This cranberry orange cardamom cake started in my head somewhere on the airplane home from Iceland to South Carolina. Cardamom shows up everywhere in European baking (way more than it does here), and once you’ve tasted it paired with tart fruit and citrus, you’ll crave it. We kept running into cranberries and currants baked with cardamom in little bakeries and cafes across Europe and I came home determined to make my own version with a protein-packed Kodiak base.
The orange is my addition. Cranberry and orange is a favorite of mine (you already know this if you’ve ever had cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving), and the cardamom gives it warmth (the closest thing we have here is cinnamon or warm spices like that… fall and winter vibes going on, for sure). Ground cardamom is all you need and every grocery store carries it.
This is part of my growing lineup of Kodiak loaf cakes (right next to the Kodiak Chocolate Cake, Biscoff Cake, and Cherry Chip Cake). Same idea across all of them: yummy flavor, high protein, simple ingredient lists, and a Kodiak Cakes base that does most of the heavy lifting. If you’ve made any of those, you already know the routine!
The Oikos Pro yogurt and applesauce keep this one incredibly moist without adding a ton of fat, and the monk fruit sweetener means you’re getting sweetness without the added sugars. At 166 calories and almost 11 grams of protein per slice, you’re going to want to enjoy this every day of fall with your morning coffee. And if you like this recipe, check back for my Jolakaka cake… a Christmas tradition in Iceland that I made my own version of after the same trip.
Cranberry Orange Cardamom Cake
11g protein per slice
35 minutes to make
Makes 8 slices
Ingredients
190g Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes Buttermilk mix
2 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
230g Oikos Pro Vanilla Yogurt
60g unsweetened applesauce
60ml orange juice
1 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange zest (zest of 1 orange)
60g Ocean Spray 50% Less Sugar Craisins
Glaze
45ml orange juice (3 tbsp)
1 tbsp monk fruit sweetener
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a standard loaf pan with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Kodiak Cakes mix, cardamom, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, applesauce, orange juice, vanilla, and monk fruit sweetener until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined (don’t overmix or the loaf gets tough).
- Fold in the Craisins and orange zest.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
- Using a fork, make holes throughout the top of the cake. Pour the extra orange juice on top of the cake and let sit for at least 10 minutes.
- Slice into 8 pieces.
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Nutrition Info
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RJF Cranberry Orange Cardamom Cake
Per Slice:
166 calories
10.8g protein | 24.8g carbs |
2.6g fat
I’m a mom of three who fell in love with nutrition and strength training after having kids. Now I create simple, high-protein recipes and healthy living ideas that help busy moms fuel their families well and make nourishing food a normal part of everyday life.