Vegan Almond Cardamom Cake
Mar 19, 2019, Updated May 07, 2023
Bursting with flavors of almonds and cardamom, this soft and moist Vegan Almond Cardamom Cake is just what you need with or coffee or tea!
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Simple Vegan Almond Cardamom Cake is the perfect cake to enjoy with a cup of coffee or chai!
This soft and moist cake is easy to make with basic pantry essentials.
Some days I just crave for a slice of cake with my chai. You know the simple kind of cake, without any frosting?
I love these kind of cakes, without any frills. So the other day when I had a craving, I ended up making this Almond Cardamom Cake. Bonus, it’s vegan!
I adore cardamom in everything, I think it’s an Indian thing. We use it so much in our desserts and so I feel like adding it to everything.
This simple cake is soft and moist and has that nice aroma from the cardamom and nuttiness from the almonds.
I wasn’t planning to make it vegan but it just ended up being one and I couldn’t have been more pleased with the result.
This Almond Cardamom Cake
✓made with simple ingredients
✓the perfect tea time cake
✓ is vegan and easy to make
Sarvesh couldn’t believe this cake was vegan- it was so light and fluffy!
Let’s see what goes in this vegan cake, pretty basic stuff- regular flour, almond flour, oil, sugar, almond milk and of course cardamom.
I also added some cornstarch to the cake mix which makes it extra soft. If you don’t have almond flour, you can grind some almonds yourself and use in the cake.
This cake uses almond flour, sliced almonds and also some almond extract for that extra almond flavor.
Yes, it does have a strong almond flavor. If you are not a fan of this flavor, then you can cut down on the flour or the extract.
Speaking of the extract, always be very careful about using almond extract. A little goes a really long way. It’s not like vanilla extract where you can add a lot and get away with it.
I have ruined cakes in the past by adding too much of almond extract, so speaking from experience here.
How to Make Almond Cardamom Cake
This cake is as easy as it can get. First, you sift the dry ingredients together.
Then we make a vegan buttermilk by mixing together almond milk with white vinegar. This really makes the cake soft so do not try to skip or substitute this.
Let the vegan buttermilk sit for 5 to 10 minutes before using in the recipe.
And then you simply mix the wet ingredients and then mix everything together. Super simple and the prep time doesn’t take more than 15 minutes.
Sometimes, I like to get fancy and add a rose glaze on top. But that’s totally optional.
If you do want to pour a rose glaze, just whisk together powdered sugar with rose water. Add some almond milk to thin it out and pour the glaze over the cake.
Super simple and adds a nice flavor. I generally keep this almond cardamom cake as it is- maybe just with a dusting of powdered sugar on top.
Method
Line a 8 x 2 inch round pan with parchment paper and spray with a non-stick spray. Set it aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees.
1- In a large bowl sift together all purpose flour, almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder and salt. Set it aside.
2- Take your 1 cup measuring cup and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to it. Now start adding almond milk to the cup until it’s filled to the top. Set it aside for 5 minutes while you proceed to the next steps.
3- Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer or using your hand mixer, beat together oil and sugar until combined. Add almond extract and lemon zest (if using) and mix.
4- Start adding the flour mix.
5- Alternate with the prepared vegan buttermilk (almond milk-vinegar mixture). Start and end with the flour mix.
6- Mix until everything is well combined but do not over-mix.
7- Fold in 1/2 cup sliced almonds.
8- Transfer batter to the prepared round pan. Sprinkle with more sliced almonds on top.
Bake at 350 F degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
If you’ve tried this Vegan Almond Cardamom Cake Recipe then don’t forget to rate the recipe! You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Vegan Almond Cardamom Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour 130 grams
- 1/4 cup almond flour 24 grams
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch 20 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 & 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar 15 ml
- 1 cup almond milk unsweetened, 240 ml
- 1/4 cup oil 60 ml, any flavorless oil, I used canola oil
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar 150 grams or adjust to taste to make it less sweet
- 1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
- zest of 1 lemon optional
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds + more to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Line a 8 x 2 inch round pan with parchment paper and spray with a non-stick spray. Set it aside. Pre-heat oven to 350 F degrees.
- In a large bowl sift together all purpose flour, almond flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom powder and salt. Set it aside.
- Take your 1 cup measuring cup and add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to it. Now start adding almond milk to the cup until it's filled to the top. Set it aside for 5 minutes while you proceed to the next steps.
