Kardemummakaka
Kardemummakaka·(kar-de-mum-ma-ka-ka)
Fika & Koselig: The Sacred Pauses
If there is one scent that defines a Swedish home, it is butter and cardamom radiating from the oven. This isn't the complex, time-consuming yeast dough of a bakery bun, but a soft, quick-stirred cake built for the sacred, unhurried pause of fika. The secret here is absolute and uncompromising: you must crack the pods and crush the whole cardamom seeds yourself, as pre-ground dust simply will not cut it. Baked in a pan heavily buttered and dusted with breadcrumbs—a grandmother's trick for a savory-crisp caramelized crust—this humble buttermilk cake smells and tastes exactly like Gothenburg on a rainy Tuesday.
Before you start
Extract and crush the cardamom.
Crack open about 20 to 25 whole green cardamom pods, pull out the black seeds, and grind them coarsely in a mortar and pestle just before baking.
Ingredients
- unsalted butter1 tbsp
- plain fine dry breadcrumbs3 tbsp
- unsalted butter10 tbsp
- large eggs2 large
- granulated sugar1 cup
- whole cardamom seeds1 tbsp
- all-purpose flour1 1/2 cup
- baking powder1 1/2 tsp
- vanilla extract1 tsp
- cultured buttermilk1/2 cup
- Swedish pearl sugar2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Prepare the pan with butter and breadcrumbs.
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Smear a standard 8-inch or 9-inch springform pan heavily with the softened tablespoon of butter, pour in the breadcrumbs, and tilt until the inside is entirely coated in an even, sandy layer. Tap out the excess.
- 02
Whip the eggs and sugar into a thick foam.
In a large mixing bowl, vigorously beat the eggs and granulated sugar with a hand mixer or whisk for three to four minutes until the mixture is pale, thick, and highly porous.
- 03
Whisk the dry ingredients together.
In a separate medium bowl, thoroughly whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and the freshly crushed cardamom shards.
- 04
Fold the wet and dry mixtures together.
Pour the melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract into the fluffy egg mixture, stirring gently to combine. Immediately fold in the dry ingredients just until no flour streaks remain, taking care not to overmix.
- 05
Top with pearl sugar and bake.
Pour the batter into the breadcrumb-coated pan, smooth the top, sprinkle generously with pearl sugar, and bake on the middle-lower oven rack for 35 to 45 minutes until the edges pull away and a toothpick comes out completely clean.
- 06
Let the cake rest before releasing.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes to let the moist crumb set before unlatching the springform and serving warm alongside a strong cup of black coffee.
Notes
Crush your own cardamom.
Pre-ground cardamom oxidizes and loses its volatile oils while sitting on supermarket shelves. Extracting the seeds from whole green pods and crushing them manually provides the explosive, floral bursts of flavor that make this cake authentic.
Respect the breadcrumbs.
The traditional smörj och bröa technique of greasing the pan and dusting it with plain, unseasoned breadcrumbs guarantees a seamless release and a perfectly crisp, caramelized crust. Do not substitute flour.
Achieving the perfect crumb.
Using buttermilk replicates the acidity of traditional Swedish filmjölk, tenderizing the gluten to yield the incredibly soft, juicy crumb known as saftig.