Today’s recipe for Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Tea Cake is a clever, slightly sweet, slightly savory tasting tea cake made with no refined sugar or white flour. Hints of citrus and cardamom plus a subtle taste of olive oil give this honey-sweetened bread a complex and delicious flavor profile.
Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Tea Cake is a very moist, interesting cake bread alternative. It is healthier than most coffee or tea cakes that are loaded with butter. This cake is moistened with olive oil.
The benefits of baking with olive oil:
- rich in heart-healthy fats
- high in antioxidants that help fight disease
- earthy, unique taste
pictured here with dried cranberries and walnuts as add-ins
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I’ve been using olive oil in recent baking and recipes. It provides moisture and interesting flavor notes. California Olive Ranch Extra Virgin Mild and Buttery Olive Oil is a creamy variety that has less bite than most olive oils. It lends well in baking.
Key ingredients to make Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Tea Cake:
- whole wheat pastry flour
- light and buttery olive oil
- ground cardamom
- fresh orange rind
- light buttermilk (or a buttermilk substitute, see our recipe notes section in the recipe card)
My favorite way to enjoy a slice of warmed cardamom tea cake is with an extra drizzle of California orange blossom honey and an herbal tea.
choose honey that is in a glass jar that way you can microwave it when it becomes cool and too thick to pour and mix
This recipe calls for light buttercream. Low-fat milk mixed with yogurt and a little lemon juice can be substituted.
Steps for making Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Tea Cake:
- Sift together the dry ingredients
- Stir and combine the wet ingredients
- Add the dry into the wet and stir until smooth
- Spray oil and lightly dust a standard sized bread pan.
- Bake and cool
keep stirring until the cake bread batter becomes smooth
To do this unique, sophisticated cake bread proper justice, serve it with fresh herbs, berries and a dollop of Greek yogurt.
Be sure to pin this one in your favorite Pinterest boards –
If you try this tasty tea cake at home, please rate the recipe here!
Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Tea Cake
Orange Cardamom Olive Oil Tea Cake is a clever, slightly sweet, slightly savory tasting tea cake made with no refined sugar or white flour. Hints of citrus and cardamom plus a subtle flavor of olive oil give this honey-sweetened bread a complex and delicious flavor profile.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons stevia powder (optional)
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup honey (we prefer orange blossom honey)
- 1 cup low-fat *buttermilk (see recipe notes for substitutes)
- 3/4 cup light and buttery olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
- 2 Tablespoons fresh orange/lemon zest (the zest of 2 medium-sized oranges and/or lemons)
- Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- spray oil
- a few pinches extra flour for pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- Prepare a bread pan (about 9 by 5 inches in size) with spray oil and dust with flour
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl
- Warm the honey
- Lightly beat the egg with a fork or whisk
- Add the remaining wet ingredients together and whisk (the olive oil can be slow to incorporate - *keep at it and it will eventually combine)
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until smooth
- Add the orange rind to the cake bread batter and stir until incorporated
- Stir in any optional add-ins (cranberries and walnuts)
- Pour evenly into a prepared bread pan
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top and sides are golden brown and it passes the toothpick test (a toothpick comes out clean)
Notes
Olive oil can be quite stubborn about combining. Keep at it with stirring! It may not seem like it but the olive oil will eventually incorporate and mix into the other wet ingredients until smooth. If you are accustomed to a sweeter taste, increase the proportions of honey and/or stevia in this recipe.
I typically use a buttermilk substitute in recipes as I don't like buying it just to make one thing. I do however always have some plain yogurt, low-fat milk, and lemon juice in the refrigerator.
*Lowfat buttermilk substitute : 1/2 cup low-fat milk stirred into 1/2 cup non-fat, plain greek yogurt plus 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
Tips for using honey : Warm honey in a glass jar or measuring cup for easier measuring and combining. Use spray oil to lubricate the inside of measuring cup before pouring honey in for easier pouring and cleaning.
For extra citrus-y flavor, add optional 1 teaspoon of orange blossom water to the cake batter.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 570 Total Fat: 34g Saturated Fat: 6g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 26g Cholesterol: 76mg Sodium: 393mg Carbohydrates: 58g Fiber: 7g Sugar: 10g Protein: 13g
Parisa
Hi Bita,
Could you please clarify how much cardamom is needed? The recipe currently just says “1 1/2 cardamom.”
Thanks!
Bita
Hi Parisa, that should read 1 1/2 teaspoons of cardamom. Sorry for the typo. Adding that to the recipe card now. Please give the recipe a star rating if you like it! many thanks, Bita
Cathy Docherty
This looks amazing! Is there another flour you would recommend for Paleo or do you think it wouldn’t be good?
Bita
Hi Cathy, I was thinking of making this myself! We have a bunch of tree oranges that I’d love to use in some tasty, healthy bread. I am not familiar with Paleo flours to be honest. I say experiment with it and please report back with how it went! I can add notes based on your findings. Thanks for the comment and good luck!