Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian Cream

April 28, 2019

Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian Cream

The Amalgamation of Spice

The ginger cardamom lime cake with tarragon mint Bavarian cream is a perfect amalgamation of gingery, citrusy, and herbal flavor. We hardly experience  tarragon in desserts, but it’s such a delicate herb with subtle aromas of anise seed. Which goes perfectly with citrus and mint. It creates elegant notes to the cake or frankly any dessert. French even consider tarragon to be the ‘King Of Herbs’. So don’t be shy in using the rather sophisticated herb in your desserts.

Sorry not Spice, Herbs!

This ginger cardamom lime cake with tarragon mint Bavarian cream is like having a cup of Chai (Indian Tea) with a dessert- all in one.While creating the flavors for this cake, I had a big smile on my face. This is because it had me thinking of 2 really special and beautiful people in my life – my mom and my husband.

These two are tea fanatics and are so particular about how their tea is made. Which is  completely different from each other’s. This is an absolute tea loversdelight. It has sharp ginger flavor, refreshing and floral herb notes and it doesnt end there.  For the glaze, I did ginger hibiscus tea mirror glaze. You already know if it started with tea, it had to end with tea. Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian Cream

Tea Party – Everyday!

Finally I can feel the crisp in the air and the change in the season. The buds on the plants have started to open. It’s not long now and they will start blooming with different beautiful colors. Every new season needs a celebration and tons of appreciation. I come from a family or rather culture that is big on tea. In fact for every occasion tea is the highlight.

Do not be mistaken, it’s not just a regular cup on the go! No sir! This tea is uniquely ceremonial in my family. The day starts with tea and ends with tea. What’s great about it is that it’s not just regular ‘caffeiny’ kind of tea. Its full of different throughout the day. Sitting down with family and enjoying a nice cup of  hot tea with some savory snack or light dessert is not to be taken for granted.

Tea in the Cake?

Ginger cardamom tea is the most popular kind back home which we call as ‘Chai’. However I am big on herbs, and sometimes add some fresh mint to give a nice refreshing flavor. Imagine all these tea flavors with refreshing sweetness combined in a one big dessert. This is Pure Happiness. The ginger cardamom lime cake with tarragon mint Bavarian cream is a beautiful celebratory cake. Be it, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Birthday or celebrating the season in general. Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian Cream

Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake – Happiness.

It might sound like there way too many steps in the cake. Don’t panic it’s actually a very simple cake. I would suggest you read all the instructions before you proceed. The milk is infused with fresh herbs to get the flavor. However, the dried herbs were infused in water because they take less time to release the flavor than fresh herbs. The lavender adds a beautiful floral notes. There’s the sunshine-filled fragrance of the herbs.

Then comes the sharp tang of the fruit itself. Fresh strawberries are added as a layer in between the cake and Bavarian cream. Again the fresh fruit with creamy Bavarian cream adds a tangy texture that your palate will not want to let go off.  The top glaze has a tartness from hibiscus tea that mellows down with sharpness from ginger. It’s one of my favorite spring cakes that was inspired by my love for herbs, and my recent culinary travel to Nappa.

If you make this ginger cardamom lime cake with tarragon mint Bavarian cream, I would love to see your version, so do share with me on my Facebook page , or Instagram.

If you want to try another herb flavored cake then this Pineapple Basil Cake with Mango Coconut Bavarian Cream would be something you would love as much as I do. Also check out this Chamomile Mint Panna Cotta Tart for your tea flavored taste buds. 

Now make this cake and celebrate the fresh new blooms. Much love from Minnesota xx

Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian CreamGinger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian Cream

5 from 9 votes
Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake with Tarragon Mint Bavarian Cream
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
 

