Recipe: Cardamom Coffee Cake
Like many people, I discovered cardamom in Indian desserts and quickly understood why it is one of the most popular ingredients in the world. It is warm with a bit of spice — much like cinnamon and nutmeg — but with its own entirely unique flavor. While the air is still brisk, pair a slice with your morning cup of coffee or a hot cup of tea in the evening.
Cardamom Coffee Cake Recipe
Cake Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for light dusting)
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon lemon or orange zest
1 cup whole-fat sour cream
Topping Ingredients
1 cup light brown sugar (packed)
1/3 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg (if desired, omit nutmeg and double the cinnamon)
½ cup chopped nuts, such as pecans or pistachios
4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 9×13 cake pan with nonstick baking spray. Lightly dust it with flour, tapping pan over sink to remove any excess.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cardamom powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until all ingredients are evenly distributed. Set aside.
4. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat, one at a time, until incorporated. Then add vanilla extract and citrus zest, mixing until well-incorporated.
5. Using a mixer set to low, add 1/3 of dry ingredients to bowl, followed by 1/3 of sour cream. Beat until ingredients are well-mixed (about 15-20 seconds on low). Repeat this process two more times until well-combined. Scrape down sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed. Pour batter into greased pan, and set aside.
6. In a separate bowl, combine all topping ingredients except for butter, and mix well. Next, use a fork to mash butter into dry ingredients until you see “crumbs” of butter and spices of roughly uniform size begin to form. Evenly sprinkle topping over batter.
7. Bake for 23-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few crumbs. Place leftovers in an airtight container, or cover tightly with plastic wrap.
READ MORE: Peanut Butter Puffs Recipe
