Espresso and Cardamom Cake with Pistachios
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 oz Pistachios – shelled
- 1 tsp Ground cardamom
- 4 oz Self raising flour
- 1 tsp Baking powder
- 4 oz Butter, softened
- 2 ea Eggs
- 4 oz Sugar Superfine
- 1 tbsp Instant Espresso coffee poweder
For the syrup
- 1 1/2 tbsp Instant Espresso coffee powder
- 1 tsp Ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp Demerara sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp Hot water
For the filling and topping
- 8 oz Mascarpone
- 1 1/2 tbsp Instant Espresso coffee powder
- 1 tbsp Sugar Superfine
- 2 tbsp Whole milk
- 1 3/4 oz Pistachios – shelled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly butter two 7" cake tins and line the bases with parchment paper.
- Spread all of the pistachios out on a baking sheet and bake for 8 minutes. Keep a close eye on them so they do not burn. Divide into 2 equal portions when done
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Lifting the sieve quite high as you do this will help give the flour a good airing as it goes down. Next, add the butter, eggs, caster sugar, instant espresso and one teaspoon of ground cardamom powder, and using an electric hand whisk, mix to a smooth, creamy consistency for about 1 minute.
- Now gently fold the chopped nuts into the mixture with a wooden spoon. Divide the mixture between the two prepared cake tins, level off using the back of the spoon and bake near the middle of the oven for about 25 minutes.
- The cakes are cooked when you press lightly with your finger and the centre springs back.Remove them from the oven but leave them in their tins. Prick them all over with a skewer while they are still hot
- While the cake is baking, make up the syrup and the topping.
- Place the instant espresso coffee powder, the other teaspoon of ground cardamom and sugar in a heatproof bowl, then measure the boiling water into it and whisk for about one minute until the coffee and sugar have dissolved. For the filling and topping, whisk all the ingredients except the pistachios together in another bowl.
- Drizzle the syrup as evenly as possible over each cake, leaving them to soak up the liquid as they continue to cool.
- When the two cakes are completely cold, loosen the edges with a palette knife, then turn the cake out inverting it, onto a platter. Remove the parchment liner.
- Spread half the filling mixture over the first cake. Then place the second cake layer on top and spread with the other half of the mixture.
- Scatter the roasted pistachios all over thie top- when ready to serve. If not serving immediately, store in a sealed plastic container in the fridge.
Notes
Adapted from a recipe by Delia Smith, the celebrated chef and author from the UK.