Orange Cardamom Christmas Cake
A spiced citrus bundt cake made with fresh orange zest, ground cardamom, and a powdered sugar glaze.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 315g
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened, 226g
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300g
- 1 tbsp orange zest about 2 oranges
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature, 240ml
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 60ml
- 1 cup powdered sugar 120g
- 2 tbsp fresh orange juice for the glaze
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom for the glaze
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 10-cup bundt pan with butter and dust it lightly with flour.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 teaspoons of ground cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter, granulated sugar, and orange zest until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture, followed by half of the buttermilk and the 1/4 cup (60ml) of orange juice. Repeat, ending with the final third of the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- In a small bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of orange juice, and 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.
Notes
Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added. This keeps the cake texture tender.
Make sure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature so they blend smoothly into the butter.
If the glaze is too thick, add a few drops of orange juice until it reaches a pourable consistency.