- Using the paddle attachment of your stand mixer or using your hand mixer, beat together oil and sugar until combined. Add almond extract and lemon zest (if using) and mix.
- Start adding the flour mix, alternating with the prepared vegan buttermilk (almond milk-vinegar mixture). Start and end with the flour mix.
- Mix until everything is well combined but do not over-mix.
- Fold in 1/2 cup sliced almonds.
- Transfer batter to the prepared round pan. Sprinkle with more sliced almonds on top.
- Bake at 350 F degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!
Notes
- You can reduce the sugar in this cake if you prefer less sweet cakes.
- If you want to add a rose glaze- mix 1/2 cup powdered sugar with 1 tablespoon rose water. You can add some almond milk to thin it out as per your preference. Pour over cooled cake.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi manali. If i dont want to make this cake vegan, i use dairy milk instead?
yes of course!
Made this recipe twice this week and a third time adding crushed pistachios bc I ran out of almonds and it was just as amazing
This recipe is divine! I always expect to have to work with a recipe a few times before it comes out just right – but this came out just perfect on my first try – AND it was delicious and enjoyed by everyone. Thank you!
This is the best cake. It is moist, delicious and every bit is memorable. Thank you, thank you!
Hi! Could I make this into muffins and how would I adjust the time/temp? Thanks!
probably , bake for 15-18 mins
Loved this recipe! Quick question, is this quantity for a half kg cake?
If not, how much flour do I need to add to make it a half kg recipe?
sorry I haven’t measured the weight of the cake so can’t say
This recipe is fantastic! So good that my husband requests it every year for his birthday. Since I’ve made it a few times now, I’ve learned some things that ensure that it turns out beautifully each time – I substitute coconut sugar for the white sugar in a 1:1 ratio (just prefer the richer taste/additional flavor it gives), I use homemade almond milk to make the buttermilk (I’ve found the store bought stuff doesn’t always get you the fluffiness you need to make the cake soft and give it lift), and I’m very gentle when mixing the ingredients (you really need an easy fold to combine everything, and overmixing has led to a denser, less fluffy cake). I seriously can’t thank you enough for such a delicious recipe, it’s tea-time perfection!
Thank you for such lovely feedback Lindsey 🙂
Love to make (and eat) this cake! So easy and delicious! Thanks for a great recipe!
Can I use almond flour in place of the the regular flour
no, almond flour isn’t a 1:1 substitute here. I have not tested this recipe with almond flour.
Hello. My cake didn’t rise much both times I made it. Still tastes delicious. Any idea why? Followed the recipe. It is high in the middle but the sides didn’t rise. Thanks!
Hi Erin, there can be several reasons why a cake doesn’t rise. There’s definitely enough leavening agents in the recipe to make the cake rise. Make sure your leavening agent are not old/expired. Please check the freshness of baking powder and baking soda. Also make your oven temperature settings are not off.
Excellent! I love almond anything and cardamom too. Thanks for the great recipe. Will be making this for Christmas dessert.
glad to know!
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
just like any other cake, 2 days at room temperature, covered
I’m not a huge fan of cardamom, so I had my doubts about making this recipe, but am I glad I did! It was delicious—absolutely perfect! Thank you Manali!
Glad you liked it Erin!
Yum! It is delightful! It came out well. I also reduced the sugar and swapped out oil for apple sauce and because I couldn’t help it I added a little vanilla extract.
glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for sharing this lovely cake recipe. It is so delicious and easy to make. I don’t use oil so I substituted 1/4 applesauce for the oil and a little less sugar. Also used plain, unsweetened soy milk as I didn’t have almond milk. It clabbered just fine so now I have a new trick too! I also used a Bundt pan. At sea level, it came out perfect from the Breville countertop oven after 43 minutes at 350 degrees F.
Could I substitute apple sauce for the oil?
worth a try!
I know this is a late reply.. but you can definitely substitute plain unsweetened coconut or almond yogurt for the oil.. I used Kite Hill plain unsweetened coconut yogurt and reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and used coconut sugar instead and it came out perfect and so delicious! You can probably substitute with unsweetened applesauce as well. Great recipe thank you!
Super delicious and easy to make! I loved the almond extract in it. The crumb was moist and light. I ended up baking it in a 8×8 square pan and it was great. Will definitely make again.
Apricot jam takes this to the next level!!!
sounds delicious!
