Blood Orange Cardamom Bundt Cake

Give Spring the welcome it deserves with this Blood Orange Cardamom Bundt Cake!! Super rich, lightly spiced, and bursting with citrus flavor, this bundt is the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of Spring!!

Blood Orange Cardamom Bundt Cake

Spring is in the air. Which for me means we are slowly inching our way out of the winter fog and into the fresh Spring air. I don’t know about you, but whenever Spring comes, I start to crave all things light and citrus. Enter this blood orange cardamom bundt cake. Citrusy blood orange combines with floral cardamom and rich, tangy sour cream. This cake screams welcome Spring in all the best ways.

Blood oranges are only in season for a short period of time, so whenever I see them in the grocery store, I make sure to buy multiple bags. I mean who can resist that beautiful red, orange skin? They are slightly tart and wonderfully sweet. I could not let the season go by without baking with these beauties.

This cake is everything a bundt cake should be. It has a perfectly moist crumb, a citrus flavor profile that would knock anyones’ socks off, and the right amount of sweetness that will have you craving it all day long.

Ingredients needed to make Blood Orange Cardamom Bundt Cake

Butter – I used unsalted butter in this recipe but feel free to use salted instead. If you do use salted butter, make sure to omit the salt when mixing your dry ingredients.

Eggs – Eggs play such a vital role in pound cakes. Not only do they provide richness and structure but also flavor.

Sugar – I used granulated sugar to sweeten this cake.

Blood orange juice and zest – The star of the show next to cardamom!! I used 1/4 cup of blood orange juice and 2 tablespoons of blood orange zest. If you want more blood orange flavor, you can always increase the amount of zest.

Sour cream – Sour cream adds moisture and a subtle tang. I always use full fat sour cream when baking bundt cakes to ensure a light and fluffy cake.

Flour – I used all purpose flour in this recipe.

Ground Cardamom – When I first tested this cake, I added 1 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamom which completely overpowered the cake. This cake is supposed to be a harmonious blend of both blood orange and cardamom. I wanted both of the flavors to stand out, not one overpowering the other. I found that with only adding 3/4 teaspoon, you can still get that light, floral spice without overwhelming the cake. Feel free to up the cardamom if you feel like you need a little more spice.

Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract blends perfectly with both the cardamom and blood orange.

How to make Blood Orange Cardamom Cake

First things first, ensure all of your ingredients are room temperature before starting. I like to set my eggs and butter out on the counter for at least an hour before I start making my batter.

1. Pre heat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and grease your 15 cup bundt pan liberally with baking spray with flour and set aside . Alternatively, you can butter and flour your pan.
2. Zest your blood oranges until you get two tablespoons of zest. This will also be a good time to go ahead an juice your oranges as well. You will need 1/4 cup juice for the cake, 1/2 cup for the simple syrup, and 3 tablespoons for the glaze.
3. In a large bowl, sift together all of your dry ingredients and set aside.
4. Cream your butter, sugar, and zest together for 7 minutes. I know that may seem like a long time but the goal is to make sure air bubbles are being incorporated into the cake mixture. These air bubbles will expand and help leaven the cake batter. If you fail to produce enough air in the butter/sugar mixture, you will end up with a dense cake. Adding the zest to the butter/sugar mixture will help release the oils in the orange.
5. Next, add in your eggs one at a time and mix until each one is incorporated before adding the next.
6. Stir in your vanilla extract and blood orange juice.
7. With your mixer on low alternate adding the flour mixture and sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Make sure to only mix until just combined after each addition and be sure not to over mix!!
8. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Mine was done at one hour. Begin checking the cake for doneness at 50 minutes. The cake will be ready when a toothpick or cake tester when inserted, comes out clean.
9. Remove cake from oven and cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting cake from pan.

Tips for making a moist pound cake

Everyone knows the secrets to ensuring a moist pound cake, but sometimes, even with our best intentions, they come out dry. AND WE DONT WANT A DRY POUND CAKE!! So here are some tips to ensure a moist pound cake every time!!

1. Make sure you start with room temperature ingredients – The main goal of the butter, sugar, and eggs is to create an emulsion. The purpose of the butter/sugar mixture is to create air bubbles that will help leaven our cake. The eggs help create an emulsion that holds in the air bubbles which expand during baking. This helps gives us the rise in our cakes and also effects the texture of the cake. Cold ingredients do not create a harmonious emulsion.
2. DO NOT OVER MIX!! – over mixing your cake batter is a no no. Over mixing your flour once it has been added promotes more gluten formation which will ultimately result in a tougher cake. Only mix until you no longer see streaks of flour or sour cream.
3. Dairy for the win – Using buttermilk, sour cream, cream cheese, or milk gives more moisture and flavor. The acid helps to tenderize gluten to create a finer crumb.

Blood Orange Simple Syrup

I usually do not use a simple syrup on my bundt cakes unless I am using it as my final glaze. This time however, I wanted the blood orange flavor to really sing. The simple syrup is brushed on the cake while it is still warm. The cake is then cooled completely before adding the final glaze. Simple syrup is a versatile addition to any cake and is so simple to make. All you need is equal parts sugar and water and a sauce pan. Another added bonus? The simple syrup and glaze help seal in moisture and keep your cake moist!!

To make a your simple syrup, combine 1/2 cup blood orange juice and 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a medium saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. You are only cooking the glaze until all the sugar has dissolved. Once dissolved, remove the saucepan from heat and allow the glaze to cool. This recipe makes 1/2 cup but I only use 1/4 cup to brush on the cake. You can use the remainder of the syrup to make drinks, a glaze for another cake, anything your heart desires!!

Once your cake is out of the oven and on the wire rack, brush the syrup generously on the warm cake.

Blood Orange Glaze

Last but not least, that gorgeous, pink blood orange glaze!! In a large bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, blood orange juice, vanilla extract and cardamom and whisk until combined. This creates a thin glaze. If you prefer a thicker glaze, feel free to add more powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

Blood orange season is short. So do yourself a favor a pick up a bag or two of blood oranges and make this cake!! You’ll be so happy once you do and think to yourself what ever took you so long!!

Happy Baking and Happy Spring!!

Want more citrus bundt cakes?! Check out my 7 UP Cake Recipe or my Southern Lemon Pound Cake !!