I love a good spice cake. With a nice, big hot cup of coffee. Eating my cake in silence in the kitchen or with soft music on in the background while the kids are at school. Baking is where I retreat. I always gain a sense of calm and I love that you’re creating something. Something that’s sure to be devoured within minutes.
Because of the last bundt baking group I was in, I quickly fell in love with baking bundt cakes. Each one is unique. Each one is different. And I won’t say how many bundt pans I own now but my mini bundt pan has to be my absolute favorite. There’s something so elegant and charming about the mini ones. I love them so much.
This month, with #BundtBakers, we’re baking spice cakes. Cardamom is becoming one of my favorite spices to bake with. I love the earthy, minty like scent. And I fell in love with cardamom + orange after baking 
I really loved all of the flavors in these mini bundt cakes. It was actually very subtle and delicious and, like I said earlier, perfect with my coffee. I hope you give this Orange Cardamom bundt cake a try!
Orange Cardamom Mini Bundt Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting the pan if needed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves only
- 1 tablespoon orange zest or zest from one orange
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce or puréed peeled apples in a food processor
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter melted
- confectioners' sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray your mini bundt pan with non-stick baking spray. Using a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour with the granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom, ground cloves, fresh thyme and orange zest. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the applesauce, eggs, oil and melted butter. Add the flour mixture into the applesauce mixture and stir until evenly combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared wells of the mini bundt pan and bake for about 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15-20 minutes. When cooled, use a fork if needed to loosen the outer edges of each mini bundt and place a serving plate or wire rack on top of the pan and invert it onto the plate or wire rack. Dust with confectioners' sugar and enjoy.
Many of you have asked how I release my bundt cakes from the bundt pan, as this can be a a problem for some. Here’s what I do, as stated above, and with some photos: First of all, you simply must spray your bundt pan with non-stick baking spray and, if you want added insurance, lightly scatter some flour in the bundt pan as well and knock out any excess (use cocoa powder if baking a chocolate bundt). If you skip spraying the bundt pan with non-stick spray (I prefer this over greasing), I cannot guarantee your bundt cake will come out well and in one piece.
After the baking is finished and you remove the bundt cake from the oven, allow the cake to cool for at least 15-20 minutes. Then, if needed, loosen the outer edges of the cake with a fork and then simply place your wire rack (I use a round one for regular sized bundt cakes) on top of your cooled bundt pan.
Flip over and knock on the bottom of the pan to help any cakes that still might be there and gently lift up the bundt pan. Your large bundt, or mini bundts, should come out perfectly.
This month we’re celebrating spice bundt cakes and the lovely Deepti from Baking Yummies is hosting today! Thank you, Deepti! So, make sure you take a look at all of the other fabulous *spice* bundts we have today. Enjoy!
- Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake by Tara at Noshing With The Nolands
- Fresh Apple Cake by Lauren at Sew You Think You Can Cook
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake by Renee at Magnolia Days
- Rum & Ginger Grapefruit Cake by Kelly at Passion Kneaded
- Apple Cinnamon Bundt Cake by Kathya at Basic N Delicious
- Spiced Applesauce Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Rum Glaze by Lauren at From Gate to Plate
- Saffron and Tahitian Vanilla Infused Cream Bundt Cake by Laura at The Spiced Life
- Honey and Beer Spiced Bundt Cake by Felice at All That’s Left Are The Crumbs
- Saffron Vanilla Bean and Orange Mini Bundt Cake by Deepti at Bakingyummies
- Peach and Spiced Tea Bundt Cake by Stacy at Food Lust People Love
#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all our of lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board.
We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send an email to Stacy at foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com or ask to join our private Facebook group. This is a purely administrative group. All recipes and photographs can be found on our individual blogs or our Pinterest board.