It is that chai affair again that never gets old! There are herbs that just makes this cake extra special and so flavorful. Talking of cardamom, ginger, mint and tarragon-the king of herbs. Sweet-smelling lime is guaranteed to lift the spirits with its aroma alone. And the lavender floral notes will envelope you as the Bavarian minty cream will wrap it all up for the win.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: cake
Keyword: Cake, Tarragon mint bavarian cream, Ginger cardamom lime cake
Servings: 10 Inch Round Cake
Author: Esha
Ingredients
For Simple Syrup:
  • 150 ml water
  • 75 grams sugar
  • 10 grams fresh ginger grated
For Ginger Cardamom Lime Cake:
  • 330 grams all purpose flour or cake flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1.5 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/5 tsp salt
  • 75 grams butter, room temp
  • 300 grams sugar
  • 2 eggs, large
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tbsp lime zest
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 200 ml milk, room temp
  • 150 ml water, luke warm
For Tarragon and Mint Bavarian Cream:
  • 500 ml milk whole
  • 110 grams sugar
  • 150 ml egg yolks
  • 500 ml heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1 fresh vanilla bean
  • 7 grams gelatin powder
  • 110 ml water
  • 1 tsp lime zest
  • 5 grams fresh tarragon
  • 5 grams fresh mint
  • 1.5 tbsp dried tarragon
  • 1.5 tbsp dried mint
  • 1 tbsp dried lavender
Filling:
  • 8-10 strawberries, sliced
Hibiscus Ginger Glaze:
  • 1-1.5 cups hibiscus Tea
  • 10 grams ginger grated
  • 7 grams gelatin powder
Instructions
For Simple Syrup
  1. Boil water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved completely. 

  2. Add ginger and let sit till you work on the cake and Bavarian cream. Strain to get the infused syrup that will be used to moisten the cake and add ginger flavor to the layers

For the cake:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C), and grease a 10 inch round spring form baking pan and line with parchment paper. 

  2. Sift all the dry ingredients except sugar. 

  3. Cream butter, sugar, zest and vanilla extract until well incorporated and the mixture is creamy. This might take 2-3 minutes.

  4. Add eggs one at a time while keep whisking. 

  5. Add the sifted flour mix, milk and water mix in 3-4 batches. 

  6. Add lime juice and ginger. 

  7. Whisk until the batter is combined to a smooth consistency. 

  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until done and the toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, for about 30-35 minutes.

For Tarragon and Mint Bavarian Cream:
  1. Wash the fresh herbs (mint and tarragon) and pick the leaves. Make sure there is no stem as it can give out bitterness. Crush the leaves using a mortar and pestle to release out its oils. Soak these crushed herbs in milk to infuse the flavor for at least 2 hours to overnight. 

  2. Soak the dried herbs (mint, tarragon, and lavender) in the water to infuse the flavor for an hour. Strain the water and bloom gelatin in this herb infused water.

  3. Strain the milk trough sieve. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise in half and with a small piercing knife, take out the seeds. Put the seeds in the milk along with the empty vanilla bean pod. In a heavy bottom sauce pan, boil milk with half of the sugar. 

  4. Whisk yolk with rest of the sugar until creamy, smooth and pale yellow color.  

  5. Temper the hot milk with the whipped yolk while whisking vigorously. Do the tempering in 2-3 batches, to avoid the yolks from scrambling.  

  6. Put this tempered mix back into the sauce pan and cook on low heat to make Cream Anglaise. Keep stirring to avoid scrambled eggs and scorching. Cook till it reaches the Nappe consistency (Nappe Consistency is when the mixture thickens up to the stage when it coats the back of the spoon evenly and creates and clear clean line in the middle when you slide the finger through it). 

  7. Take off the heat and take out the empty vanilla pod. Put the pan on ice bath to cool the mix and whisk occasionally to avoid any lumps. In-case the cream anglaise develop lumps, strain it through the sieve.  

  8. Meanwhile whip the cream and powdered sugar to medium peak. 

  9. Crush the lavender with a mortar and pestle and add to the whip cream along with the lime zest. Fold this gently and keep it aside in a cool place. 

  10. Warm up the bloomed gelatin mix till the gelatin is dissolved and is clear (10-15 seconds in microwave). Do not over heat it. 

  11. Add this gelatin water into the cream anglaise mix and stir/ whisk nicely. Let this cool to room temperature. 

  12. Fold the whipped cream into the cream anglaise mix and keep aside. This will be the Bavarian Cream for the cake. 

Hibiscus Ginger Glaze:
  1. Make Hibiscus tea by boiling 1.5 cups of water. Add about a teaspoon of hibiscus tea leaves and let it steep for 5-7 minutes. Take about 1-1.5 cups of hibiscus tea and add freshly grated ginger. 

