P is for Pistachio, Cardamom & White Chocolate Cake

As I’m sure you are all aware, I love books and am always buying them much to my husband’s horror.  Baking books being my biggest weakness.  When I saw a couple of months ago that Chetna Makan from the Great British Bake Off had a book coming out, I knew I had to buy it.  I loved Chetna for her twist on classic recipes using spices and flavours from the east when she was on the GBBO and couldn’t wait to get my hands on a copy.

I’m pleased to say I haven’t been disappointed yet with any of the recipes I’ve baked so far.  They have all turned out wonderfully and the flavours are to die for.

This is one of Chetna’s recipes and can be found in her book ‘The Cardamom Trail‘ (and it’s an absolute bargain at the moment if you click on the link – only £5.99!).  I admit I was at first a little dubious about putting so much cardamom into the cake, but I needn’t have been, the flavour was delicious.  The cake itself was so light, that it literally melted in your mouth.  It was a great favourite with the family and one I would definitely recommend that you try.

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 250g self-raising flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp cardamom seeds, crushed to a fine powder
• 100ml milk
• 50g pistachio nuts, chopped
• 50g white chocolate chips

For the Icing

• 150g white chocolate
• 150g unsalted butter
• few drops of vanilla extract
• Handful of pistachio nuts, finely chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F, Gas Mark 4) and grease 2 x 20cm tins and line with baking paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar together with a whisk until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg has been mixed in before adding the next one.  Add the flour, baking powder, cardamom and milk.  Beat for one minute until the mixture is light and creamy.  Fold in the pistachios and white chocolate chips.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the two tins and level the surface out.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Leave the cakes to cool in the tin.
4. Whilst the cakes are cooling, make the icing.  Break the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of steaming water until melted.  Leave to cool slightly.  Cream the butter in a separate bowl and add the melted chocolate and vanilla extract.  Mix well until light and creamy.
5. Spread half he icing on one cake and place the other cake on top.  Spread the remaining icing on top and sprinkle with the chopped pistachio nuts.