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This beautiful lemon cardamom cake is delicate, light, moist, intensely citrusy and not overly sweet. The ground cardamom adds subtle floral and minty notes and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios adds just the right amount of crunch to this refreshing summer afternoon treat.
I adapted the recipe for this cake from Ina Garten but cut the sugar and lemon zest a bit and added cardamom to the batter because I love the floral and slightly minty notes it adds.
How to make lemon cardamom cake step by step:
The preparation of this recipe is very straight forward, you begin by preparing a loaf pan: line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper, then grease the pan well, sprinkle flour into it and shake out the excess.
To make the batter you start beating 8 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until creamy, then beat in 2 eggs and 1.5 tablespoons lemon zest for some intense lemon flavor.
1 teaspoon ground cardamom goes into your dry ingredients along with the usual suspects: 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
For the wet ingredients you mix together 1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons plain yogurt, 6 tablespoons lemon juice, 4 teaspoons milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
With the mixer running, you gradually beat the dry and wet ingredients into the butter mix, alternating between the two, until you have a smooth batter.
The cake needs to bake for 45 to 50 minutes and will make your kitchen smell delicious!
I glazed the loaf with a simple lemon glaze (1 cup powdered sugar and 5 teaspoons lemon juice) and then sprinkled chopped pistachios on, both for their visual appeal but also to add some crunch and a great texture contrast to the delicate, light and airy cake.
More delicious desserts with cardamom:
- Cardamom Donuts with Cinnamon Sugar
- Cardamom Meringue Cookies
- Raspberry Apple Crisp
- Lemon Cardamom Bundt Cakes
Lemon Cardamom Cake
Ingredients:
For the cake:
- vegetable shortening to grease the loaf pan
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon zest from organic lemons (you need 4 – 5 lemons for that)
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 6 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons plain, whole milk yogurt
- 4 teaspoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 5 teaspoons lemon juice, or more, depending on the humidity in your kitchen
- chopped pistachios
Instructions:
For the cake:
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cut a piece of parchment paper and fit into the bottom of an 8.5 inch x 4.25 inch x 2.5 inch loaf pan. Secure it to the bottom of the pan with a few dabs of vegetable shortening.
- Grease the pan well with vegetable shortening (including the surface of the parchment bottom), sprinkle flour into the pan and then shake out the excess.
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add the eggs and continue to beat until well incorporated and smooth.
- Beat in the lemon zest.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
- In another bowl, whisk lemon juice, yogurt, milk and vanilla together. Set aside.
- Beat the dry and wet ingredients into the butter mix, little by little, alternating between the two and starting with the dry ingredients. Beat until you have a very smooth and creamy-looking batter.
- Fill the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 -50 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Once the pan is cool enough to handle, run a knife around the edges to to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Unmold the cake and then let it cool completely.
For the glaze:
- Whisk the two ingredients together and keep adding lemon juice until you have a slow-moving icing.
- Drizzle the icing on the cake and sprinkle the chopped pistachios on.
Nutrition
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Have made this cake many, many times. Love the recipe with the touch of cardamom with lemon. Beautiful loaf with a difference. I usually use Greek yogurt. Definitely a favourite recipe,
That is incredible to hear, Moray! Thank you SO much for leaving such a wonderful comment, I really appreciate it. :)
Hey Nic! How crumbly would you rate this on a scale of 1 to 10? As in – is it like banana bread in that it could be toasted, or is it more like cake that needs to be eaten with a fork on a plate?
I’m asking because I was going to make this for a picnic only – food to be eaten with hands only! :)
Definitely like cake and not like banana bread. Does require fork and plate and would probably be messy at a picnic. :)
Nicole this lemon cake looks light and delicious. I love the touch of cardamom!
I love the etherial look of this cake – so light and bright! Cardamon is such a wonderful spice and paired with the lemon, I know this cake is just out of this world!
Thank you so much, Kathleen. “Light and bright” is the perfect description for this cake. :) Happy 4th of July to you!
What is it about even the word cardamom that makes my mouth water. And then there’s lemon. And the texture of this cake looks absolutely perfect. Lovely recipe, Nicole!
I LOVE the word cardamom too, Marissa! Especially the “m” at the end, it’s just so cute! :)
What a beautiful flavor combo. Cardamom is one of my favorite flavors in anything.
Thank you, Jessie! Cardamom is good, isn’t it? I have to use it more often, and not just in sweet stuff! :)
Cardamon is a beautiful pairing with lemon. I love Ina. :) I just think she’s a legend!! Oh, and your photo? Well, it’s ok. You know. Maybe a 14 out of 10? ;)
I agree, Ina is great! 14 out of 10 you say? Blush… :)
This looks such a lovely fresh summer cake, Nicole. I love the cardamon (my latest blog post is a meringue roulade with raspberries, cardamom and rose cream) this is such a nice update on a lemon drizzle cake. x
Meringue roulade? Rose cream? Oh my, I’m going to have to head over and check that out right now! :)
What kind of yogurt do you use in the recipe?
I like to use full-fat, plain Greek yogurt.
Thank you for your reply.
Beautiful, light and screams Summer – lovely. I am digging the light photos of late! Cardamom is so underused and definitely a favorite flavor weapon of mine. That dusting of chopped pistachios on top is perfect. Have a great holiday weekend Nicole.
Thank you, Kevin! I have to admit that I added the pistachios partly for looks… :)
Wow, I love how the photo really shows how soft and fluffy the cake is! The addition of cardamom sounds amazing – I bought some cardamom to bake with a little while ago but haven’t gotten around to using any yet. I’m looking forward to trying this!
Thank you so much, I hope you like it! :)