Almond Cake With Cardamom and Pistachio

Almond Cake With Cardamom and Pistachio
Jim Wilson/The New York Times
Total Time
1½ hours
Rating
5(3,443)
Comments
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This moist and springy Persian almond cake is generously spiced with ground cardamom (two full teaspoons). We like it with fresh berries. If you want to serve it for Passover, be sure to use kosher for Passover confectioners' sugar; you could also use a tablespoon of matzo meal in place of the tablespoon of almond flour, but the cake is delicious without it. —Joan Nathan

Featured in: An Iranian Seder in Beverly Hills

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Ingredients

Yield:One 9-inch cake (10 to 12 servings)
  • ½cup vegetable oil, plus additional for pan
  • 7large eggs, separated
  • 1cup sugar
  • 1tablespoon almond extract
  • cups plus 1 tablespoon/420 grams almond flour (see tip)
  • 2teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1 to 2tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
  • 3 to 4tablespoons finely chopped pistachio nuts, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)

660 calories; 52 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 34 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 21 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 43 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9-inch round or square pan and set aside. Using a stand mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry, and set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, and whisk to blend. Whisk in almond extract and oil. Add almond flour and cardamom. Gently stir a third of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until just incorporated.

  3. Step 3

    Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack. To decorate, dust with confectioners’ sugar and chopped pistachios.

Tip
  • If you want to grind your own almond flour, start with 3 cups nuts. Using a large food processor, pulse almonds until very finely ground, stirring once or twice to prevent them from turning into a paste.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
3,443 user ratings
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Comments

No don't understand what I'm supposed to do with that 1 tablespoon of almond flour. Does it go in the batter with the 4-1/2 cups, is it scattered on top of the finished cake? If it's part of the batter, why the alternative of only 1 tablespoon of matzo meal? I'm confused...

This is a great cake but a couple of cautions: be prepared for a very stiff batter which makes for some heavy folding of the whites; in addition to oiling the pan, cut a circle of parchment paper or waxed paper to line the bottom and oil that too. Otherwise it can be difficult to get the cake out of the pan.

We made this for Easter Sunday dinner. Served it with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It was fantastic!

A few changes to the recipe:
-Halved the cardamom. I like cardamom, but two teaspoons seemed a bit much. This was the right call. It ended up being subtle, but not overpowering.
-Used a little less than a tablespoon of almond extract, and added a teaspoon and a half of vanilla extract.
-Left in the oven for an hour and ten minutes.

We'll make it again!

I took the advice to add rose water and salt and was not disappointed! This is the best baked good I’ve made in a long time. Perfect with black coffee or tea. And yes, you do really need that much almond flour.

I've made this three times. Once I forgot to add the extra 1/2 cup of almond flour and it ended up being the best cake. I'm making it today and am going to add a drop of rose water to it.

Have made mostly as written 3 times and it has come out brilliantly. Topped with pistachio butter and pistachios the last two times. This time I topped it with peach compote (infused with cardamom). I have also subbed veggie oil for olive oil. It's a rich, moist olive oil cake that tastes almost like marzipan.

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Credits

Adapted from Soraya Nazarian

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