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Almond Cardamom Cake is an Indian-inspired Afternoon Tea cake that pairs perfectly with a hot cup of masala chai.
Whenever I bake for my mom, it has to be an unfrosted cake, or as my mom likes to say – “dry cake.” She just refuses to eat any cakes with frosting. Now, let me assure you there is nothing dry about this Almond Tea Cake, it’s moist, fragrant, and delicious.
What is Almond Tea Cake?
Almond Tea Cake is a simple vanilla buttery cake flavored with sliced almonds, cardamom, and unfrosted. It pairs beautifully with a cup of hot Kadak Masala Chai.
Can I make this recipe vegan, gluten-free?
for vegan: Skip the butter and use vegan butter. Skip the milk and use nut-free unsweetened milk.
Can I make this cake nut-free?
Absolutely. Simply omit the almonds and go nut-free.
What other nuts can I use instead of almonds?
Pistachios would work beautifully. Cashews and walnuts will work too.
I would avoid peanuts and pecans.
Tips on making Almond Cardamom Tea Cake:
- You need sliced almonds, not chopped. You can easily find them at any grocery store.
- Make sure the butter, eggs, and milk are all at room temperature. This results in a lighter cake.
- Do NOT over-mix the batter else the result will be a tough cake. Just mix the ingredients until well combined.
- Fold, do not mix, fold the sliced almonds into the batter at the end. Also, top the cake with additional sliced almonds.
Almond Cardamom Cake is:
Light & airy
Fragrant
Delicious
Perfect for Mother’s Day
Ideal for Indian Afternoon Tea
Pair with Kadak Masala Chai
How to make Almond Cardamom Cake recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt.
3. Take a stick of butter at room temperature.
4. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is creamy.
5. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
6. Add the eggs until the batter is creamy.
7. Now add the vanilla extract and beat.
8-9 Add the dry ingredients and milk, alternating between the dry and wet – start with the dry and end with dry.
10. Batter is done.
11. Add the sliced almonds and fold them into the batter.
12. Grease an 8″ round springform pan, and pour the batter into the baking tray.
13. Top with more sliced almonds. Into the oven for 30-35 minutes.
14. Cake is done. Cut into 12 slices. Enjoy with tea!
More Indian Afternoon Tea Recipes!
- Indian Afternoon Tea
- Tea Party Sandwiches – Indian-inspired
- Mango Mousse
- Quinoa Bhel Salad
- Rava Dhokla
- Eggless Mawa Cake
- Rose Water Cake with Almonds and Rose Buttercream
Almond Cardamom Cake
EQUIPMENT
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cups whole milk
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, inside batter
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, for topping
- dusting of powdered sugar, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine the dry ingredients – all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom, and salt.
- Take a stick of butter at room temperature.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter until it is creamy.
- Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs until the batter is creamy.
- Now add the vanilla extract and beat.
- 8-9 Add the dry ingredients and milk, alternating between the dry and wet – start with the dry and end with dry.
- Batter is done.
- Add the sliced almonds and fold them into the batter.
- Grease a found springform pan and pour the batter into the pan.
- Top with more sliced almonds. Into the oven for 30-35 minutes.
- Cake is done. Cut into 12 slices. Enjoy with tea!
This cake was a huge hit with my family and was asked to make it thrice in the last one month. Thank you for this delicious recipe, Nisha! It’s soft, moist, and for a change not super sweet.
This recipe looks wonderful and I look forward to making it. I wanted to point out a couple of things based on the photos you provided. It looks like you are using “sliced” almonds (with skin), not “slivered,” as is written in the recipe and the narrative. Slivered are different – they typically don’t have the skin and are almost strips. Also, the baking vessel is not a tray, it’s a springform pan and that is different.
Thanks for pointing that out. Will fix it.
Thank you! I also wanted to say you do a great job at explaining recipes step-by-step. Getting ready to bake this now. Very excited!
So glad to hear that SB. I hope it works out for you! 🙂
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Yes. You can cover the cake with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge. It’ll last about 5 days.
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make it?
HI Vanessa – you can make it the day before.
This looks so good! What a fun dessert to make for brunch with friends!
Love the recipe! So delicious
How many grams would one and a half cup of AP flour be?
Hi Nauka, I would Google this info directly. I googled it and it’s about 204 grams of all-purpose flour. Please double-check.
I haven’t baked yet, but want to know if the cake can be frozen successfully.
It should be okay. Make sure you wrap it tightly in plastic wrap so it doesn’t taste frozen.
Want to try making this for holiday gifts. I was going to make it in 4” cake pans instead of the 8”. What are your thoughts on cooking time?
Hi. The timing should be the same, however to be on the safe side, I would check 10 minutes earlier to make sure. Then check every 5 minutes.
I really disliked the texture of the almonds, but the flavor was great. It’s a personal preference thing, so I’d still say this is a good recipe.
HI Anon. Sorry to hear that. I’m glad you still approved of the recipe. Thank you