This orange and cardamom cake with a orange and cardamom whipped cream has been one year in the posting. Since last Christmas when my sister (on a visit from Kenya) and I ate every single slice over a three day period. Oh yeah.
We caught up, played with the kiddoes, played endless rounds of bananagrams, decorating the Christmas tree (including with Freddy Krueger), exchanged the best presents ever, singing Sierra Leonean Christmas carols, spent hours with our other sister comparing Christmas eats via what’s app, wrapped up ward during our long long walk, shopped till we dropped in the Christmas sales, all in between eating slices of this cardamom cake, spiced orange shortbread and drinking chai tea. The perfect Christmas right?
The cardamom and orange flavours in this sponge cake are perfectly complemented by the lightly flavoured whipped cream. Plus it is such fun for the kiddoes to decorate it with the pomegranate and orange peel. I miss last Christmas.
Sadly my sister will not be visiting this year. However, I intend to bake this cake, eat a few slices and reminisce about that perfect time I had with my sister. Just one way to make this Christmas even better.
Happy baking.
This is the first recipe in my pantry staple spotlight in cardamom. Please be sure to check the other recipes out.
Don't forget to tag #recipesfromapantry on Instagram or Twitter if you try Orange and Cardamom Cake! It is really, really awesome for me when you make one of my recipes and I'd love to see it. You can also share it on my Facebook page. Please pin this recipe to Pinterest too! Thank you for reading Recipes from a Pantry.
Orange and Cardamom Cake
Ingredients
For an 8 inch cake:
- 175 g (6oz) self-raising flour sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cardamom
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 175 g (6oz) very soft butter
- 175 g (6oz) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
For the orange and cardamom whipped cream
- 480 ml (2 cups) whipped cream
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1-2 tbsp icing sugar
- Large pinch ground cardamom
- Seeds from half a pomegranate and Orange peel slices, to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to fan assisted 150 C / 170C / 325F / gas 3 and line and grease two 20 cm / 8 in cake tins.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, cardamom and orange zest in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix with an electric hand mixer until well combined and very smooth. The mixture should be of a dropping consistency but if it is not, add a little water.
- Divide the cake batter between the two cake tins and gently level with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to stand for 5 minutes before turning them on to a wire rack to cool.
- Make the whipped cream by mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl and whipping till the cream forms soft peaks
- Then transfer one cake onto the serving tray and spread half of the cardamom and orange cream on top. Then place the second cake on top and spread the remaining whipped cream on top. Then decorate with pomegranate seed and orange peel strips and serve.
Elizabeth says
09/12/2015 at 10:22 amOh heavens, look at all that gorgeous whipped cream frosting! I just want to jump in and start eating!
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 9:01 pmHahaha – make it yourself and then you can.
Diana says
09/12/2015 at 10:22 amSuch a wonderful cake Bintu! Cardamom and orange is a very interesting combination, I would love to try that!
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 9:00 pmThank you. It is one of my fall back combos for desserts.
laura@howtocookgoodfood says
09/12/2015 at 11:23 amI love these flavours toherhter in both sweet and savury dishes. This cake must be super tasty and so festive too!
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 8:58 pmI would love to try this flavour combo in a savoury dish.
Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs says
09/12/2015 at 11:31 amWhat a delicious looking cake! Your photos are stunning Bintu. I’m a huge fan of cardamom in cakes so this is right up my street – I’ve never tried it with orange though this is a new combination for me. Thanks for sharing.
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 8:57 pmFoodie blushing in the corner Emma. Do try and and see what you think.
Choclette says
09/12/2015 at 3:42 pmI guess all Christmases can’s be the best ever, but I reckon this cake might help. It looks fab and I love the combination of orange and cardamom.
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 8:56 pmIt certainly does help Choclette.
Immaculate says
09/12/2015 at 5:26 pmYou had me at Cardamon! My new favorite of mine. It does wonders to baked goods.
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 8:55 pmIt is one of my fav spices too Immaculate.
Immaculate says
09/12/2015 at 5:28 pmOops! I meant to say a new favorite of mine!
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 8:44 pm😀
Platter Talk says
09/12/2015 at 6:27 pmOrange and cardamon our wonderful flavors together; in this gorgeous cake they are taken to a completely new level! Very nicely done!!
Elsa | the whinery says
09/12/2015 at 8:37 pmWhat a beautiful cake! I love the orange and cardamom flavours together and that whipped cream (in the middle) looks to die for! And that sweet story about eating it and spending time with your sister and family, that’s what makes the holidays so special. 🙂
Bintu says
09/12/2015 at 8:53 pmI was pretty much licking the whipped cream off the cake Elsa.
Claudia | Gourmet Project says
10/12/2015 at 8:09 amlove the link between cake and cream flavors!
Bintu says
10/12/2015 at 10:54 pmYeah this one works well.
Noor says
10/12/2015 at 9:48 amSo pretty. Love the way you topped the cake with pomegranate and orange peels.
Bintu says
10/12/2015 at 10:53 pmThanks Noor.
Judy@ImBoredLetsGo says
10/12/2015 at 12:34 pmLooks beautiful… that’s just the right amount of whipped cream to cake ratio for me!
Bintu says
10/12/2015 at 10:52 pm😀
Jeanne Horak-Druiff says
10/12/2015 at 3:07 pmOrange and cardamom -= one of my favourite flavour combinations! I can see why you were unable to resist multiple slices ;o)
Bintu says
10/12/2015 at 10:52 pmHahaha. My sister did not help with all her urging me on.
Sara @ Life's Little Sweets says
10/12/2015 at 8:44 pmWhat a great and classic flavor combination, pinning to my Cake Ideas board, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Bintu says
10/12/2015 at 10:52 pmThank you Sara. Much appreciated.
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes says
10/12/2015 at 10:35 pmI’m loving the gorgeous colours Bintu! The cake looks so good!
Bintu says
10/12/2015 at 10:51 pm😀
Rachel @ Simple Seasonal says
11/12/2015 at 5:14 amWhat a lovely looking cake! I hope you still have a wonderful Christmas even if you don’t get to spend it with your sister eating tons of yummy cake!
Donna / wholefoodbellies says
11/12/2015 at 5:27 amOh I am so sad for you that your sister isn’t visiting this year, but so happy for you that you have these great memories (and cake) to remember your last christmas with her 🙂
Akaleistar says
13/12/2015 at 2:14 amCake + whipped cream = amazing!
wendy malone says
30/12/2015 at 5:48 pmi had a try at making this cake, unfortunatly didnt come out as nice as yours.
Hester McQueen says
08/03/2016 at 11:45 amIn the oven baking as I’m typing. Thank you – looking forward to tasting this.