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 by 5-inch by 2 ½-inch loaf pan.
Servings: 6
Calories (Estimated): 514kcal
Equipment:
- measuring cups and spoons
- citrus zester
- citrus juicer
- knife and cutting board
- parchment paper
- 9 inch by 5 inch by 2 ½ inch loaf pan
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- standing mixer or handheld mixer
- liquid measuring cup (optional)
- rubber spatula
- toothpick
- knife
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 to 2 teaspoons ground cardamom*
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (you need 3 large or 4 to 5 small 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. Fit it into the bottom of a 9-inch by 5-inch by 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 shake out the excess.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cardamom. Set aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt, 1 to 2 teaspoons ground cardamom*
- Whip butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and continue to whip until well incorporated and smooth.2 large eggs
- Whip in the lemon zest, then set aside for a moment.1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest (you need 3 large or 4 to 5 small lemons for that)
- In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk lemon juice, yogurt, milk and vanilla together. Set aside.6 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons plain, whole milk yogurt**, 4 teaspoons milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whip the dry and wet ingredients into the butter mix, little by little, alternating between the two. (Start 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. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out completely clean (45 to 60 minutes). (Check in several spots along the center length of the cake to make sure that the cake is fully baked.) If you're using Greek yogurt, the baking time will be on the shorter end of the range. If you're using regular yogurt, it will be on the longer end.
- 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 powdered sugar and lemon juice together. 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).1 cup powdered sugar, 5 teaspoons lemon juice, or more, depending on the humidity in your kitchen
- Drizzle the icing on the cake and sprinkle the chopped pistachios on.
Recipe notes:
*1 teaspoon ground cardamom will give the cake a subtle cardamom flavor. If you prefer a stronger flavor, use 2 teaspoons.
**You can use whole milk, plain regular yogurt or whole milk, plain Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt will produce a finer crumb.
***I recommend to grease the loaf pan with a paper towel. Fold up the towel, scoop up the vegetable shortening with it and rub it around the insides of the pan.
