Cardamom-Orange Coffee Cake Recipe | Barbara Bakes (2024)

Published by Melissa on May 10, 2013 | Updated February 27, 2024 | 57 Comments

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Moist, delicious cardamom-orange coffee cake topped with an almond cinnamon sugar topping, baked in cute mini loaf pans so they’re easy to share and sturdy enough to mail to far away friends.

The Flying Brownieby Shirley Fan is an adorable cookbook with 100 recipes for homemade treats that are perfect for packing and shipping to friends and family. Each recipe includes tips on shipping and there’s a Care Packages 101 section to help you get your treats to your loved ones in just baked condition.

The publisher sent me a free copy of the cookbook to review and itcame just in time. I was baking Snickerdoodle bread to take to the Big Traveling Potluck and had to carry the bread on the airplane. I used the tips in the book, double wrapped it in plastic wrap, cushioned it with styrofoampeanuts, and put it in a sturdy box, and my bread arrived in perfect condition.

The first time I tried cardamom was when it was used in a Daring Bakers challenge, and I immediately fell in love with it. It has a very unique, spicy, almost citrusy flavor and pairs really well with citrus in baking. It’s native to India but is now used throughout the world in sweet and savory dishes.

Since I love cardamom in baked goods, theCardamom-Orange Coffee Cake recipe jumped out at me. I loved that I could make it with ingredients I always have on hand. The recipe didn’t disappoint. It was moist and tender with a great spicy, citrus flavor and the crunchy, sweet almond topping was the perfect way to dress it up.

If you’re looking for recipes and tips on shipping treats to your friends and family, I highly recommend this book.

Cardamom-Orange Coffee Cake Loaf

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course: Quick Breads

Keyword: baking, Breakfast, food, recipe

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 363kcal

Author: Barbara Schieving

Equipment

Chicago Metallic Commercial II Non-Stick Mini Loaf Pans, Set of 4

Ingredients

Cake

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs at room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest

Topping

2 tablespoons sliced almonds
1 tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350º. Grease and flour a 5×9-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper; set aside. I used two mini loaf pans (5 ¾ x 3 ¼ x 2 ¼)
In a medium-size bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the sour cream and orange zest and mix for another minute or two, until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients. Scatter the topping over the batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 50 minutes. (Bake mini loaves for 35 minutes.)
Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a large zipper top plastic bag.

Nutrition

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About Melissa & Barbara

As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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Comments

AnnMarie Anderson
March 02, 2024 at 10:32 am

This batter was so thick; I was suspicious… It was done at 45″ in a full loaf pan and actually very dry. Probably should have checked it at 40″…
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Cardamom-Orange Coffee Cake Recipe | Barbara Bakes (2024)

FAQs

How is coffee cake different? ›

The difference is that instead of frosting on top, coffee cakes have crumble or streusel. Just like a cake, it can also have glaze or icing. Another difference is coffee cake typically has a thin layer of cinnamon in the middle. Regular cakes have no filling or inner layers of frosting, ganache, custard, or jam.

Why is it coffee cake? ›

Sometimes cake, sometimes bread, maybe with coffee but always sweet, the only real defining trait of a coffee cake is that it is meant to be served alongside a cup of coffee. It's a treat that asks nothing of you other than to slow down and enjoy a nice hot mug of coffee and a bite of something sweet.

Read On ›

How long to heat up coffee cake? ›

To Serve

Coffeecakes may be enjoyed at room temp, however, heating is recommended.
Preheat oven to 150.
Remove plastic wrap, and heat coffeecake in its tin for 10-15 minutes.
For individual slices, remove from the tin and heat to 30-60 seconds in the microwave.
Serve with butter and enjoy!

Learn More ›

What is the difference between American and British coffee cake? ›

Coffee cake is different in various parts of the world. In the UK, it's exactly what it says on the tin; it's a coffee-flavoured sponge cake, whereas in the US, coffee cake is cake with a crumble topping that's served with a cup of coffee on the side. I used a Nigella Lawson recipe, and, oh my, is it good!

Is a king cake a coffee cake? ›

The king cake is a mixture of a French pastry and a coffee cake. Its oval shape and festive colors give it a unique appeal. The original version features the royal colors of gold, purple, and green. Gold represents power, purple represents justice, and green signifies faith.

Can you leave coffee cake out overnight? ›

If you leave your coffee cake on the counter uncovered, or inadequately covered, it's a big mistake. In general, coffee cake lasts a few days to a week — though it's typically at its softest and sweetest right after it's made. Melted butter is key for moist coffee cake, but this dessert tends to get drier over time.

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Does coffee cake usually have coffee in it? ›

Curiously, coffee cake contains zero coffee itself. I think (and I am totally speculating here) that it's meant to be served with coffee, sort of in the tradition of tea. My sleuthing on the internet points to origins in German yeasted cakes, but it's not entirely clear.

Discover More Details ›

What is the difference between dessert and coffee portion cake? ›

COFFEE v DESSERT PORTIONS? Coffee Portions - are 1/2 the size of a dessert portion i.e. 1" x 1" x the height of the cake. Dessert Portions - are roughly 1" x 2" x the height of the cake. If your event includes a three-course meal, coffee portions are usually ample.

Is there a difference between coffee cake and crumb cake? ›

The main difference between the two cakes is the amount of streusel topping. Crumb cake has a thicker layer of streusel topping than coffee cake. Coffee cake can also be made without the streusel topping. You might also see that there's a New York-style crumb cake as well, which has much bigger crumbs.

Keep Reading ›

What is the difference between coffee cake and pound cake? ›

A coffee cake is a traditional pound cake with a single layer of cinnamon-flavored simple cake with swirls. Contrary to how it's called coffee cake, it doesn't have any coffee ingredients. A coffee cake is a sweet treat with bread-like consistency, texture, and taste served with coffee or tea.