Armenian Nutmeg Cake

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This fragrant nutmeg cake is a simple and traditional Armenian dessert cake, perfect for all occasions. Aromatic and not overly sweet, the nutmeg gives a warm and spiced flavour and the texture is unique in its own way. Read on to discover why.....

A serve of nutmeg cake on a plate with a gold fork beside it.

I'm so happy to be able to share a recipe for Armenian Nutmeg Cake that I recently discovered when my mum baked it for a family get-together. Turns out it was her favourite cake as a child when her grandmother baked, and had been forgotten until recently. Where's it been all this time?????

But now that it's on my radar, I want to share it with you - believe me, the fragrant flavours of this Armenian nutmeg cake are simply delicious!

And not only is the texture and taste unique, but it's really easy to make too!

Now I love a good caramel mud cake, a warm and fudgy brownie, squidgy jelly slice, chocolate fudge or crisp lemon tart as much as anyone, but one bite of this spiced nutmeg cake and I was hooked!

One serve slightly removed from a nutmeg cake dusted with icing sugar.

Why You're Going To Love This Cake

A buttery crust, topped with a warmly spiced and moist cake layer which is studded with the crunch of walnuts throughout! Quite the play on textures here!

Perfect for so many occasions - I've already shared this cake with friends and have been asked for the recipe so many times! Armenian nutmeg cake is beautiful to serve with either a coffee or chai for morning or afternoon tea, or served as a dessert cake, as it was traditionally baked for.
It's not overly sweet - it's the combination of the warm spicy flavours, the biscuity crust and the nuts throughout that are the drawcard here!
Simple to make yet special! - using just basic baking ingredients, and yet so elegant and simple.
Freezes well - Armenian nutmeg cake freezes really well for up to 3 months. Bake in advance and freeze this as a whole cake, or wrap any leftover cake as individual slices for when you need something special to pop in your lunchbox.

A serve of nutmeg cake showing the chopped walnuts throughout.

What You Need

This recipe makes a decent sized cake, able to serve up to 12, and it only requires basic baking ingredients!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!

Flour - both plain (all purpose) flour and self raising flour.
Brown sugar - you can use either light or dark brown sugar.
Almond meal - you can purchase packets of almond meal from the nuts section of any supermarket. Almond meal is the same as ground almonds - so you can also make your own almond meal by grounding whole almonds if you prefer.
Butter - chopped. You can use either salted or unsalted for this recipe.
Walnuts - roughly chopped.
Nutmeg - now I used ground nutmeg, however you can also use fresh nutmeg grated if you can source this.
Milk - full cream milk is preferred. Have your milk at room temperature for best results.
Sour cream - once again, for the best flavour, I recommend using the full fat version rather than 'light'.
Egg - have your egg at room temperature.
Bi-carb soda - also known as baking soda. In Australia, we tend to use the name bicarbonate of soda (or bicarb soda for short), whereas overseas it is often known as baking soda.
Icing sugar - to dust (optional).

All the ingredients for nutmeg cake, pplaced on a benchtop.

Equipment Required

You don't even have to get the blender or food processor out for this gorgeously aromatic Armenian nutmeg cake - just combine in a mixing bowl then bake!

Of course, if you have a Thermomix (optional), you can use that too!

20cm springform round cake tin - grease and line with baking paper. If you don't have a springform tin, use a regular cake tin, greased and lined.
Oven - I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.

A slice of nutmeg cake on a white plate.

Step By Step Instructions

I'm sure you'll agree, the warm and spicy aromas in your kitchen while this cake bakes are just heavenly!

Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method!

Step 1 - Prepare The Base

Firstly, preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celsius fan forced (180 degrees conventional), and grease and line a 20cm round springform pan.

In a large bowl, place the self raising flour, plain flour, brown sugar and almond meal.

Flour, brown sugar and butter rubbed together in a bowl to the texture of breadcrumbs.

Add the chopped butter and use your fingertips to rub the butter through the mixture until breadcrumbs form. Ensure there are no lumps of butter left.

If using a Thermomix: Place the self raising flour, plain flour, brown sugar, almond meal and chopped butter into the Thermomix bowl. Mix for 10 seconds, Speed 8, or until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Flour, brown sugar, and almond meal rubbed into breadcrumbs with butter.

Place approximately one-third of the mixture into the base of the prepared tin. Use the back of a spoon to firmly press the mixture down.

Set the base aside whilst you mix the cake layer to go on top.

Some of the flour and butter mixture pressed into the base of a springform tin.

Step 2 - Mix The Cake Layer

Add the chopped walnuts and ground nutmeg to the remaining flour and butter crumb mixture and stir though to combine.

Chopped walnuts and nutmeg added to the remaining flour and butter mixture.

Add the milk, sour cream, egg and bicarbonate soda and mix all together.

If using a Thermomix: Add the chopped walnuts, nutmeg, milk, sour cream, egg and bicarbonate soda and mix for 10 seconds, Reverse, Speed 3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat until combined.

Wet ingredients added to flour and butter crumb mixture.

The mixture will be quite runny.

Nutmeg cake mixture in a glass bowl with a spoon.

Pour the wet mixture gently over the dry base in the tin.

Cake mixture poured into tin on top of the dry base.

Expert Tips

Line your springform tin - grease and line your springform tin with baking paper as this makes removing the cake from the tin so much easier, and protects the crust base.
Use cold butter - whilst other ingredients are best at room temperature, cold butter forms a better crust on the base of this nutmeg cake.
Rubbing butter and flour together - the best way is unfortunately the messiest way! Use your fingertips to lightly rub the flour and butter together until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Lifting the dry mixture above the bowl with your fingertips while rubbing together, helps to aerate it too.
Use other ingredients at room temperature (milk, sour cream and egg). This helps them to combine more evenly with other ingredients, but also allows each ingredient to 'act' as it should and allows the baking process to start straight away when placed in the oven.
Substitutes - the recipe states half a cup of milk and half a cup of sour cream. However you can use more or less of each, as long as the total quantity is one cup. You can also substitute the sour cream or milk with natural or greek yoghurt.
Allow Armenian nutmeg cake to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin.
Storing - Armenian nutmeg cake stores well and remains moist in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing - wrap well and freeze in an airtight container, either as a whole piece or as individually wrapped slices, for up to 3 months.

An overhead shot of Armenian nutmeg cake on a white plate with a gold fork.

FAQs

How do I know when it's cooked?

As all ovens vary slightly, the best way to test if this cake is cooked is to insert a skewer into the middle of the cake near the end of baking time. If it comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, it's cooked.
If it's wet, continue baking for a few more minutes and test again.
And if your Armenian nutmeg cake is browning too quickly in the oven, simply place a sheet of foil over the top and continue baking.

What's the origin of Armenian Nutmeg Cake?

It's hard to know the true origin..... it is said that the cake originated in the 16th century under the Ottoman Empire.
However, for me, the origin is that it was a recipe that was well loved by my mum, whose dear grandmother (born in the UK) made it for her as a child growing up in New Zealand.

A fork breaking off piece of cake from the rest of the serve.

I'm sure you'll get rave reviews when you share this deliciously aromatic cake with friends and family. Here's a few more of my favourite cakes to share when you want something a little special.

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