“Ready for Dessert” has got to be the most rhetorical of questions.

Because when it comes to desserts, I don’t know about you, but I am ready and willing 24-7.

If you’re the same, then you’re sure to appreciate this aptly named cookbook (Ten Speed Press, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

It’s actually a newly revised edition of David Lebovitz’s best-seller that first published in 2010. A professional cook and baker, who worked at Berkeley’s Chez Panisse for 13 years, he’s now grown into a prolific cookbook author and baking authority who makes his home in Paris.

You’ll find nearly 175 recipes sure to tempt your sweet tooth, from “Cherry Gateau Basque,” “Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candied Peanuts,” and “Chocolate Ganache Custard Tart” to “Butterscotch-Pecan Ice Cream,” and “Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread.”

With its haunting and unmistakable sweet, minty, citrus-y, and pine-y fragrance, I can never resist anything with cardamom.

And Lebovitz’s “Pistachio-Cardamom Cake” delivers big-time in aroma, taste, and texture.

Just be sure to buy cardamom seeds still in their husks, not the already ground cardamom that has already lost much of its potency. It may be tedious to crush the pods, then pick out the seeds, yourself, before crushing them with a mortar and pestle. But the task doesn’t really take that much time — and it makes all the difference.

The crushed cardamom seeds get stirred into pistachios that have been pulverized in a food processor with a little flour to help it stay powdery and not turn into paste.

The cardamom-pistachio mixture then gets added to the batter of butter, sugar, eggs, flour, salt and baking powder.

Pour the batter into the cake pan, which has been already prepped with melted butter then sprinkled with sugar and sliced almonds.

Although the recipe stated to bake the cake for 40 minutes, I found that mine was done in about 33 minutes. To be on the safe side, check your cake at about the 30-minute mark, advice that I added to the recipe below.

Once the cake has cooled a bit, invert it to find that the almond-sugar mixture has created the most delicious crunchy, nutty top. The cake, itself, sports the slightly denser texture of ones made with finely ground nuts. It’s very moist, tender, and buttery. It also lets the distinctive taste of cardamom really sing.

Chai, mint tea, or a latte would be splendid alongside, too.

If your mom — or anyone you know — is an unabashed cardamom fan, show your love by baking this for them.

Pistachio-Cardamom Cake

(Makes one 9-inch cake; 10 to 12 servings)

For the topping:

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted or salted butter

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup (60 grams) sliced almonds

For the cake:

3/4 cup (95 grams) shelled unsalted pistachios

1/4 cup (35 grams) plus 3/4 cup (110 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons cardamom seeds (see Note)

8 tablespoons (4 ounces/115 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup (200 grams) sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon baking powder, preferably aluminum-free

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

To make the topping: put the 2 tablespoons butter in a 9-inch round cake pan (not a springform pan). Set the pan directly on the stovetop over low heat until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and let cool briefly. Sprinkle the 1 teaspoon sugar evenly over the melted butter, then add the almonds, tilting and shaking the pan to distribute them evenly. Set the pan aside.

(If using an electric or induction stove that a cake pan won’t work on, you can make the topping in a saucepan and scrape it into the cake pan.)

To make the cake, in a blender or a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulverize the pistachios with the 1/4 cup (35 grams) flour until it’s as finely ground as possible. Transfer to a small bowl.

Crush the cardamom seeds in a mortar and pestle or seal them in a sturdy plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Add the crushed seeds to the pistachio mixture and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or by hand), beat together the 8 tablespoons (115 grams) butter and 1 cup (200 grams) sugar on medium speed until very light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until completely incorporated.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup (110 grams) flour, the baking powder, and salt and stir it into the butter-egg mixture. Stir in the pistachio mixture just until combined.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan by dropping four or five mounds on top of the almonds. Carefully spread the batter into an even layer, trying not to disturb the almonds. (An offset spatula is a good tool to use for this.) Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 to 40 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes.

Run a knife around the sides of the cake to help loosen it from the pan. Invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool completely.

Note: Once cardamom seeds are removed from their husks, they begin to lose their flavor. There are good brands of decorticated cardamom seeds (already husked) available and some of the best are from Burlap & Barrel, whch also offers a grinder filled with husked cardamom seeds ready to grind. If you frequently use cardamom and enjoy it as much as I do, this is a game-changer. To do it yourself, crack open the husks with your fingers and free the seeds from the insides of the pods. Avoid preground cardamom powder, which lacks the punch of freshly ground seeds.

Adapted from “Ready for Dessert” by David Lebovitz

More David Lebovitz Recipes to Enjoy: Nonfat Gingersnaps

And: Nectarine-Frangipane Galette

And: Absinthe Cake

And: Cocoa-Marzipan Pound Cake