Baby Bundt Cakes with Orange and Cardamom

These cute and elegant baby bundt cakes are flavoured with citrusy fresh orange juice, warm and floral cardamom, and olive oil — resulting in an unbelievably light, moist crumb.

‘Tis the season for oranges! Something about these bright, zesty fruits screams “festive season.” My Christmas celebrations don’t feel complete without a crate full of tiny clementines to snack on, gifting jars full of sweet candied orange peel, dried orange slices decorating my tree and garlands, and the smell of these orange and cardamom baby bundt cakes baking in the oven. 

These treats are everything you want in a cake. They’re light, delicate, soft, fluffy, moreish, and perfectly moist (I know everyone hates that word, but I need to empathize that these bundt cakes are not dry!). The beautiful texture is just the beginning; the cake crumb is golden from the sweet, citrusy orange juice in the batter, and the freshly grated zest fills each bite with a gorgeous aroma and vibrant flavour. Cardamom is a subtle addition, but it plays on the natural floral fragrance of oranges while adding festive notes. 

The crowning glory of these baby bundt cakes is the orange blossom glaze. It’s not overly sweet, but it is a showstopper. It’s unique, but the flowery flavour notes make perfect sense with the cardamom-infused cakes. Every single bite is heavenly. 

Although the cardamom and orange mini bundt cakes are a no-brainer for Christmas, they’re an all-rounder. Since the cakes are ready in less than 30 minutes, and the recipe is so foolproof even beginners can feel confident baking them, you can whip it up for any occasion — Diwali, Easter, birthdays, or just because (I get it!). 

Do I need to do any more persuading? Honestly, get baking … but read on for some expert tips! 

Ingredients for Orange and Cardamom Bundt Cakes

• Orange juice and zest give these baby bundt cakes their distinctive flavour. The amount we need for the cake is enough for a subtle, zesty, sweet, and tart taste. 
• Plain flour, known in the U.S. as “all-purpose flour,” is the main ingredient of any cake! 
• Sea salt amplifies the other flavours of this cake.
• Baking powder helps the rise, ensuring these homemade bundt cakes are light and airy.
• Cardamom pods or cardamom powder lends a beautifully complex flavour to the orange bundt cakes, infusing them with a festive scent that’s a perfect Christmas dessert or Diwali sweet treat. 
• Caster sugar is preferable because of its fine texture. You can swap it out for white granulated sugar if necessary. 
• Eggs are an essential ingredient for leavening the cake. It also adds colour and flavour to these cardamom-infused cakes.
• Olive oil instead of butter makes for a lighter cake (oil weighs less than butter), and the flavour of olive oil complements the summery, tropical notes of oranges and cardamom perfectly. 
• Icing sugar is also known as confectioners or powdered sugar and forms the basis of our sweet orange blossom glaze.
• Orange blossom water is fragrant, floral, and citrusy, with sweet and subtly bitter notes. It flavours our glaze and helps to thin it to a pourable consistency, ensuring perfectly glazed mini cakes with orange flavour. 

Can I Use Bottled Orange Juice for Baking?

Absolutely! You can substitute fresh orange juice for bottled orange juice in cake recipes. There will always be a slight flavour compromise, though.

However, since this orange and cardamon bundt cake — plus most other orange cake recipes — also calls for orange zest, it makes more sense to use fresh oranges.

Can I Use Fresh Orange Zest in the Recipe?

Yes, yes, and yes! Please use fresh orange zest in this recipe. Orange zest has an intensely citrusy flavour that adds a unique “zing” to these baby bundt cakes. They won’t taste the same without it.

Whenever you zest any fruits — oranges, and lemons included — it’s vital to use unwaxed and preferably organic. Wash and dry them well before zesting them with a mircoplane and incorporating them into the recipe.

How to Make Orange and Cardamom Baby Bundt Cakes

Even if you don’t have any experience, cakes aren’t as difficult as you may think — and if you’re a seasoned professional, these little orange blossom and cardamom cake treats will be a walk in the park! Here are the fundamentals, but for more detailed instructions and ingredient quantities, look at the recipe card further down the page.

1. Grease the bundt pan generally with butter, then coat it in flour and dust it off. Preheat your oven. 
2. Make the cake batter by sifting flour, salt, baking powder, and cardamom powder together. In a separate bowl, beat orange zest and juice with sugar and eggs. Add the olive oil and whisk again. Finally, stir through the flour mixture and pour into bundt pans. 
3. Bake for around 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Turn out on a cooling rack. 

Orange Blossom Glaze Recipe

The unique glaze scented with fragrant, sweet, and floral orange blossom syrup is easy-peasy orange-squeezy (See what I did there?). 

