1276. Pistachio Cardamom Loaf Cake

Sometimes, a good sturdy afternoon tea cake is all you need. This is a pistachio version, Middle-Easternized with a touch of cardamom. Topped with a barely-there icing, you will not want for more with a steaming cup of tea.
The yogurt in the cake makes for a tender crumb. While the recipe is straightforward, I would caution the baker to heed two things: mix only until the ingredients are incorporated, and to mix in three additions: half the dry, all the wet, then the other half of the dry.


Ingredients:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup ground pistachios
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 drop (no more!) green food coloring
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup  butter, soft
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs

For the glaze, mix together:
2/3 cups powder sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 tsp vanilla
about 2 Tbsp heavy cream for thinning


Method:

Set oven to 350F
Mix the the flour, powder pistachio, chopped pistachio, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, and blend until smooth.
Mix the yogurt, food coloring (if using) and vanilla  together in a bowl or measuring cup.
Add the dry ingredients alternately with the wet to the butter and sugar. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, beating just until blended with each addition.
Turn the batter into a buttered and floured 9x5 loaf pan.
Bake for about 55 minutes to an hour, until a toothpick comes out without raw batter clinging to it. The top will be risen and lightly golden.
Cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then remove to a rack.
Glaze the cake when it is  completely cool. Dust with extra crushed pistachio nuts.

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