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Optional (plan-ahead): If you’re shopping for the week, I put this into a 4-Week Meal Plan + Grocery Lists so dinner’s already decided before your day gets busy.
simple cake recipe
- Total Time: 90 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Diet: General
Description
An elegant and easy vanilla cake recipe enhanced with aromatic cardamom and a fragrant orange blossom water drizzle. The buttery base combined with the sophisticated glaze makes for a perfect dessert for special occasions or weeknight cravings, ready in about 90 minutes.
Ingredients
- 170 g (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 10 mL (2 tsp) baking powder
- 2 g (1/2 tsp) fine sea salt
- 5 mL (1 tsp) ground cardamom (for cake)
- 180 mL (3/4 cup) whole milk, room temperature
- 200 g (1 1/2 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
- 30 mL (2 tbsp) whole milk or water (for drizzle)
- 5 mL (1 tsp) orange blossom water
- 1 g (1/4 tsp) ground cardamom (for drizzle)
- Fresh orange zest, for garnish
Optional (plan-ahead): If you’re shopping for the week, I put this into a 4-Week Meal Plan + Grocery Lists so dinner’s already decided before your day gets busy.
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Oven: Preheat the oven to 175 degrees C (350 degrees F). Grease and lightly flour a 20 cm (8-inch) round cake pan.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: Add the large eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, fine sea salt, and 5 mL (1 tsp) ground cardamom until thoroughly mixed.
- Finish Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, alternating with the whole milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Bake Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely, which takes 1-2 hours.
- Prepare Drizzle Glaze: While the cake cools, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 30 mL (2 tablespoons) milk or water, orange blossom water, and 1 g (1/4 tsp) ground cardamom until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional liquid or powdered sugar if needed.
- Glaze and Garnish: Once completely cool, transfer the cake to a serving plate and pour the Cardamom Orange Blossom Drizzle evenly over the top. Garnish with additional ground cardamom and fresh orange zest before serving.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients (butter, eggs, milk) for a smooth batter and better texture. Avoid overmixing the batter, which can result in a tough cake. Ensure the cake is completely cool before applying the glaze to prevent melting.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg