Vanilla Bean, Cardamom & Poppy Seed Sheet Cake with Lemon Glaze and Fresh Fruit is an easy, delicious, one-pan gluten-free crowd pleaser. It’s impressive yet very simple. The cake is thick, dense yet moist and full of wonderful, floral flavors. Seasonal fruit make an easy an delicious topping along with a drizzle of lemon glaze.
I’ve been sucking down various forms of media like crazy lately. Blame the cold fronts. I blame them for everything.
You’d think I’d be better versed in politics and have half a clue what they’re talking about, since all I watch are political thrillers. House of Cards has me so hooked. I can hardly stand that I can sit here and binge watch episodes, be finished with a season in a matter of weeks, and then have to wait months until another season comes out! Kevin Spacey’s southern drawl is just killer. The whole show is fascinating.
Then don’t even get me started on Scandal. I can’t hardly wait for the next season to start! Eeeekkk!! (<– that’s me squeeling like a small child while holding a bowl of popcorn, a long-stemmed red wine glass, and wearing a beige sweater…)
I’ve also been reading a ton of books lately! I’ll have to do a book review because I have several under my belt for February and I can’t help but want you to read them too!
What goes better with binge-watching political dramas and reading girly novels than cake? Well, nothing. Actually cake goes well with these little semi-sunny days … and the dreary bleak days … and the middle of the night …
Everything. Cake goes with everything.
Specifically, Vanilla Bean, Cardamom & Poppy Seed Sheet Cake with Lemon Glaze and Fresh Fruit.
This cake. This cake goes with everything. It’s dense yet light. It’s not rich, yet the flavors are satisfying and abundant. It has a wonderful crumble, yet its so moist. It’s basically perfection. And if you’re a fan of pound cake, yet have always wondered if it could be a tad more moist, well then this is YOUR cake.
Vanilla bean and poppy seeds fleck the cake, like beautiful flavor freckles. (Flavor freckles? What are those? I dunno, it just sounds right.) The cake is messily covered in a bright lemon glaze, then fresh slices of blood oranges, oranges and blackberries are haphazardly strewn over the top. The flavors will have you begging for sunshine and a second slice. It’s just so bright and beautiful.
This cake is gluten free. Fabulous. And you can make it ahead of time, waiting to whip up the glaze and layer on the fruit until you’re ready to serve it. If you’re planning on keeping it in the fridge and eating it over several days, I’d recommend keeping the glaze and fruit separate, topping the cake just as you’re ready to eat it.
Enjoy!
- 2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tbs. corn syrup (clear)
- 5 egg whites
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- 1 ¼ cup almond meal
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil (fruity)
- ¼ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. coarse salt
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla bean paste
- 1 tsp. poppy seeds
- ½ tsp. cardamom
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tbs milk, as needed
- Sliced oranges and berries for topping the cake
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a quarter sheet pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment.
- In the bowl of your mixer, start whipping together the Greek yogurt and the corn syrup on medium speed. Whip for 2-3 minutes.
- One at a time, add the egg whites, letting them fully mix in before adding the next one. Scrape down the side of the bowl after the first couple egg whites are incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the powdered sugar and almond meal.
- With your mixer speed on low, spoon in the powdered sugar and almond meal slowly, over 3 minutes or so, until it is all in the mixer. Next, slowly stream in the almond milk and olive oil.
- Next, add the oat flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla bean paste, poppy seed and cardamom. Let it mix on low until the ingredients are incorporated, then turn the speed up to medium to beat for 1 minute.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking sheet. Smooth the top with a silicone spatula. Bake the cake for 22-25 minutes, until slightly golden and the edges are pulling away from the pan.
- Let the pan cool completely before applying the glaze and fruit.
- In a small saucepan, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir in 1-2 Tbs. of milk, until the glaze is still thick but stir-able. Heat the glaze over medium heat until it just begins to bubble and it becomes very glossy. Use a spoon to spoon the glaze over the cake (I had some leftover). Next, add sliced fruit and berries.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
- Only apply the glaze before you serve the cake. If you're not planning on eating the cake right away, reserve the glaze on the side to spoon up as you're ready to eat it.
- Keep leftover cake in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 4 days.
Cake! Problems solved! You’re welcome.
Love crazy delish cake? Of course you do. Here’s another you’ll love too.
You’re a genius. That is all.
Jolynn @ Lift Pray Love recently posted…Old El Paso Dinner for Two & an Orange Margarita Recipe!
O I love the blood oranges on top. I need to try to find some.
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie recently posted…Oven-Fried Mac and Cheese Ravioli Salad
such a pretty cake!!!
Linz @ Itz Linz recently posted…Itz BLD
so colorful!!
yum!!! looks amazing!
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted…An Amazing Food Day
I am sorry but that’s too pretty to eat 🙂
GiGi Eats Celebrities recently posted…Academy Award Winning Appetizers
1) This cake looks delicious and 2) OH MY GOD I CAN HARDLY WAIT FOR SCANDAL TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Olivia Pope is my spirit animal.
1. Thank you!!
2. OMG I KNOWWWWW!!!! I can’t tell you how many cream/beige/neutral sweaters I bought after binge watching it last year and getting sucked through last season! And popcorn and red wine (yes I have her exact same long-stemmed wine glasses)…Obsessed!
Melissa @ Treats With a Twist recently posted…Vanilla Bean, Cardamom & Poppy Seed Sheet Cake with Lemon Glaze and Fresh Fruit
ooo this looks super pretty! I am not so good at baking….and I always make the same chocolate cake each time anyone asks me to bake. So, maybe this might be a good try. Seems easy enough, its pretty, and there are no epic decorating skills needed to make it look like your picture!
Everyone will be so surprised when I serve them this instead of my traditional chocolate cake 😉
thanks for a great recipe!
Guide for Ladies recently posted…No 4. Rule of a Lady and the art of persuasion.
Haha! “No epic decorating” is my middle name! It’s always good to surprise people 🙂
Melissa recently posted…Vanilla Bean, Cardamom & Poppy Seed Sheet Cake with Lemon Glaze and Fresh Fruit
See, you use terms like “messily” and “haphazardly” but all I’m seeing is freaking JACKSON POLLOCK…in the best form…the edible form…which I would like to edimize (damn, I am ON it with the new words tonight) right now as I sit here at my desk in my blue fleece jacket! 😉
Heather @ Kiss My Broccoli recently posted…Beautifying Beet Smoothie
ARTIST. I’m an artist. Hahaha. Love it
Melissa recently posted…PB & J “Kit Kat” Bars
What great flavours! I love all the vibrant pretty colors too!
If I wasn’t the only sweet tooth in the house I would dare to bake this, but I know I would eat it all!