This cardamom cake is light, fluffy, and infused with the perfect balance of sweetness and cardamom spice. It pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee and makes an elegant dessert for gatherings or a cozy family treat.
Best of all, this cake is simple to make, healthy-ish compared to store-bought sweets, and packed with flavor that feels both exotic and comforting.
For more homemade delicious cakes, check out my mother's popular orange cake, olive oil plum cake, date and walnut cake and more cakes.
What Are Cardamom Pods?
Cardamom pods are small green or black seed pods from the ginger family, known for their sweet, citrusy, and slightly minty flavor. The seeds inside can be ground into powder or used whole in cooking and baking.
Green cardamom is most common in desserts and baked goods, while black cardamom has a smokier, earthier flavor used more in savory dishes.
The Use of Cardamom Palestinian Cuisine
Green cardamom pods are a staple in Middle Eastern and Palestinian cuisine. They’re often used when cooking meat and chicken, adding rich flavor to the broth.
While cardamom powder is best known for its role in Arabic coffee, where it’s blended with ground coffee for its warm, aromatic taste. Cardamom also appears in savory dishes and stuffings like eggplant mahshi.
But when it comes to desserts, cardamom is not traditionally used in Palestinian sweets.
My inspiration for this cardamom cake came from unexpected places, tasting Latin American chocolate infused with cardamom and later enjoying Indian desserts flavored with this spice.
That’s when I realized how beautifully cardamom pairs with sweet recipes, bringing a unique, fragrant twist to cakes and baked goods.
This cardamom cake combines the heart of Palestinian flavors with a new take on dessert, making it a perfect treat for anyone who loves Middle Eastern sweets with a modern touch.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour - Provides the structure of the cake.
- Baking Soda - Helps the cake to rise.
- Sea Salt - Helps to balance all the flavor.
- Cardamom Powder - Is a warm, aromatic spice made by grinding the tiny seeds from cardamom pods.
- Medium Size Eggs (room temperature) - Using room temperature cake helps the cake whip better and allows the cake to rise better, be fluffier, and be less dense.
- Vanilla - It adds extra flavor to baked goods.
- Olive Oil - Provides richness and moisture to the cake, or use unsalted butter.
- Plain Yogurt - Helps the cake to be more moist and fluffy, you can also use plain greek yogurt.
- Granulated Sugar - To sweeten the cake.
- Zest of a lemon - It adds a bright tangy flavor.
- Toasted Almonds - For the best flavor, use toasted almonds and give them a rough chop before adding to the cake. Or you can used sliced almonds.
Instructions
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 | In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla until combined.
Step 2 | Add the sugar, and lemon zest, and blend until smooth.
Step 3 | Mix in the olive oil and plain yogurt until fully incorporated.
Step 4 | Gently fold in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Step 5 | Stir in the toasted almonds.
Step 6 | Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch round baking pan.
Step 7 | Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 8 | Allow the cake to cool completely. Garnish with additional toasted almonds and a light dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Gluten-Free Cardamom Cake -Swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend
- Make this Cake Vegan – Replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water per egg), and use plant-based milk and oil.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter instead of olive oil.
- Use pistachios or walnuts instead of almonds.
- Cover with a layer of whipped cream and sprinkle nuts on top.
Pro Tips
- Freshly grind your cardamom: For the best flavor, crack open whole pods and grind the seeds.
- Don’t overmix: Mix just until the batter comes together to keep your cake soft and tender.
- Add a glaze: A simple powdered sugar glaze with a touch of lemon or orange juice takes this cake from everyday to festive.
- Room temperature ingredients – eggs, and yogurt blend more easily when they’re not cold, giving you a smoother batter.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place.
- Refrigerator: For longer freshness, refrigerate for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for best flavor.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions?
Absolutely. Just make sure it’s fresh and aromatic, older cardamom loses flavor.
Cardamom pairs beautifully with citrus (lemon, orange), nuts (pistachios, almonds, and walnuts), chocolate, and coffee.
Use a mix of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg or cloves as a simple substitute.
For best results crack the pods, remove the seeds, and grind only the seeds for a smooth, aromatic cardamom powder.
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More Delicious Recipes
Print
Cardamom Cake
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9-12 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Description
This cardamom cake is light, fluffy, and infused with the perfect balance of sweetness and cardamom spice. It pairs beautifully with a cup of tea or coffee and makes an elegant dessert for gatherings or a cozy family treat.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ cup of plain yogurt
- ½ cup olive oil
- 1 ½ flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoons cardamom
- ½ cup of toasted almonds (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the sugar, lemon zest and blend until smooth.
- Mix in the olive oil and plain yogurt until fully incorporated.
- Gently fold in the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Stir in the toasted almonds (optional).
- Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch round baking pan.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Garnish with additional toasted almonds and a light dusting of powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
- Freshly grind your cardamom: For the best flavor, crack open whole pods and grind the seeds.
- Don’t overmix: Mix just until the batter comes together to keep your cake soft and tender.
- Add a glaze: A simple powdered sugar glaze with a touch of lemon or orange juice takes this cake from everyday to festive.
- Room temperature ingredients – eggs, and yogurt blend more easily when they’re not cold, giving you a smoother batter.
Amy says
This recipe is so easy, didn't require me to buy anything, and was a hit at the dinner party I took it to! I made it vegan (with oat milk and flax-seed "eggs") and added a lemon-confectioners sugar glaze. The cake is super moist and subtle cardamom flavor. Next time I might increase the amount of spice from 1.5 to 2 tsp. to make it more pronounced.
Wafa Shami says
Hey Amy, thanks so much for the great review! I’m really glad to hear how well the vegan version turned out for you, and I love the idea of lemon-confectioners sugar glaze.
Melissa says
This cake is a treasure. My husband had it at a friend's house two weeks ago and he's now made it for us and friends three times since. It truly needs no dressing up but for a celebratory bent for friend's birthday last night he whipped up a simple lemon cream cheese frosting for the top. It was lovely.
We've also made it with Palestinian olive oil we got through a fundraiser and it's truly next level. Thank you so much for sharing this.
Wafa Shami says
Hi Melissa, thank you so much for the lovely review! I’m so glad to hear you’re all enjoying this cake recipe. Palestinian olive oil really does make a difference 😊 Enjoy!