Last Updated on December 4, 2019 by Chef Mireille
Finnish Cardamom Tea Cake
Finnish Cardamom Tea Cake is a soft and moist cake, perfect for tea time.
Although now a Scandinavian country, Finland was once part of Russia and that part of the world loves sour cream. My best friend’s husband is Russian and there are always huge tubs of sour cream in their fridge that they eat with everything from potatoes and pierogies to breakfast.
Many years ago before everyone had a printer/scanner in their house and before millions of recipes were available online, I used to go to the library and take out cookbooks. I would then wait until the end of the day after most of the staff had already left the office I was working in and I would photocopy the recipes I was interested in. To this date, I still have 3 binders of recipes, however, I did not note the source so I cannot tell you where I got this recipe from.
I have been making this cake for many years now and it is always a bit hit with whoever I share it with.
Have you ever had the Sour Cream Pound Cake by Entenmann’s – well this is like the home made version, but even better with the amazing flavor and aroma of cardamom.
It is very porous with a soft and tender crumb.
Perfect for tea time or as an evening snack. Enjoy it simply with some fresh berries.
However, before I get to today’s recipe, let’s check out some other delicious foods from that part of the world.
Scandinavian Recipes
- Fjelbrod – Norwegian Whole Grain Bread
- Viking Brown Bread
- Skagenrora – Swedish Shrimp Salad
- Swedish Pancakes
- Sandbakkels – Norwegian Almond Cookie Cups
- Turnbrodsrolle – Swedish Rye Wraps
- Beet Fritters
- Pinaattiletut – Finnish Spinach Pancakes
- Friteeratut Kala – Fried Fish in White Sauce
- Finnish Sandtorte – Potato Pound Cake
- Uppakra – Swedish Butter Cookies
- Vyborg Pretzels – Finnish Saffron Pretzels
- Blotkake – Norwegian Cream Cake
- Appelsinris – Orange Rice Pudding
I am not a huge chocolate fan and for me, this is the perfect treat for any time!
Finnish Cardamom Tea Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a loaf pan with non stick spray.
- Combine the flour, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until creamy.
- Add eggs one at a team, beating well after each addition.
- Add vanilla and sour cream. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients in 2 batches, mixing well after each addition.
- After the final addition, mix until you have a smooth batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Transfer to oven and bake for 1 hour, until inserted tester comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack.
- Remove the cake from pan and serve.
Nutrition
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This is a very rich looking cake. The shiny top and the texture is perfect. A cup of sour cream is an interesting addition.
thanks yes the sour cream yields a very soft and moist cake
Mir, even I use to make photocopies of recipes from the library cookbooks!! I made couple of cakes with sour cream and the cakes were very moist.
yes they are very moist with the sour cream
I love cardamom flavour and have tried a Persian cake with it , it tastes absolutely divine . This cake looks very spongy and moist , I am sure it’s a great recipe to share .
thanks and yes it is always a big hit!
The cake looks awesome and has a fantastic crumb! I love those days when we used to either note down the recipes or take a clipping..I also have 3 huge files with recipes that are real treasures…nice memories to think back!
yes – how times have changed right!
I used to take recipe printouts after office hours. I still have a file full of recipes with me :D. Cardamom is a wonderful flavor in a cake, I am not at all surprised that this cake is a crowd pleaser!
I LOVE cardamom and I can imagine how flavorful this cardamom cake must have tasted. It looks so moist with the addition of sour cream. Pinned to try some time soon.
I am sure will love it when you do try it!
Loved the texture of the baled cake and with cardamom it must be full of flavours. I too have a diary where I noted recipes long before google or camera phones were there.
yep – what did we do before camera phones – 🙂
So true, I too used to keep the clippings from old magazines, the cake looks so moist, lovely one. I am yet to try with sour cream.
It creates a really soft and moist cake. Try your next cake with sour cream – or just try this one 🙂
Wow! that is such a flavorful cake, Mir. Love cardamom in cakes. I haven’t tried sour cream but use yogurt/Greek yogurt as egg substitutes in my bakes.
yes sour cream makes it very soft and fluffy
interesting addition of sour cream – loved the moist, flavourful cake here..
thanks – yes very flavorful and very delicious as well as soft and moist
Wow, the texture of the cake looks amazing Mir. With the cardamom flavor this k e us such a delicious cake.
thank you – yes it is perfect with a cup of tea!
That is a delicious tea cake. If I make this it would be difficult for me to control. So yummy and such a perfect texture.
Thank you – You should make it soon to have with your tea 🙂
The directions say add vanilla however the ingredients list does not have vanilla or the amount to add. Can you help me?
Sorry about that – 2 teaspoons vanilla extract . Will update it. You must let me know how you enjoy the cake
As I am half Swedish, I always like to try Scandinavian recipes I have not seen before. This one is absolutely the most moist and delicious tea cake I have made. Easy, like a quick bread, I spread my slice with a European style creamy butter and enjoyed it with my tea. It’s a keeper!
I am so glad you enjoyed it. Yes it’s a very quick and easy tea cake to make!
The recipe comes out moist, has a nice balance of sweetness and is great for breakfast. It is also a great base recipe for other variations. I tried adding using cinnamon instead of cardamom with 1/2 cup raisins. And another batch replacing the cardamom with one lemon’s zest and 1/2 lemon’s juice. Adding a sugar glaze on top finishes it off with a little shine. Thanks for the share!
so happy you are enjoying it so much