Almond & Cardamom Butter Cake

There’s something quietly joyful about a cake that’s simple to make but feels like a small indulgence. This Almond and Cardamom Butter Cake, inspired by the rich, chewy texture of a blondie, is warmly spiced with Burlap & Barrel’s Cloud Forest Cardamom and lifted with a touch of lemon zest. Its delicate, aromatic profile leans decidedly Scandinavian: bright, floral, and elegantly understated.

It’s the kind of cake you make because you want to, not because you need an excuse — something a little special for an ordinary afternoon or an easy way to make a regular day feel more generous.

Why We Love Burlap & Barrel Cloud Forest Cardamom

When you want truly fresh spices, you need to grind them fresh — and with cardamom, that usually means cracking open the pods and working the tiny seeds free, an admittedly tedious task. Burlap & Barrel’s Cloud Forest Cardamom offers the best of both worlds: beautifully sourced, decorticated cardamom seeds (already removed from their pods) packed right into a built-in grinder, ready to go whenever you need a hit of bright, floral spice. The result is an extra-potent, vibrant flavour that lifts both sweet and savoury dishes, with none of the usual hassle.

Pro tip: When measuring freshly ground cardamom, grind it onto a small piece of parchment or waxed paper. That way, you can easily pour it into your measuring spoon without losing a speck.

Almond & Cardamom Butter Cake
Serves 6

At Flavourfull, we love cardamom and aren’t shy about using it — but if you’re less firmly on team cardamom, stick to the smaller suggested amount for a subtler flavour.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
¼-½ tsp freshly ground Burlap & Barrel Cloud Forest Cardamom
¼ tsp lemon zest
¾ tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
½ cup ground almonds
1 cup (135 g) all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
⅓ cup sliced almonds

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and melted butter. Add egg and whisk until uniform.

3. Stir in cardamom, lemon zest, and salt. Add ground almonds and stir to combine.

4. Add flour and baking powder, stirring with a spatula and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until the dry ingredients are just incorporated — the batter will be very thick.

5. Scrape batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle sliced almonds evenly over the top.

6. Bake for 42 minutes, or until the cake smells toasty and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

7. Let cool for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen and turn the cake out of the pan. Remove parchment paper and let cool fully on a rack — or serve warm.

Gifts That Invite Pause and Pleasure

Looking for a thoughtful gift or a way to treat yourself? Flavourfull offers beautifully crafted pantry favourites, artisan chocolate bars from Centre & Main, and illustrated foodie puzzles and online gift certificates that let your recipient choose their own indulgence — all coming together in a quiet, personal kind of present, perfect for marking a special occasion or simply surprising someone you love.

Explore the collection online and bring a little extra joy to your kitchen — or to someone else’s.