So on my day off (a cool, blustery, kind of wet spring day) I decided to give it a go, and I am very happy that I did! It is super easy, and uses just a few simple ingredients. The final product is gorgeous as well as delicious! The buttery spice from the cardamom (and cinnamon in my version, see changes below) was perfectly balanced. The crunchy topping is a game changer. Don’t skip it.

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A nice recipe to keep in the repertoire when you want something elegant, but easy and fast!

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I used a 9-inch springform pan as the recipe called for. The instant I put it in the oven the butter started dripping through onto the bottom of the oven. Ended up smelling nice and toasty, but a bit smoky and messy. So although I can’t say it would work well, next time I would probably just use a 9-inch cake pan lined with parchment (I would probably not skip the parchment if going this route. I wouldn’t skip it in the springform pan either to be honest) and see how it goes. The final cake did not stick to the sides of the pan too badly so I think a cake pan would work just fine.

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My notes: I substituted 1/4 tsp ground cardamom + 1/8 tsp cinnamon for the cardamom seeds. Measured out the salt and used 1/4 tsp (wasn’t too salty). Added 1/4 tsp almond extract in with the butter because I love almond flavor. I use approximately 2.5 Tbs sugar for the pan. You could certainly do a little more or a little less. I would lean on the heavy side myself… I also used about 3-4 Tbs ground almonds in addition to the sugar to line the pan. I’m not sure how much of a difference this made, since I didn’t have anything to compare it to. Since the almond flour is so fine it may have just melted into the batter, but who knows. Without the almond flour it may have been a little less crunchy. I certainly would like to try sliced almonds next time (for texture, flavor, and for the look) but I didn’t have any. You certainly could just skip them altogether.

This cake has plenty of fat and sugar so it will last on the counter for several days without any issues! Enjoy!


Cardamom Cake
From Food52
Ingredients

  • 1 1/3 cups (264 grams) granulated sugar, plus more for the pan

  • 3/4 cup (65 grams) sliced unblanched almonds, for topping (optional)

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 1/3 sticks (150 grams) unsalted butter

  • 1 tablespoon (9 grams) cardamom seeds [I didn’t have any so I used 1/4 tsp ground cardamom + 1/8 tsp cinnamon instead]

  • 1 1/3 cups (160 grams) all-purpose flour

  • 2 pinches salt [I used 1/4 tsp and it definitely wasn’t too salty]

  • [I also added in 1/4 tsp almond extract which wasn’t in the original recipe. I thought this was a lovely addition for those who really want some more almond flavor. So really nice, but not necessary.]

Directions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan: Use parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan. Then butter the pan liberally and sprinkle in 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar, and shake and tap the pan until the bottom and sides are coated with sugar. Don’t worry about extra sugar on the bottom. Cover the bottom with sliced almonds if you want a particularly crunchy topping—or, as an alternative you can also use ground almonds or bread crumbs. [I didn’t have sliced almonds so I used some almond flour. The almond flour may have been too fine to add a lot to the crunchy topping. I’d love to try sliced almonds next time.]

Using a stand mixer, cream the eggs and sugar until thick and pale and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter. Bruise the cardamom seeds in a mortar. With a rubber spatula, quickly fold the flour and salt into the egg and sugar mixture, followed by the butter and the cardamom. Give the batter a thorough stir before tipping it into the prepared pan. Thump the pan on the counter to settle the batter.

Bake the cake until the top feels dry to the touch and springs back when lightly pressed, and a skewer or knife inserted into the center comes out dry, 30 to 35 minutes [Mine took exactly 35 minutes and was perfectly cooked.]. Remove from the oven and leave in the pan for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the pan before inverting the cake onto a rack to cool. Remove the bottom of the pan carefully while the cake is still very warm. Let cool before serving.