This bundt cake is as simple as it gets. That's probably why it's one of my favorites. Laced with cardamom (that fantastic lemony spice) it is straightforward, has one of the best crumbs I ever came across, and needs no more than a dusting of powdered sugar or a simple glaze. A wonderful holiday addition.

Whole Bundt Cake in a white cake stand, grey background, white surface with napkin

Originally published in November 2012, it has been updated for images and text. The recipe remains the same.

Baking a cake is, by my definition, a good thing. Always. And baking a bundt cake is a little bit better for fans like myself.

There is something about a beautifully patterned cake. It works every time, whether it's a white chocolate raspberry bundt or the perfect lemon poppy seed cake.

I had been wanting to make a cardamom cake for the longest time. It's a spice that goes very well with the holiday season and celebrations. I usually use it for ginger cookies and this fantastic braided Pulla bread and never stray far.

Cardamom Bundt Cake in a white cake stand, one piece missing

But a simple cake was in order for those in my family that don't like fruit cakes.

Or panettone, which is the typical Christmas cake here in Argentina, but it involves yeast and it's summer, so turning on the oven and waiting for the bread to rise is not what I had in mind.

So I'm making this simple cardamom bundt cake. So plain some might say it's not festive. But there's a reason why some recipes are called basic. They work. Every time.

The sour cream contributes to a moist and creamy texture that is amazing. I am a huge, huge fan of cakes with sour cream, especially plain ones like the Chocolate Bundt Cake and the Lemon Pound Cake.

I'm writing about glazes and variations at the end of this post. Because this cake is versatile and can be easily adapted.

What is cardamom?

Cardamom is a spice made from seeds and, in my opinion, has a lemony mint flavor, very unique.

So aromatic and fresh and just plain wonderful. I completely omitted the vanilla and got exactly the cake I wanted.

Grinding cardamom: when you grind your own pods it's like using a different spice compared to the powder that you buy already ground. Really, there's no comparison. Buying pods is highly recommended.

A grinder is a very good purchase if you're into spices. I use a coffee bean grinder which was never used for coffee beans.

Glass jar with cardamom pods lying on white surface

Ingredients

The ingredients for this cake are super simple, everyday ones you probably have already (image below). Except for the cardamom maybe.

Cardamom. Use freshly ground or, if you buy it already ground, make sure it's very fresh since it loses strength pretty fast.
Vanilla: pure vanilla extract or paste are the best, but if you regularly use a vanilla essence, go ahead.
Unsalted butter.
Sour cream. Use whole, not reduced in fat.
Milk. Whole is the best choice for a rich cake.
Eggs. Fresh, large.
Flour and baking powder. Both all purpose flour and cake flour work. Make sure the baking powder is fresh, not expired. This is also called the flour mixture.
Salt. Kosher works very well for baking.
Sugar. White, granulated.
Extra flavorings: lemon zest (I almost always use it) and pure almond extract, both can be added.

Cardamom cake ingredients in bowls on white surface including eggs, sugar, sour cream, milk, butter, flour

Top tips

Organization: always read the recipe first and make sure you have all the ingredients, at the right temperatures, and also the rest of the equipment and space to make it. This will make the process so much easier!

Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.

Have ingredients at room temperature.

Use an electric mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment. You need to cream and aerate, so making it by hand will require a lot of hand power.

Sift dry ingredients before adding them to the butter mixture. I do it directly when adding them, so I make sure the sifter is smaller than (image below) the bowl so that the flour doesn't spill.

Glass bowl with cake batter, beater, eggs, bowls, white marble surface

White marble surface with eggs, bowls, hand sifting flour over bowl

Preparing the bundt cake pan

If you love making bundt cakes you probably know the pain of not being able to remove it from the pan in one piece. I know it happened to me many times!

I have three ways of dealing with this:

Butter: I use soft butter (NOT melted) to patiently cover the whole pan, every nook and cranny, every sharp angle, every single bit of space available. I use a brush or my fingers. I then flour the pan and REFRIGERATE IT while putting together the batter. I take it out at the last moment when I need to fill it (image above) and it goes like that into the oven. It will unmold like a dream!
Baking spray: I use a spray that is labeled as having flour in it, or being specifically made for baking. It has to have flour in it, otherwise, you have high chances of the cake sticking when removing it. That is my experience at least.
Recipe: whenever I find a great recipe that can be easily removed from an intricate bundt pan, even though I didn’t follow step 1 above, I cling to it like life itself!

Aerial view of bundt pan with baked cake on white marble surface

Grey background, white surface with cardamom pods, bundt cake on white cake stand, one piece missing

Variations and glaze

The idea behind my recipes is to encourage you to make them your own with small details so you get the best flavor according to your palate.

I love vanilla, and use it for this recipe because I think it enhances many other flavors like lemon and orange. I usually add a few drops no matter what other flavorings I'm using to mellow out the whole cake.
Add lemon zest or almond extract as recommended in the recipe card below.
Add a tablespoon of your favorite nut liquor to the batter. Add another spice like a pinch of nutmeg or cinnamon that pair well with cardamom.
Glaze it: I suggest a powdered sugar glaze or white chocolate ganache for a more celebratory presentation.

Slice of bundt cake on light pink plate with fork

Related recipes you might like:

One last thing

If you made this recipe and loved it, you can comment below and leave a five-star ⭐️ review. Also, if you had issues, let me know so we can troubleshoot together. I appreciate honest feedback and suggestions.

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Very adapted from Kiss MyBundt, by Christa Wilson

About Paula Montenegro

I'm Paula, a baker for more than 30 years and your designated recipe developer, sharing the best ones here with simple ingredients + easy-to-follow instructions.

Comments

5 from 3 votes