Hetal's Cardamom Vanilla Yogurt Bundt Cake

Recipe by

Hetal Vasavada

Serves

Makes 1 bundt cake

Difficulty

Intermediate

Hetal's Cardamom Vanilla Yogurt Bundt Cake

Photo by:

Hetal Vasavada

Excerpted with permission from Desi Bakes by Hetal Vasavada, published by ‎Hardie Grant Publishing, October 1, 2024, RRP $35.00 Hardcover.

Diwali is the festival of lights and colors, and nothing is more beautiful than seeing the contrast between the bright fireworks and sparklers and the starry night sky. I wanted to capture that visual in a cake, and this is what I came up with! A chocolate-covered Bundt cake dotted with gold leaf that is bursting with bright colors once you cut into it. The cake flavors are reminiscent of shrikhand, a yogurt-based dessert that’s typically spiced with cardamom.

Ingredients

BUNDT CAKE

Softened butter and cooking spray for the pan
6 tablespoons (90 ml) whole milk
3 tablespoons (45 g) full-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Kaveri Vanilla extract
14 tablespoons (200 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (178 g) Madhur Jaggery or granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground Baraka Cardamom
½ teaspoon Surya Salt or kosher salt
3 large eggs
1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
Gel or liquid food coloring

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

9 ounces (255 g) dark chocolate, chopped (1 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Gold leaf, for decorating

Methods

FOR THE BUNDT CAKE

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Generously grease a 6-cup (1.4 L) Bundt cake pan liberally with butter and then cooking spray. Double greasing the Bundt pan assures that your Bundt cake will slide out without getting stuck!
In large cup, whisk together the milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. Mix on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk/yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing after each addition on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, divide the batter evenly among four bowls. Fold in your choice of food coloring into each of the bowls.
Spoon dollops of each colored dough into the Bundt pan. Tap the pan on the counter four or five times to get rid of any air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and coconut oil and microwave in 15-second increments, stirring well after each, until the chocolate is melted. (Alternatively, if you don’t have a microwave, bring a small pot of water to a boil and set a small heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Add the chocolate and coconut oil to the bowl and stir until melted.)
Place the cake on a wire rack set over a baking pan. Pour the melted chocolate glaze over the cooled cake, making sure to coat every part of the cake. Let the cake set for 1 hour before moving the cake to your serving platter and decorating with gold leaf.

MAKE IT EGGLESS

In a bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup (270 g) of granulated sugar, 21/2 cups (300 g) of all-purpose flour, 21/4 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cardamom. Add 7 tablespoons (100 g) of melted butter, 1 cup (244 g) of whole milk, 1/4 cup (56 g) of plain yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Split the batter up into four bowls and dye each batter your choice of color. Pour each color randomly into the Bundt pan, alternating colors, and bake per the recipe.

This Recipe Features

Hetal's Cardamom Vanilla Yogurt Bundt Cake

Recipe by

Hetal Vasavada

Serves

Makes 1 bundt cake people

Difficulty

Intermediate

Excerpted with permission from Desi Bakes by Hetal Vasavada, published by ‎Hardie Grant Publishing, October 1, 2024, RRP $35.00 Hardcover.

Ingredients

BUNDT CAKE

Softened butter and cooking spray for the pan
6 tablespoons (90 ml) whole milk
3 tablespoons (45 g) full-fat vanilla Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon Kaveri Vanilla extract
14 tablespoons (200 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (178 g) Madhur Jaggery or granulated sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon ground Baraka Cardamom
½ teaspoon Surya Salt or kosher salt
3 large eggs
1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
Gel or liquid food coloring

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

9 ounces (255 g) dark chocolate, chopped (1 ½ cups)
1 tablespoon coconut oil
Gold leaf, for decorating

Methods

FOR THE BUNDT CAKE

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Generously grease a 6-cup (1.4 L) Bundt cake pan liberally with butter and then cooking spray. Double greasing the Bundt pan assures that your Bundt cake will slide out without getting stuck!
In large cup, whisk together the milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Set aside.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter, sugar, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. Mix on high speed for 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down halfway through. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk/yogurt mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, mixing after each addition on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, divide the batter evenly among four bowls. Fold in your choice of food coloring into each of the bowls.
Spoon dollops of each colored dough into the Bundt pan. Tap the pan on the counter four or five times to get rid of any air bubbles.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and coconut oil and microwave in 15-second increments, stirring well after each, until the chocolate is melted. (Alternatively, if you don’t have a microwave, bring a small pot of water to a boil and set a small heatproof bowl on top of the pot, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Add the chocolate and coconut oil to the bowl and stir until melted.)
Place the cake on a wire rack set over a baking pan. Pour the melted chocolate glaze over the cooled cake, making sure to coat every part of the cake. Let the cake set for 1 hour before moving the cake to your serving platter and decorating with gold leaf.