This cardamom cake is a moist and flavorful snacking cake. Topped with a quick and easy brown butter frosting. It's perfect with a cup of afternoon tea!
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I'm excited to share this cardamom cake because I developed it due to a request from a two sugar bugs blog reader. She stated that winter baking can get boring and she was loving cardamom flavor and needed more recipes using it. So this cardamom snacking cake was born!
As a busy baker myself, I'm always looking for simple recipes that make it look like I spent hours in the kitchen {when I really didn't}! This cake is an Indian inspired cake perfect for dessert or to go with afternoon tea or coffee.
For more easy, yet impressive cakes try Italian almond cake, apple spice cake with mascarpone frosting or brown sugar cupcakes.
why you will love this easy one layer cardamom cake
- Quick to prepare ~ a simple one layer cake with the easiest frosting glaze! No stacking layers or fussy decorating.
- Exotic flavor ~ the cake bakes up soft, fluffy and moist with a lovely spice from the cardamom.
- The EASIEST brown butter frosting! Need I say more???
ingredients needed
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
- Unsalted butter ~ brings fat and structure to the cardamom cake. You want this room temperature, so pull it out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking.
- Granulated sugar ~ brings the sweetness to the cake.
- Pure vanilla extract ~ helps to balance the flavors.
- Eggs ~ two large eggs are needed, for best results bring to room temperature. {I did test this cake without eggs. The flavor was excellent, but the final cake is much more dense}.
- Sour cream ~ use full fat sour cream. For the best results bring to room temperature.
- Kefir ~ I love the moisture and slight tang that it brings to this cake. It also adds richness and protein to the recipe. You can substitute with buttermilk. Pull this out with the butter and the eggs so it is room temperature.
- All-purpose flour ~ be sure to measure your flour correctly. A kitchen scale is best or fluff the flour in it's container before spooning it into your measuring cup and using the back of a knife to level it off.
- Baking powder ~ adds some height to the cake.
- Kosher salt ~ balances the flavors.
- Cardamom ~ ground cardamom can be found in the spice aisle.
- Nutmeg ~ ground nutmeg adds balance to the cardamom.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page.
what does cardamom taste like?
Cardamom is a spice with a complex and distinct flavor. It's a little citrusy and spicy {it comes from the ginger family} and it pairs really nicely with the brown butter frosting. In my opinion, it has an exotic taste and a little goes a long way.
Cardamom also goes beautifully with orange, lemon, coffee and berries.
how to make
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and butter an 8 inch cake pan, add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom and butter it as well. Set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk the dry ingredients together; all-purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt, cardamom and nutmeg. Set aside.
Then in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand held mixer, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium. Scrape up and down the bowl then add the vanilla and sour cream and mix on low until combined.
Scrape up and down the bowl then add the eggs and mix on medium until combined. The mixture may look a bit curdled at this point.
Now add half the flour mixture and mix on the lowest speed. Slowly drizzle in the kefir then add the final half of the flour mixture, mixing until just a couple streaks of flour remain. Use a spatula to finish bringing the cake batter together. The batter will be on the thick side. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any extra air and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The edges will have lightly browned. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
the easiest brown butter frosting!
Place the unsalted butter in a light colored sauce pan and melt over low {or medium low} heat. Let it cook until small brown flakes form. You will want to stir or swirl the pan frequently to keep it from burning. The butter will foam and bubble up along the process, just keep stirring/swirling and move the foam aside from time to time to check the color. The butter will turn an amber/brown color and will smell nutty and toasted when it’s ready {about 7-10 minutes}.
Remove the pan from the heat and add in the confectioners' sugar. Stir until the butter has accepted all the sugar and you have a thick frosting. Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake.
tips for the best cardamom cake
- Use a kitchen scale to ensure that you are using the accurate amounts of the ingredients. In my opinion, this is the number one reason why baked goods fail.
- Use room temperature ingredients.
- Be careful not to over mix the batter. Over mixing cake batter can make for a dense and chewy cake; we want soft and fluffy! Over mixing can also cause a cake to sink in the middle due to too much air trapped in the batter.
