This Grain-Free Orange Cake With Cardamom Frosting is bursting with citrus flavour and comes with a tangy and healthier cream cheese topping. Perfect for serving as a birthday cake and party dessert to wow your guests.

Cardamon and orange = a love story

When it comes to my favourite flavour for sweets, it is definitely an orange flavour. I love the fresh citrus taste, which is a welcoming distraction from grey wintery days in the form of food. Since discovering cardamom and experimenting with it in the kitchen some time ago, a flavour combination that stuck with me was orange and cardamom. But why does the spice go so well with the citrus fruit? Let’s dive in.

Oranges are bursting with fresh citrus flavour and have a tangy feel. Cardamon also comes with a zesty flavour and touch of freshness. Combined, they enhance each other and intensify the desired flavour. Magical, right?

The intensely aromatic spice, often used in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisine, also pairs well with other citrus fruits. Think of combining it with mandarines, lemons, grapefruits and even summer fruits like in this Watermelon Cardamom Granita. A little goes a long way with this spice, so test with a small amount and see which intensity you like.

Grain-Free Orange Cake With Cardamon Frosting

This cake recipe is dear to my heart because I developed it for my birthday and love the outcome. To make an otherwise simple carb and sugar-loaded dessert more balanced, I opted for healthier ingredients without taking away from the richness and flavour.

For the cake batter, I mixed almond flour with ground almonds. The nutty ingredients are rich in complex carbs and healthy fats without having an overpowering nut flavour. Bonus: This makes the cake also naturally gluten-free. To give the orange cake the right sweetness, I used maple syrup instead of refined sugar and less as in traditional sugar-loaded recipes. It brings just the right sweetness and keeps the sugar intake low. Last but not least, I also opted for just a little bit of maple syrup when making the cream cheese frosting. The cardamom does its part and creates a healthier frosting with lots of flavour.

So let’s get down to business with some tips for making this tangy cake and get the recipe.

Tips for making this Grain-Free Orange Cake

When using the zest from an orange, be sure to buy organic produce with eatable skin.
Non-organic citrus fruits are often sprayed with pesticides and toxic substances to ensure longer shelf life.
Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately before mixing them together. This ensures the cake batter is mixed well without lumps.
Let the cake cool completely before coating it with the cardamom frosting. Otherwise, the frosting would lose its texture and melt off the cake.
You can also turn this grain-free orange cake into a lemon cake. Just use the zest of one lemon and juice of two lemons to turn it into a lemony sweet treat.