Description
Delight in the delicious fusion of flavors that is the Cardamom Orange Pistachio Tea Cake.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cardamom (preferably freshly ground)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar (granulated or light brown)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup plain yogurt or sour cream
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- ¾ cup chopped pistachios (lightly toasted)
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This will ensure that your cake bakes evenly. While the oven is heating up, grab your loaf pan; grease it generously with butter or cooking spray. To make it even easier to remove the cake later, line the pan with parchment paper, allowing extra paper to hang over the edges. This will create easy handles for lifting the cake out once it’s cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cardamom. Whisk these ingredients together until they are thoroughly mixed. The cardamom, which is the star spice in this cake, should be evenly distributed throughout the flour mix. Set this bowl aside while you work on the wet ingredients.
- Next, take a large mixing bowl and add the softened butter and sugar. Using an electric mixer or a whisk, beat them together until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is essential as it incorporates air into the batter, leading to a light cake texture. Once the mixture appears pale in color and fluffy, you can add the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in the freshly grated orange zest and the orange juice into the butter-sugar-egg mixture. The zest will add depth to the citrus flavor, while the juice will keep your cake moist. Ensure everything is well combined before proceeding to combine the dry and wet ingredients.
- Now, it’s time to combine the two mixtures. Alternately add the dry ingredient mixture and the yogurt to the main batter. Start by adding a third of the dry ingredients, mixing gently until just incorporated. Then add half of the yogurt, repeat this process until everything is combined but do not overmix. You want the batter to remain light and fluffy!
- Finally, fold in the chopped pistachios to the batter, reserving a few for garnishing on top of the cake if desired. This step should be done gently to avoid deflating the batter you’ve worked so hard to create. Once mixed, pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
- Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for 45–55 minutes. The cake is ready when the top is golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remember to keep an eye on it toward the end of the baking time. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store the cake in an airtight container to maintain its freshness; it’ll stay good for several days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45–55 minutes
- Category: Dessert
Nutrition
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Protein: 5 g