Could I use only almond flour ? I have so many allergies but this recipe is mouth watering just to read
Denise
No sorry, haven’t tested the recipe with almond flour only so I can’t say how that would turn out
I have made this cake many times over the past couple of months. I cannot get enough of it (I am addicted to cardamom!) and my friends and family love it, too. One of the easiest and best vegan cake recipes I have ever tried.
Cardamom is so good right? It’s my favorite spice too 🙂 Glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Excellent recipe! Very tasty! I’m positive it would have been delicious as is, but I used 1/2 cup sugar and added 1/4 more cup of almond flour (because I didn’t have sliced almonds) and sprinkled wild blueberries on top.
I am glad to hear that Robin, thanks for your review 🙂
Hi Manali,
I made your cake today in a loaf tin. Apart from reducing the sugar I followed the recipe exactly.
It looks good and tastes great. The crunch of the almonds contrasts nicely with the softness of the cake. Cardamom and lemon zest are a nice flavour combination.
A perfect cake to accompany tea or coffee.
Regards,
Belinda
awesome!
This sounds absolutely delicious!! Please can you let me know if this can be cooked in a fan oven and if so what temperature should it be cooked at? (assuming the stated temperature is for a conventional oven) Thanks a mill
Hi Emma, sorry I have no experience with fan oven. maybe reduce temperature by 25 degrees and then try the same recipe?
Thank you for this amazing recipe. I love the combination of almond, cardamom and lemon! I like the flavour of cardamom so much that I sprinkle some more on top of the cake before baking. Like others commented, I also prefer to use less sugar than recommended. Thank you.
I never leave reviews but this cake is amazing!!! Perfect texture, perfect sweetness. Perfect in every which way. Changes I made: 1:1 gluten free flour, arrowroot starch instead of cornstarch, and coconut sugar in place of granulated. I was skeptical about the cardamom before I made it, but it’s subtle and I’m glad I didn’t skip it. I did use the lemon rind– seemed like an essential flavor in the final product 🙂 Easy and delicious.
I have made this cake 3 or 4 times now. I give it 6 stars out of 5. Seriously, this is the best cake I have ever eaten! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Instead of the sugar, I use swerve. So the cake is vegan and sugar free! I also use green cardamom pods and shell the pods and crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle. The fresh cardamom, lemon, almond and rose water glaze flavors are “out of the world”!
so awesome!
Love this!
Such a light cake with great flavours.
I ended up adding 1/4 cup of almond flour, substituted the almond essence with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and substituted cardamom powder with cinnamon powder.
It still turned out great!
glad to know!
I really like this cake. I’ve made it 4 times now. I do prefer it with less sugar than the recipe calls for. But otherwise it’s really great. Nice texture. Easy to make. I even made it over a campfire.
I am so impressed with this cake! After a year of baking fails trying to make a great vegan and gluten free cake, I had finally found a recipe that is a success! I used mostly King Arthur gluten free flour with a bit of teff flour, and the texture was perfect! Not crumbly or gluey, which was my usual issue. The almonds add such a nice soft crunch, and cardamom is delicious. Thank you!
glad to know!
Literal heaven. OMGosh! I did make some of my own changes so I thought I would share in case it was of interest to anyone else. I used coconut sugar (1:1), I used coconut oil for my oil and orange instead of lemon. I also added cranberries in with the almond slices.
It’s so simple to make. It’s quick. It’s delicious. I also love that you can get creative with it. It’s almost fail proof. Now I wish I would have trusted my gut and made two at the same time! With my family of 4 (with two teenagers) it will be gone quickly.
PS – don’t try the batter or you might not have anything to put into the oven. lol
so glad!
I have made this cake over 10 times and it is hands down the easiest and most delicious cake every damn time. I cannot recommend this recipe enough. However, I will share a few tweaks I make that make this cake even better. I always double the recipe; I find the original measurements to make too small a cake. I also always add another teaspoon of cardamom as I find some of the cardamom flavour is lost while baking. I add a bit less sugar as I don’t like super sweet cakes, and I top with a rose glaze. Another great thing about this cake is that it is very accommodating with substitutes. It also lasts very well, and sometimes is even better the next day!! This cake is always a crowd pleaser and is very sophisticated and fancy when served!! Please give this recipe a try!!
