This honey cardamom cake has quickly become the ultimate new combo of simple flavors that are pure perfection in my mind!
I’ve come to the horrible/great realization in life that sweet loaf breads and cake aren’t that much different. It’s horrible because I like to call pieces of banana bread and pumpkin bread breakfast and snack sometimes and the calories and fat are just the same as enjoying a piece of cake. Sad face.
I do choose to ignore that annoying fact sometimes because my life is that much happier with these tasty treats in the morning.
On the positive side, however, the similarities between breads and cakes means that I can make one recipe look like a bunch of different things. I just bake it in a different pan, including this honey cardamom cake in a bundt pan!
Honey Cardamom Cake
I made honey cardamom bread earlier this year and have been dreaming of making it again since then. I knew I wanted to make the same recipe in a cake form though because, well, I don’t have a good reason. It just sounded fun!
Honey cake and honey bread are traditional treats in my book. The honey replaces the sugar adding the natural sweetness of honey – a flavor I find to be sweeter and earthier all at the same time.
The cardamom is a lovely addition (like cinnamon often is).
I’m big on switching out pans like I mentioned above. I love doing yellow cake in a bread loaf pan – the slices are so much easier to serve (delicious served with homemade whipped cream and fresh berries). And then doing pumpkin or banana bread in a cake pan.
The only thing that changes is the baking time. I often use the baking times on the back of cake boxes as a guideline or I consult my Betty Crocker cookbook.
Maple Whipped Cream
I was in a huge debate about what to top the cake with and ultimately decided on homemade whipped cream. It’s such a go-to for me, but it never disappoints.
To switch things up, I decided to sweeten the cream with maple syrup instead of sugar for a more fall flavor. We took this to our friends’ house for dinner and we were all spooning tons of the whipped cream on top of the cake – it was such a hit!
Can you Make This Cake Ahead of Time?
Oh yeah. So here’s the thing with cakes (and cookies, breads, etc.). The moisture and freshness are delectable as soon as possible after baking, but the flavors really begin to marry with time. The trick is getting just that right balance.
My tip? After letting the cake cook completely on a rack, wrap it up as best you can – try to limit the amount of air getting to it. Then unwrap it just before serving.
Can you Store Homemade Whipped Cream?
Yes, but not for long and it must be sealed. In case it didn’t sink in above, or you forgot amidst the cake talk, homemade whipped cream is A MUST. Not just for this recipe, just in general!
But if you want/need to make it ahead of time, it can easily deflate. In my experience, if you whip the cream, and then get it into the fridge or a well insulated cooler with an ice pack, it can last very well for up to a few hours.
Past that, you’re playing with time. The flavor will continue to be great for a few days, but the whipped texture will slowly start to dissipate.
More Cardamom Recipes
If you love cardamom, try these hazelnut and cardamom biscotti, cardamom waffles, and this cardamom latte!
HONEY CARDAMOM CAKE w. MAPLE WHIPPED CREAM
Ingredients
honey cardamom cake
- 2 cups AP flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¾ teaspoons cardamom
- ¾ cup coconut oil or butter softened
- 1 ½ cup honey
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
maple whipped cream
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 2 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
Honey Cardamom Cake
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt cake pan.
- Combine dry ingredients. Set aside. In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine remaining cake ingredients. Slowly add in dry mixture. Combine thoroughly. Pour batter into cake pan.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Gently tap around pan before slowly turning cake onto serving plate. Cake can be enjoyed now, but letting it sit a few hours will enhance the flavors!
Maple Whipped Cream
- For the whipped cream, beat whipping cream until peaks start to form. Add in maple syrup and vanilla. Top sliced cake with big dollop of maple whipped cream.
Lisa says
What if I do not have Whole Wheat Flour, what can I substitute?
Luci Petlack says
Hi there! You should be able to use regular All Purpose flour. I’m thinking it’ll just take a little more time to bake and might actually be more moist! You can use the toothpick test to check for doneness (just search online if you’re not familiar with that method)!
Angela l Hanson Muesse says
Under the 2nd photo, you posted the heading “baking with mixes”. Do you have a shortcut that would add the same flavors to a cake mix to get similar results?
Luci Petlack says
Hi Angela! Oh goodness. I feel so silly and I’m going to change that heading now to avoid confusion. I did used to do a lot of baking with mixes, but I don’t remember making this recipe with it. With that said, if I were using a white or yellow cake mix for this, the cardamom can be added into the batter – same amount, as written. As for the honey, it would replace the water, but I’m not sure what the ratio would be. You could try decreasing the oil or butter called for in the cake to the 3/4 cup called for here and then adding in the honey. Without trying it out though, I can’t say for certain beyond adding int he cardamom. Alternatively, you could make a cardamom cake and then do a honey drizzle over the cake! My apologies for not having a better answer!