Pistachio Loaf Cake
-
- Prep time:
- Cooking time:
- Total time:
- Serves: 10 slices
The lovely green colour of the ground pistachios really stands out against the white glaze on this moist and delicious pistachio loaf cake!
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
For the Sponge
- 190g (7oz) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
- 190g (7oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 190g (7oz) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 25ml (1fl oz) soured cream
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 100g (3½oz) shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
For the Glaze Icing
- 120g (4oz) icing sugar
- 40g (1½) ground pistachios – can simply be made from whole pistachios put into a food processor
Equipment
- 1 bread tin
Method
Stage 1
To make this pistachio loaf cake, start by preheating the oven to 170°C (325°F), Gas mark 3, then grease a 8.5 x 17.5cm (3½ x 7in) loaf tin which has 7.5cm (3in) sides, with butter and dust with a little flour.
Stage 2
Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure all the ingredients are properly mixed together.
Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add to the creamed mixture in two batches and mix on a low speed until just incorporated. Pour in the soured cream and vanilla essence, then stir in the chopped pistachios by hand.
Stage 3
Pour or spoon the pistachio loaf cake batter into the prepared tin, then place in the over and bake for 1 hour or until the sponge feels firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean, with no uncooked batter sticking to it.
Allow the loaf to cool a little in the tin, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool down fully before adding the glazing icing.
Stage 4
Place the icing sugar in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of water and mix together. This will form a fairly runny paste; if the glaze seems too thick, add a little more water to thin it – ¼ teaspoon at a time. Stir in the ground pistachios, keeping a small amount aside to sprinkle over the top. Pour the glaze over the cooled pistachio loaf cake and then sprinkle with the remaining ground pistachios.
This is a really moist and delicious, pistachio loaf cake and lovely for brunch, afternoon tea or a midnight snack.
Check out more recipes
Notes
If you are making your own ground pistachios, grind them for about 1 minute. They will start to breakdown and release their oils otherwise.