Elegantly tasty
A cake is always a staple at my home…
Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee or aromatic tea, this is one of my much loved cakes and has certainly won recognition throughout the years becoming the distinctively characteristic ‘‘Moi’’ cake.
Lemon and pistachio cake
The waxy green of the pistachios plus the citrus zest make this moist and flavourful cake an incredible combination of fragrance, elegance and comfort.
Ingredients
230 g butter, unsalted, at room temperature
2 cups white sugar
4 medium size eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups self-rising flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup yogurt; plain, from whole milk, Greek
2 tablespoons Drambuie or brandy
1½ cup chopped pistachio nuts
2 tablespoons lemon or lime zest, finely grated
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Grease (with softened butter) and flour a bundt cake pan. Make sure to cover pan entirely.
2. Flour mixture: In a big bowl sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Yogurt mixture: In another smaller bowl, mix together the yogurt, vanilla and Drambuie.
4. Batter: In a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar, at a medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 10 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the speed to low and gently add the flour mixture to the batter, alternating with the yogurt mixture. Fold in the chopped pistachio and lemon or lime peel. Mix for a minute on a low rhythm until nuts and peel blend into the mixture.
5. Pour the batter into the greased and floured bundt pan. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.
6. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before turning over on your serving plate. Place cake right side up. When cool, sprinkle with ground pistachio nuts.