  2. Add 1/4 of the simple syrup to sweeten. Adjust for sweetness according to your taste.  

  3. Bloom the gelatin powder. Warm the liquid to dissolve the gelatin. Let cool down to room temperature. Pour this over the frozen cake so it sets immediately. 

Assembly:
  1. Slice a thin top layer of the cake (about 1 inch) to make the surface flat. Cut the cake horizontally in half. Now you will have 2 layers of cake. Each cake layer should not be more than 2- 2 1/4 inches of height.  

  2. Put 1 layer back into the cake pan. Make sure the sides of the cake mold is clean, so when you pour the Bavarian cream on the cake, the sides come out clean and smooth. 

  3. Moisten the 1st cake layer (the cake that is in the cake pan), with half of the simple syrup. 

  4. Now leave 1 inch from the edge of the moistened cake and evenly place the sliced strawberries on top, just to cover the circular cake. 

  5. Pour half of the Bavarian cream on the strawberry covered cake. 

  6. Cut 1 inch edges (vertically) along the sides of 2nd cake layer. Gently place this circular cake on top of the 1st cake, that is covered with strawberries and Bavarian cream. 

  7. Moisten this layer with the simple syrup, leaving 1/4 of the syrup aside. Be careful while moistening the cake edges, as you do not want the syrup to drop on the Bavarian cream. 

  8. Pour rest of the Bavarian cream on the cake. Place this uncovered in the freezer for at least 5 hours to overnight. This can remain in freezer until the day you want to serve. 

  9. Take it out of the freezer and pour the hibiscus ginger glaze on top of the frozen bavarian cream cake. Make sure the top is evenly covered with glaze. Let it sit in refrigerator for 30-40 minutes or until it sets.  

  10. To release the finished frozen cake from the mold, place the cake pan on any cylindrical shaped cup or glass. Using the blow torch, warm up the sides of the cake pan/mold, just enough, so the side ring get loose. Slide the mold down leaving the cake on the cylindrical glass.

  11. Thaw the cake in the refrigerator for 4-5 hours before serving.  

Recipe Notes

You could adjust the sugar and the ginger flavor in your hibiscus tea glaze. 

The cake freezes really well. You could take it out a day before and thaw it in refrigerator; Or at room temperature for using it the same day. 

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13 Comments

  • Reply Ritu Arora April 29, 2019 at 2:24 am

    So well explained and even easier to follow the receipie.Excellent cake .came out so moist .

    • Reply Esha April 29, 2019 at 7:22 pm

      Thank you Ritu. I am glad it you the recipe sounded easy to follow. It sure is a very flavorful cake indeed❤️

  • Reply Nandini April 29, 2019 at 4:27 pm

    This cake is gorgeous, I love the color of the mirror glaze!

    • Reply Esha April 29, 2019 at 7:23 pm

      Thank you so much Nandini. The hibiscus tea with ginger creates this magical color 😊

      • Reply Meenakshi Khurana May 1, 2019 at 5:12 am

        Very interesting combination of flavors! Gotta try the recipe soon, Can’t resist 🙂

  • Reply Daivee May 16, 2019 at 2:52 pm

    Your food photography is amazing so is tge recepie. Will try it out soon. 😋

  • Reply Anna | Serving Dumplings May 31, 2019 at 7:21 pm

    This is such a stunning cake and a great combination of flavors. Thanks for sharing Esha

  • Reply Choclette June 1, 2019 at 4:50 pm

    Ooh, that sounds so totally delicious and it looks gorgeous too. Ginger, cardamom and lime I’ve used in desserts a few times, but never tarragon. Love this idea.

  • Reply Ceri Jones June 12, 2019 at 10:07 am

    This cake looks like you put so much effort into it – all those layers! It loos delicious too and what lovely botanical flavours!

    • Reply Esha June 17, 2019 at 6:31 pm

      Awww thank you so much Cerise’s. It was definitely a special cake with beautiful flavors.

  • Reply Angela Roberts June 17, 2019 at 1:19 pm

    What a stunning recipe, stunning photo and delciousness you have created.

    • Reply Esha June 17, 2019 at 6:29 pm

      Thank you so very much Angela.

  • Reply Sisley White June 17, 2019 at 8:50 pm

    The flavour combinations are incredible. I want a slice so much. Your photography is so stunning too

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