Thanks Eve for the wonderful review 🙂
Just made it this morning and it’s awesome! The person I made it for loves ginger, so I used ginger and a hint of mixed spice instead of cardamom. I reduced the sugar a bit as well, and it’s simply delicious. Next time I want to make it with cardamom, which I adore. This cake is fab, such moist, rich, almondy yummyness! Thanks Manali for yet another scrumptious recipe!
awesome!
Do you think substituting corn oil would be okay?
if it’s flavorless sure
Made this for my birthday cake, such a TREAT! Fantastic recipe, wonderful taste and texture.Looking forward to trying your other recipes. Thank you❤️
awesome! Happy birthday!
We are not bakers, but this was quick and easy and the texture was light and fluffy. Will definitely make this again soon.
Anu
I tried your cake at someone’s house and planning to make it on Saturday for Sunday Pooja since it’s eggless. I will try with GF flour as my daughter can’t have gluten. Let you know how it turns out. Thanks ?
This recipe hasn’t been tested with gluten- free flour. Gluten-free baking is different and 1:1 replacement doesn’t work (mostly). Since I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, I am not sure if that will work.
This cake looks great! I’m planning on making it next week. One question- are ground almonds the same as almond flour for this recipe? I know that it is sometimes required to be more refined.
you are right, this is store bought almond flour which is much finer than ground almonds.
I made this for the first time yesterday. Based on other comments I used slightly less sugar and I added one chia egg. I did not use a glaze. It came out perfectly and was so delicious.
glad to know!
Hi! The flavor of this cake is amazing! I made 2 substitutions: tapioca starch instead of cornstarch and apple sauce instead of oil. My cake came out pretty dense. Not light and fluffy like your pictures. Do you think this was my oil substitute?
I think it might be both. The cornstarch makes the cake tender, I am not sure how tapioca starch would have worked here since I have never baked with it. And yes you do need some oil for that light texture, you could have replaced maybe 2 tablespoons oil with apple sauce but not all of it.
Made this last night and it is absolutely delicious! It’s so light and flavorful, perfectly moist and not too sweet. Thank you for my new favorite treat with coffee!
I used Cup4Cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, didn’t use additional cornstarch, also used apple cider vinegar since I didn’t have white vinegar. Lastly, I used olive oil instead of a neutral oil. Followed the recipe and directions in every other way.
Love the cake! Thanks so much for an easy and yummy recipe! My adjustments made the cake gluten free. This cake came together very quickly too. I didn’t do the rose water glaze or powdered sugar so the cake is lightly sweet which is perfect, as you say, for a cup of tea. 🙂
Cake was moist, lightly sweet, do the lemon zest for sure, cardamom lovers will love this, do add the sliced almonds and almond extract too!
you are welcome! so glad to know it worked with GF flour!
Looks and sounds like a great recipe. Thank you Manali!
Hi excited to try it out! Do you think it would work well in muffins? I may add the extra chia egg for binder too
it should work for muffins as well!
very njummm,
just a bit too swet for my liking so next time I will reduce the sugar, and I might add a chia -egg, the cake easily falls apart . great recipe though, thank u for sharing
Welcome! glad you liked it!
This sounds so delicious. I too would like to use all almond flour and use an alternative to cornstarch – I don’t eat cornstarch. Would anyone know if subbing tapioca starch would be a good alternative?
Will someone post if they do use all almond flour?
You can skin cornstarch, it’s okay and I am not sure how this would turn out with 100% almond flour as I have not tested it..try with the 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and see how it works..
Will this cake work out if it is made entirely with almond flour? We have a few gluten free people in our family and friends, so I am always looking for recipes that turn out well for them.
not sure, I have not tested this recipe with 100% almond flour so can’t comment on that…maybe you can give it a try by replacing all purpose flour with the gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour
Can this be made gluten-free? Which flour do you recommend for substituting? Thanks!
not sure, I have not tried to make this recipe gluten-free…but you can try replacing the all purpose flour with the gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour…
Hello! This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing. Do you think you could use honey instead of sugar? Thanks!
you can try!
Almond cardamom cake wow sounds good and easy recipe.
Drool worthy ?? and I have a doubt, how do you calculate nutrition facts for a receipe?
Hi Sindhu, I use a recipe plugin and it has a nutritional label feature where it calculates nutritional based on ingredients and serving size….although I have to say it’s just an estimate and should be taken like that only. Not 100% accurate.
Yayyyy for this Almond cake recipe 🙂
I have been looking for a Vegan cake recipe with Almond flour for soooo long, but could not find any that was simple & sounded tasty.
So Thank You!