- Don't put the frosting on a warm cake! You have to let this cardamom cake cool before adding the brown butter frosting. If you try and frost a hot cake, the frosting will just melt off.
ideas for other frosting flavors
Put your own spin on this cake with a different frosting. For all the ideas below I would double the frosting recipes.
- An orange cream cheese glaze would be fantastic.
- For a spin on cardamom coffee, use a coffee glaze.
- This cardamom cake is also lovely with lemon glaze.
frequently asked questions
can this cardamom cake be made without eggs?
Yes! I did test this cake with no eggs in the batter. The flavor is still excellent, but the final cake is much more dense.
can I bake this cake in a different pan?
Yes, you can also bake this as a loaf cake in a loaf pan. The baking time will increase to around 1 hour.
how long do you cool a cake before removing it from the pan?
This can vary from recipe to recipe, so follow the instructions given for the specific cake you are baking.
For a generic answer, I typically allow the cake about 15 minutes in the baking pan before moving it to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
can you freeze cakes?
Yes! See below for how to freeze this cardamom cake. My lemon white chocolate cake also has some great tips for freezing cake.
how to store
Cardamom cake can be covered at room temperature for up to three days or stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
The cake can also be frozen for up to three months. I would double wrap in plastic and place in a zip top bag. Allow to defrost at room temperature prior to serving.
As with most cakes, this cardamom cake tastes best at room temperature.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make this Cardamom Cake. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
more snacking cake recipes
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
Cardamom Cake
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Ingredients
cake
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 220g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature 113g
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup full fat sour cream room temperature 60g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup kefir* room temperature 240mL
brown butter frosting
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter browned 56g
- ¾ cup confectioners' sugar 90g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter an 8 inch cake pan, add a piece of parchment paper to the bottom and butter it as well. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk the dry ingredients together; all-purpose flour (1 ¾ cups/220g), baking powder (1 teaspoon), kosher salt (½ teaspoon), cardamom (2 teaspoons) and nutmeg (¼ teaspoon). Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or with a hand held mixer, cream the unsalted butter (½ cup/113g) and granulated sugar (¾ cup/150g) on medium (speed 4 on a KitchenAid) for 2 minutes. Scrape up and down the bowl then add the vanilla (1 teaspoon) and sour cream (¼ cup/60g) and mix on low (speed 2) until combined, about 30 - 60 seconds.
- Scrape up and down the bowl then add the eggs (2 large) and mix on medium (speed 4) for 1 - 2 minutes. The mixture may look a bit curdled at this point.
- Add half the flour mixture and mix on the lowest speed. Slowly drizzle in the kefir (1 cup/240mL) then add the final half of the flour mixture, mixing until just a couple streaks of flour remain. Use a spatula to finish bringing the cake batter together. The batter will be on the thick side.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bake pan. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to remove any extra air and bake in the preheated oven for 32-38 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. The edges will have lightly browned. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, prepare the brown butter frosting. Place the unsalted butter (4 tablespoons/56g) in a light colored sauce pan and melt over low (or medium low) heat and let it cook until small brown flakes form. You will want to stir or swirl the pan frequently to keep it from burning. The butter will foam and bubble up along the process, just keep stirring/swirling and move the foam aside from time to time to check the color. The butter will turn an amber/brown color and will smell nutty and toasted when it’s ready {about 7-10 minutes}.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add in the confectioners' sugar (¾ cup/90g). Stir until the butter has accepted all the sugar and you have a thick frosting. Spread the frosting on top of the cake.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Michelle says
Love how easy it is to whip up this cardamom cake! The spices and brown butter frosting really add so much flavor to it.
Tasia says
Thank you Michelle!
Sharon says
I made this last night in an 8x8 square pan. It tastes like a spiced pound cake. It was delicious! We ended up doubling the frosting for a thicker layer. Thank you for sharing.
Tasia says
Hi Sharon, so happy to hear you loved this cake! Doubling the frosting is never a bad idea in my opinion. ;-). thank you for making it and sharing your results.
Megan says
WOW! This was absolutely delicious! I had three pieces in one evening because I couldn’t stay out of it! I will definitely be making this over & over.
Tasia says
Hi Megan, thank you for such a sweet comment and review! I am so happy you love this simple cake!