Lemon Cardamom Cake

This easy lemon cardamom cake is delicate, light, moist, intensely citrusy and not overly sweet. The ground cardamom adds a subtle floral flavor and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios provides just the right amount of crunch.

What does cardamom taste like?

Cardamom has a fresh, floral, minty and lemony flavor that works great with citrus desserts, such as this cake.

How to make the cake:

The preparation of this recipe is very straight forward, you begin by preparing a 9 inch x 5 inch x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan and heating the oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 1. Cut a piece of parchment paper and fit it into the bottom of the pan, then grease the pan (including the surface of the parchment bottom) well with vegetable shortening, sprinkle flour into the pan and shake out the excess.

RECIPE NOTE: To grease a pan, I find it easiest to grab a paper towel, fold it up, then scoop up the vegetable shortening with it and rub it around the insides of the pan.

Step 2. Add the dry ingredients to a bowl:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Step 3. Whisk the dry ingredients together, then set aside.

Step 4. With an electric mixer or standing mixer, whip 8 tablespoons softened, unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until fluffy.

Step 5. Whip in 2 whole eggs and 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon zest for intense lemon flavor.

Step 6. In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together:

• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/4 cup and 2 teaspoons plain, whole milk yogurt
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Step 7. With the mixer running, gradually whip the dry and wet ingredients into the batter, alternating between the two and starting with the dry ingredients. Whip the batter for a few minutes until it turns lighter in color and becomes firmer and smoother.

Step 8. Fill the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out completely clean.

Let the cake cool a bit in the pan on a wire rack, then run a knife around the edges of the pan, turn the cake out and let it cool completely.

How to make the glaze:

Step 9. Whisk together 1 cup powdered sugar and 5 teaspoons lemon juice (if the glaze is too thin, whisk in more powdered sugar; if it is too thick, add more lemon juice). Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake, then sprinkle 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.

How to store the cake:

You can let the cake sit out at room temperature, covered loosely with aluminum foil, for 1 day.

You can also transfer the glazed cake into a freezer bag and freeze it. To thaw, let the cake sit on the kitchen counter for about 2 hours.

More cardamom desserts:

• Baked Cardamom Cinnamon Sugar Donuts
• Cardamom Meringue Cookies
• Raspberry Apple Crisp
• Mini Lemon Cardamom Bundt Cakes

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4.24 from 21 votes

Lemon Cardamom Cake

This easy lemon cardamom cake is delicate, light, moist, intensely citrusy and not overly sweet.

This recipe is for one 9 inch x 5 inch x 2 ½ inch loaf pan.

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:50 mins

Total Time:1 hr 5 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: lemon cake, lemon cardamom cake

Servings: 6

Calories (estimated): 520kcal

Author: Adapted from Food Network.

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• vegetable shortening to grease the loaf pan
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (you need 4 – 5 lemons for that)
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons plain, whole milk yogurt
• 4 teaspoons milk
• ½ 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 a 9 inch x 5 inch x 2 ½ 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.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cardamom. Set aside.
• Whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
• Add the eggs and continue to whip until well incorporated and smooth.
• Whip in the lemon zest.
• In another bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk lemon juice, yogurt, milk and vanilla together. Set aside.
• Whip the dry and wet ingredients into the butter mix, little by little, alternating between the two and starting with the dry ingredients. Whip for a few minutes on high speed until you have a very smooth and creamy-looking batter.
• Fill the batter into the loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out completely clean (45 -50 minutes).
• Once the pan is cool enough to handle, run a knife around the edges 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. (If the icing ends up too runny, whisk in a little more powdered sugar).
• Drizzle the icing on the cake and sprinkle the chopped pistachios on.

Notes:

*To grease a pan, I find it easiest to grab a paper towel, fold it up, then scoop up the vegetable shortening with it and rub it around the insides of the pan.