Throughout my life, my heart has continued to beat for the taste of malted milk. It is my soft spot. A weakness that I proudly share and own up to with my head held high. I can’t quite understand why I continue to crave the taste of malt; it always has just been that way. The palette is definitely a curious thing.
I have a handful of vivid memories from when I was young, after school malted milkshakes with my mother is just one of these memories.
This Vanilla Malted Bundt Cake with White Chocolate and Cardamom Frosting transports me back to the special times shared with my mother. A recollection of a childhood memory filled with happiness, health and innocence.
It brings unexplainable delight and joy to my tastebuds. The cake has a dense and moist crumb that is heavily flavoured by the combination of malt and vanilla bean. A rich, simple and smooth white chocolate and cardamom frosting finishes the cake, seeping into the inner walls, coating the outer and soaking into the base.
The malt perfectly ties the vanilla and white chocolate flavour together and the touch of cardamom adds just the right amount of spice. The cake tastes light as air but one slice is definitely rich enough to satisfy any sweet cravings.
Malted Vanilla Cake with Cardamom and White Chocolate Glaze
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 (10 cup) bundt cake 1x
Description
A dense cake with a smooth white frosting to finishes it off. Malt perfectly ties vanilla and white chocolate together and cardamom adds a touch of spice.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/3 cups (280 g) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 g) crème fraiche or plain non-fat yogurt
- 1/3 cup (75 g) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
- Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 2 1/4 cups (270 g) cake flour
- 1/2 cup (75 g) malt powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat milk
- 14 oz (400 g) white chocolate
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) ground cardamom
- 1/2 cup (50 g) icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease and flour your bundt pan/s and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, with electric beaters, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time. Beat in the crème fraiche, oil, vanilla and seeds. In half-batches add in the cake flour, malt, baking powder, soda and salt. Add the milk and mix well until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan filling it 3/4 of the way. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes (for a large bundt) or 25-35 minutes (for mini bundts), or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool to room temperature before glazing.
- For the white chocolate and cardamom frosting, over a double-boiler melt white chocolate until smooth. Stir in the ground cardamom and icing sugar. Remove from heat to slightly cool then drizzle over the top of the cake. Allow to set for 15 minutes before serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Cake
- Cuisine: European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 520
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Frequently Asked Questions
What does malt powder do in this cake?
The ½ cup (75g) of malt powder is the defining flavor of this bundt cake — the article describes it as providing a “dense and moist crumb that is heavily flavoured by the combination of malt and vanilla bean.” The article also notes that malt “perfectly ties the vanilla and white chocolate flavour together,” linking the cake and the glaze.
Can I use plain yogurt instead of crème fraîche?
Yes — the ingredient list explicitly offers both options: “½ cup crème fraîche or plain non-fat yogurt.” Either works in the batter, which also contains eggs, butter, oil, and milk for richness.
Does the baking time change for mini bundt pans?
Yes — the instructions give two bake windows: 40–50 minutes for a large (10-cup) bundt pan, or 25–35 minutes for mini bundts, both at 180°C (350°F). Use a skewer to check for doneness rather than relying only on the time.
Why is cardamom added to the white chocolate glaze?
The 2 tbsp of ground cardamom is stirred into the melted 14 oz (400g) of white chocolate along with ½ cup of icing sugar. The article says the cardamom adds “just the right amount of spice” to offset the sweetness of the white chocolate, making the glaze complex rather than cloying.
Hello,
I’ve followed your wonderful Instagram account for a long time but have just discovered this website. I’m not sure whether it’s still active but otherwise I would love to know what kind of malt powder you refer to in this recipe please. Is it the kind you put in drinks or the baker’s type?
Many thanks and best regards,
Beatrice