These are beautiful Alice. I love adding spices and herbs to fruit-based cake, you’re entirely right about the extra level of freshness and complexity that they bring. Orange and cardamom is a gorgeous combination… I haven’t tried them in a cake with thyme before but I definitely want to. I can imagine how delicious these delicate bundts would be! Thanks for the inspiration. Gorgeous post as always xx
Thank you so much, Laura! Not everyone is into adding herbs into their cake but I know you can appreciate this! 🙂
Lovely little bundt cakes Alice! I’m a big fan of cardamom too. What a perfect pairing with it and orange.
Thank you so much, Renee!!!
I love mini bundt cakes! Yours look so moist and I love how you incorporated orange and cardamom into the cakes! pinned.
I love the flavor combo that you have used especially with thyme. I am at the same page as you, now that I’ve baked with both the regular bundt pan and mini ones, my liking is more towards the mini ones. They look so pretty!
What a wonderful combination of spices, Alice! I love the cinnamon and cardamom and cloves but that fresh thyme is my favorite. I wish I could have been at your house while this was baking!
Thank you so much, Stacy!
That would be so cool with the thyme and those spices together. What cute little bundts!!
Ooooh, I need to bake these asap. I have a giant jar of expensive cardamom that I’ve only used once. I should use it before the spice loses all its flavour. These are gorgeous, Alice. The bundts look perfect and your photos are beautiful. I’m in love with the plate you’re using too. I wish we were both sitting at your kitchen table, enjoying this dessert with coffee and music. Heaven!
Thanks Nance!! I wish we could get together as well .. stuff our faces and gab! 🙂
These look absolutely amazing, Alice – delish!
I love your little mini bundts. I am gradually growing my collection and these pans are definitely on my wish list. Cardamom is one of my favorite baking spices too, and I can just imagine how great it tastes with the orange and thyme.
I love the flavors you’ve used here! Orange & cardamom is such a lovely combination, and I’m sure the thyme adds so much. And it looks so pretty on that beautiful plate!
Thank you so much, Allie!
Thyme in a cake? I’m going to have to experiment with this.
Yes! 🙂 I also add thyme to my olive oil cake. . it’s so delicious!!
I love the image that you create…enjoying a cup of coffee with yummy spice cake in silence…sounds so relaxing and peaceful. Sounds heavenly!
I love orange flavors in cakes! These look delish. I don’t know when I will get a cake craving (or any baked goodies craving) again, but when I do…this is one of the things that’ll be on my mind!
Alice, like always your recipes looks so pretty, thanks for sharing this mini bundt, it went to my list of to do already.
Thank you so much, Kathia! 🙂 You are so sweet!
I love, love that you added cardamom!!! Gorgeous minis with a gorgeous flavor!!!
I love these minis!! They’re so cute lol… (sorry I have a thing for mini anything haha). I’ve never paired orange and cardamom together before, but I’m going to have to give these a whirl! 🙂
Thank you Alice For this Wonder full recipes &
thanks for sharing this mini bundt cakes Recipe 😀
Jhon
Oo they look utterly lovely as does your bundt tin. I own many tins already but I don’t actually have one where you have multiple bundts in one tine. Now you made me want one too.. 😉 Love the flavors or these and I’ll be checking out the bundt group too. I’m addicted!
Hi Simone! yes, the mini bundt pan is my favorite!!! Love the mini bundts! Thank you for the visit!
Yes, mini bundts are great to eat and even look relaxing next to a cup of coffee. Love these Alice! The addition of thyme is so unique! And cardamom is probably my favorite spice. The smell of it fresh! Hope to be baking with all of you soon.
I love cardamom and I love mini bundt cakes. You got me!
Thank you for the recipe! It looks delicious. I’m wondering if the batter could be adapted for baking in a regular-sized bundt pan, which is all I have on hand. I know it would probably end up a little smaller than a regular bundt cake, but that’s fine by me. Do you think that’s do-able, and if so, how would you adapt the cook time/temperature?
Hi Dorothy! Baking time would be 350 degrees for about 60 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let me know how it goes!!