1. Whisk the icing sugar and orange blossom water together.
2. Adjust the consistency with water or milk. 
3. Decorate your mini bundt cakes by pouring over the glaze!

How to Infuse Cardamom Flavor into Cakes?

I love baking with cardamom! It doesn’t matter whether it’s chai-spiced cupcakes, Persian love cake, or this orange blossom and cardamom cake batter — the distinctive aroma of the peppery, minty, and floral spice adds so much depth to your baked goods. 

The best way to infuse cardamom into your baking is simple: grind fresh cardamom pods into a fine powder and incorporate it into your batter. I prefer grinding my cardamon pods rather than using pre-made cardamom powder, as the aroma and taste are much more intense. Having said that, if you don’t have access to a spice grinder, you can just use the pre-ground spice powder, it’s no biggie. 

Baking Tips for Baby Bundt Cakes

1. Choose the right bakeware for the best results. I prefer light-coloured metal mini bundt pans for the best colour when baking. While silicon is great for its non-stick ability (and is often the cheaper alternative), baked goods often come out without any browning. 
2. Grease your pans! Opening your oven to a delicious-smelling cake, then realizing it’s stuck to the pan, might be the ultimate baking disaster. Because bundt pans are highly decorative, the chances are higher, and you must grease the pans properly to mitigate the risk. Use either a small pastry brush or your (clean) fingers to spread softened, room temperature in all the nooks and crannies of your bundt pans, then dust with an even coating of flour. The flour helps the cake “grab” onto the sides of the pan, aiding in its rise, while the butter prevents it from sticking. 
3. Sift the ingredients to eliminate the risk of lumps, and create a lighter cake with a gorgeous crumb. 
4. Don’t overfill your bundt pans. Instead, leave at least a centimetre or two, to allow for the orange and cardamom cakes to rise. 
5. Cool before glazing so your glaze doesn’t become thin. The heat of freshly baked baby bundt cakes can loosen the glaze, making a sticky mess! Ensure the cardamon-infused cakes are fully cooled before drizzling over the orange blossom glaze. 

What’s the Secret to Moist Baby Bundt Cakes?

Bundt cakes have a bad reputation for being dry. But trust me, that’s all it is. These homemade baby bundt cakes with citrus flavours are anything but dry — they’re light, fluffy, and perfectly moist.

The secret to moist bundt cakes lies in two things: the ingredients and the method.

Firstly, I’ve swapped traditional butter with a more delicate olive oil. This modification instantly makes for a lighter cake (that’s why people make chiffon cake with oil). Once combined with the extra flavour and moisture from orange juice, it makes a huge difference. Secondly, you need to use room-temperature eggs! In the U.K., we keep our eggs on the counter, but for those in countries that store eggs in the fridge, please take them out in advance so they can come to room temperature. Room-temperature eggs mix into the cake with ease, creating a better rise and lighter texture.

Finally, for the moistest mini bundt cakes, sift your flour, and don’t overmix your cake!

How Long Should I Bake Baby Bundt Cakes?

Around 20 – 25 minutes of baking time is perfect for mini bundt cakes.

How Long Are Mini Bundt Cakes Good For?

These mini bundt cakes are at their tastiest when freshly baked, showcasing their delightful blend of lightness, fluffiness, and moist texture.

While the orange and cardamom cakes can be stored for up to four days — or three months in the freezer — I highly recommend tucking in right away. They dry out over time.

Do Mini Bundt Cakes Need To Be Refrigerated?

No, these mini bundt cakes don’t need to be refrigerated. Most cakes will last for around 3 -4 days at room temperature and only need refrigeration if the ambient humidity or temperature is too high. The exception is cakes with dairy-based frosting, which doesn’t apply to these gorgeously festive orange and cardamom bundt cakes.

Can Mini Bundt Cakes Be Frozen?

Most cakes freeze very well, and these homemade bundt cakes are no exception. They’ll last for around three months in the freezer. Wondering if you can freeze decorated bundt cakes? Since this orange glaze icing doesn’t contain dairy, it’s suitable for freezing. You can decide whether to freeze them frosted or unfrosted!

To freeze your cakes, cool them from the oven, then arrange them on a baking tray. Place the whole tray in the freezer, and wait for the mini bundt cakes to freeze completely. At this stage, you can take them off the tray and place them into freezer-safe bags or containers.

Thawing frozen cakes is easy. The day before you want to eat the cakes, place them in the refrigerator and let them defrost overnight.

This Orange and Cardamon Mini Bundt Cake Recipe Is …

• Moist, light, zesty, and subtly floral
• Very easy for beginners
• Perfect for parties
• Unique and an impressive showstopper
• Foolproof
• Quick, ready in just 30 minutes
• Dairy-free

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