Orange Bundt Cake with Almonds, Cinnamon and Cardamom
·Prepare the oven and pan
First, preheat the oven to 175 °C. Grease the bundt pan thoroughly with softened butter, then dust it with flour so the baked cake will turn out easily.
Dry ingredients
In a large bowl, combine the plain flour with ground almonds. Add the baking powder, a pinch of salt, ground cinnamon and cardamom. Mix this fragrant blend well so the spices are evenly distributed throughout.
Releasing the aroma
In a second bowl, pour the sugar and add the grated orange zest. Here's the trick: rub them together between your fingers until the sugar turns moist and releases an intense aroma. This draws out maximum flavor from the zest.
Beating the eggs
Add the whole eggs to the fragrant orange sugar. Beat until the mixture turns noticeably paler and increases in volume. Meanwhile, get the ingredients for the next step ready.
Wet ingredients
Gradually beat the oil and lukewarm melted butter into the egg foam. Then pour in the orange juice, add the yogurt and vanilla extract, and briefly combine everything.
Finishing the batter
Add the prepared dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Now set the mixer aside and gently fold the batter together with a spatula or whisk. Don't overmix — just combine until the ingredients come together.
Baking the cake
Pour the finished batter into the prepared pan and place it in the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes. To check if it's done, insert a skewer into the center — if it comes out clean, you're done.
Resting and turning out
Don't rush after taking it out of the oven. Let the cake rest in the pan for about 10 minutes so it firms up. Only then carefully turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.