Cardamom Coffee Cake (Printable Version)

A tender cake infused with cardamom and topped with crunchy brown sugar streusel.

# What You'll Need:

→ Streusel Topping

01 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
02 - 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

→ Cake Batter

07 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
12 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
14 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
15 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 - 2/3 cup sour cream
17 - 1/4 cup whole milk

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cardamom, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold butter cubes and rub with fingers or pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. Set aside.
04 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla extract.
05 - On low speed, add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture, followed by sour cream and milk. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Distribute streusel topping evenly over the batter.
07 - Bake for 38 to 42 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean and the top is golden brown.
08 - Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Use parchment overhang to lift the cake out. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cardamom gives you that sophisticated, café-quality flavor without pretense—it's actually easier to make than it looks.
  • One bowl doesn't dominate your cleanup, and the whole thing bakes while you shower or finish your emails.
  • Slices stay tender for days, which means breakfast sorted and unexpected guests handled gracefully.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and softened butter aren't optional—they incorporate air, which gives you that tender crumb instead of a dense brick.
  • Don't skip refrigerating the streusel; cold butter bakes into pockets of crunch, while warm butter melts into the batter and disappears.
  • Fresh ground cardamom makes an enormous difference—store-bought loses potency, so if yours is over a year old, replace it.
03 -
  • Measure your flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling with a knife—scooping directly creates density that sinks the cake.
  • If your kitchen is warm, chill your mixing bowls before creaming butter and sugar so the batter stays cool and rises evenly.
  • Use a toothpick test about 5 minutes before the recipe time suggests; ovens vary, and catching it at 38 minutes can mean the difference between tender and slightly dry.
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