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Fluffy Cake (No Mixer Needed)

Indulge in this moist and fluffy vanilla cake filled with rich chocolate speckles, topped with a smooth white chocolate glaze and a sprinkle of crunchy walnuts. Perfect for any celebration or a cozy family dessert, this cake is a crowd-pleaser that balances sweetness with nutty texture. A slice pairs beautifully with your afternoon coffee or tea.

KETO

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60–70 minutes
Cooling Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: ~1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12–14 slices

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This cake is soft, aromatic, and full of festive flavors like citrus, cardamom, and mahlep. The best part? You don’t even need a mixer — just one bowl and a whisk. It’s a simple yet impressive cake to celebrate the New Year or enjoy any time with coffee or tea.

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 400 g all-purpose flour

  • 300 g sugar

  • 5 medium eggs

  • 130 g sunflower oil

  • 120 g butter, melted

  • Zest of 1 orange

  • 150 g fresh orange juice

  • 1 tsp mahlep (ground)

  • ½ tsp cardamom (ground)

  • 20 g baking powder

  • 2 g mastic (3–4 small pieces), ground with a little sugar

  • 2 packets vanilla sugar (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)

  • 100 g chocolate chips

For the Glaze

  • 300 g white chocolate

  • 30 g sunflower oil

For Decoration

  • Chopped walnuts

  • Melted dark chocolate (for writing or drizzling)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the mastic: Crush the mastic with 1 tbsp sugar in a small grinder until powdered.

  2. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, sunflower oil, melted butter, orange zest, orange juice, cardamom, mahlep, crushed mastic, remaining sugar, and vanilla. Mix for about 1 minute until combined.

  3. Add dry ingredients: Sift together flour and baking powder, then fold into the wet mixture until smooth.

  4. Add chocolate chips: Stir in gently.

  5. Prepare the pan: Line a 26 cm round springform pan with parchment paper and butter/flour the sides. Pour the batter in, tap lightly to remove air bubbles, and (if following tradition) insert a clean coin wrapped in foil.

  6. Bake: Place in a preheated oven at 170°C (conventional heat, not fan) and bake for 60–70 minutes, until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

  7. Cool: Let the cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully invert onto a rack and cool completely.

  8. Glaze: Melt white chocolate with sunflower oil in a bain-marie. Pour over the cooled cake and let set.

  9. Decorate: Sprinkle with walnuts

Tips & Variations

  • Flavor boost: Add a teaspoon of orange blossom water for a stronger citrus aroma.

  • Nutty twist: Mix in chopped almonds or pistachios instead of chocolate chips.

  • Make ahead: The cake keeps moist for several days and can be prepared a day in advance.