Moist Nordic Kefir Cake with Cardamom and Cinnamon
Winter-time is calling for a Nordic-style spiced bundt cake with cardamom & cinnamon, and a special plus is when it is a homemade kefir cake! The milk kefir with baking soda creates the most moist and fluffy coffee cake that is perfect companion for any tea or coffee.
This Nordic kefir cake with cardamom is originally one of my childhood favourites that my grandmother used to make. Every time she baked it, we finished it to the last piece. My grandma always used sour cream, but because we seldom have it at home, I made some testing with kefir instead.
Well, it turned out perfectly soft, spiced cardamom kefir cake. It beats any shop-bought cake any day. If you like this one, make sure to try out my other sweet treat recipes too!
What is kefir?
Kefir is a fermented milk product. It is fermented using kefir grains, which are symbiotic colonies of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY). This symbiotic culture of bacteria activates in milk and creates a tangy taste and sour flavor and mild bubbles as a byproduct.
Kefir is similar to buttermilk. But while kefir is slightly more tangy and bubbly, buttermilk lacks the bubbles for modern buttermilk is fermented with lactic acid bacteria. Both function though quite similarly with baking soda to make the cake rise, create the fluffy texture and to keep it moist.
Younger kefir is less tangy than a bit more fermented one. Depending the tangyness of kefir you are using your cake can have a slight tangy flavour as well. I prefer using quite young kefir in cakes to keep the tangy flavour quite mild in my kefir cakes.
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Why to use kefir in cakes and why it works
Making a cake using baking soda and kefir creates a classic acid based reaction. The baking soda is a basic alkaline compoud that need something acidic and liquid to be activated. In this story (recipe I mean) it is the job of the kefir. Kefir contains lactic acid and other organic acids. When used in in the cake batter it activates baking soda, the leavening agent, and the cake rises with the help of the bubbles the carbon dioxide creates from the reaction.
Baking soda is commonly used in quick-bake recipes, so it is crucial to avoid letting the batter stand for a long time before baking in the oven.
Ingredients you need for kefir cake
- Eggs: Use the eggs that are in room temperature if possible. They will create a fluffier texture.
- Caster sugar: Creates the soft texture together with eggs.
- Butter: Use melted butter and leave it cool down a bit.
- Kefir: Can be substituted with runny yogurt or sour cream.
- Wheat flour
- Baking soda: The baking soda reacts with the acidity of kefir (yogurt or sour cream) to make the cake rise.
- Cardamom and cinnamon: The perfect combination of the warm spices for this cake! Cardamom has the distinctive fragrant taste that we use in Nordic Countries specially in the desserts.
You can find the exact measurements on the recipe card.
Other Nordic recipes using cardamom
Tools you may need
- Bundt cake pan
- Large bowl
- Smal bowl, for mixing the dry
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Electric whisk
How to make kefir cake
Step one: Melt butter and prep the cake pan
Set the oven to 175°C (347 °F).
Melt butter and set aside.
Bread the cake mold and set aside.
Step two: Make the batter base
Whisk eggs and sugar together using an electric whisk. Continue whisking for about 5 minutes, until you can write number 8 on the surface with the dripping batter.
Add melted butter, add kefir, mix carefully.
Step three: Mix and add dry ingredients
Mix the rest of the dry ingredients together: wheat flour, baking soda, cardamom and cinnamon.
Add dry ingredients to the batter and combine carefully.
Step four: Bake the kefir cake
Pour kefir cake batter into a breaded bundt cake pan.
Bake in the oven on the middle griddle for 55 minutes.
Kefri bundt cake is ready when it is turned brown, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Unmold the kefir cake when it has cooled down.
Serving and topping ideas
The moist kefir cake is perfect to enjoy as it is, with a cup of Moroccan spiced coffee or rooibos chai latte.
If you want any extra toppings for your kefir cake here are a few ideas:
- Dust some powdered sugar.
- Pour a icing sugar glaze and dust some cinnamon on the top.
- Sprinkle some melted dark chocolate over the kefir cake and garnish with some crushed almonds.
- Try out some dried blueberries or lingonberries or dust berry dust over the cake before serving.
How to store kefir cake
This kefir coffee cake stays good for up to five days on the counter when stored airtight. In the fridge even a few days longer.
When you want to freeze it cut already in serving size to make it easier to thaw the amount needed. Store airtightly. When you want to enjoy the kefir cake let it thaw in the room temperature airtightly to keep it moist.
Share your kefir cake!
Have you made this cake or my other recipes? Comment below or share a photo on Instagram and tag me with @blue.tea.tile to share your creations with other readers, too!
You can find the recipe card below!
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Kefir Cake with Cardamom and Cinnamon
Winter-time is calling for a Nordic-style spiced bundt cake with cardamom & cinnamon, and a special plus is when it is a homemade kefir cake! The milk kefir with baking soda creates the most moist and fluffy coffee cake that is perfect companion for any tea or coffee.
Ingredients
For kefir cake batter
- 4 eggs
- 280 g caster sugar
- 150 g butter
- 155 g kefir
- 230 g wheat flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cardamom
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For breading the bundt cake pan
- Butter
- Bread crumbs
Instructions
1. Step one: Melt butter and prep the cake pan
Set the oven to 175°C (347 °F).
Melt butter and set aside.
Bread the cake mold and set aside.
2. Step two: Make the batter base
Whisk eggs and sugar together using an electric whisk. Continue whisking for about 5 minutes, until you can write number 8 on the surface with the dripping batter.
Add melted butter, add kefir, and mix carefully.
3. Step three: Mix and add dry ingredients
Mix the rest of the dry ingredients: wheat flour, baking soda, cardamom, and cinnamon.Add dry ingredients to the batter and combine carefully.
4. Step four: Bake the kefir cake
Pour kefir cake batter into a breaded bundt cake pan.Bake in the oven on the middle griddle for 55 minutes.Cake is ready when it is turned brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Unmold the kefir cake when it has cooled down.
Serving and topping ideas
The moist kefir cake is perfect to enjoy as it is, with a cup of Moroccan spiced coffee or rooibos chai latte.
If you want any extra toppings for your kefir cake, here are a few ideas:
- Dust some powdered sugar.
- Pour an icing sugar glaze and dust some cinnamon on the top.
- Sprinkle some melted dark chocolate over the kefir cake and garnish with some crushed almonds.
- Try out some dried blueberries or lingonberries, or dust berry dust over the cake before serving.
Notes
- Scroll up to the post for step-by-step photos.
- Check out the ingredients you need for additional information and substitutions.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 227Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 207mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 4g
These calculations are generated automatically by Nutritionix based on the ingredients shown in the recipe. The nutrition information is an estimation and may include errors. All nutritional information presented and written within this site (blueteatile.com) is intended for informational purposes only. The writer is not a certified nutritionist or registered dietitian and any nutritional information should be used as a general guideline only.
