Pistachio Cardamom Cake


Shrill calls of a Rufous Treepie pierce the serenity of the autumn morning. The sky is heavy with clouds and the Sun is yet to make an appearance. The bird goes on calling continuously and her shrill notes draw our attention. We spot her in the Jamun tree. 


 A dove drinking water from the birdbath scurries and flies away to the lower branches of Magnolia tree as the Treepie settles on the birdbath. 


Treepie  drinks water to her heart’s content and then dives into the saucer, splashing water around.


It is the festive season. Ingredients are being measured to bake a cake. My daughter helps me in slivering the pistachios for Pistachio Cardamom Cake. We spoon the batter into the pan and lovingly arrange the sliced pistachios on the batter spacing them evenly. 


As the cake bakes, a lovely aroma of orange zest and cardamom wafts through. The cake turns out moist, flavourful and delicious. It is very festive in appearance as tiny bits of green pistachios peep out from the soft crumb. It is rich in taste and flavour.


Pistachio Cardamom Cake

Ingredients


  • 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup raw pistachios ground coarsely
  • 5 to 6 green cardamom seeds powdered
  • 1 stick (½ cup) butter
  • 1 cup (scant) sugar, powdered
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ cup warm milk (not hot)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • Finely grated zest of two oranges
  • 8 to 10 pistachios slivered, for topping

Instructions


  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line the bottom,   grease and dust sides of one 8 inch round cake pan.
  2. Whisk together the first 5 ingredients in a large. Keep aside.
  3. Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
  4. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  5. Add vanilla essence and zest, mix well.
  6. Add flour mix in three shifts. Add milk every time you add flour mix. Mix till well combined.
  7. Pour into the prepared pan. Level the top. Sprinkle slivered pistachios evenly on top.
  8. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or till the top turns brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven after 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert onto the rack and cool.
  9. Slice the next day (the flavours develop fully). Serve with whipped cream.



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10 comments:

  1. I love reading about your birds, almost as much as I love reading about your recipes Namita. Everything looks green and lovely in your neck of the woods. This cake looks spectacularly moist and delicious. I just finished off the last of my pistachio nuts. We bought them for our parrot that we inherited from my daughter but she doesn't like them (the parrot) so I got them. I wish I had seen this recipe before I snarfled them all up! :)

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  2. Such a flavorful cake this one is...

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  3. Love reading all your posts, have tried a couple of recipes too, especially the breads. They are always a hit., thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hello Rekha, Thank you for visiting my space. Your sweet words motivate me. Thank you for trying my recipes :)

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Can we make this cake eggless?

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    1. Hello Rajashri, yes, you can make an egg less version of this cake. Please refer to the recipe of Egg less vanilla tea cake http://ambrosiasoulfulcooking.blogspot.in/2015/07/egg-less-vanilla-tea-cake-butter-free.html
      Add cardamom powder and replace 1/4 cup flour with coarsely ground pistachios. You will get moist, tasty and fragrant cake.

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    2. thanx namitaji! will try it.

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  6. Hi.. Wats the size f the measurin cup .. 200/240 ml

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    Replies
    1. Hello Bhagya, it's the standard 240ml cup. Happy Baking!

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