Cake Recipes
Pistachio Pound Cake
Yield: 24 servings
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups chopped pistachio nuts
- 1 1/4 cups snipped dried apricots (one 7 ounce package)
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 6 eggs
- 1/4 cup dairy sour cream
- 1/4 cup apricot nectar or apricot brandy
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup apricot jam or preserves
- 1 tablespoon apricot nectar or apricot brandy
- Whole pistachio nuts (optional)
- Fresh apricot halves (optional)
- Glace apricots (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour* a 10 inch square tube pan or two 8 inch square baking pans.
- In a small bowl, toss the 1 1/4 cups nuts and the dried apricots with 1/4 cup of the flour. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine remaining flour, salt, baking powder, ginger and baking soda.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 30 seconds with an electric mixer.
- Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy, about 10 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.
- With mixer on low speed, beat in sour cream, the 1/4 cup nectar or brandy and the vanilla extract.
- Add flour mixture, beating just until blended.
- By hand, stir in nut mixture.
- Pour batter into square tube pan or divide batter between the square pans, smoothing the tops.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes for tube pan or 40 to 45 minutes for square pans, or until a wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan(s) on wire racks for 10 minutes; turn out onto racks.
- Cool completely.
- For glaze, snip any large fruit pieces in jam. Combine with the 1 tablespoon nectar in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on HIGH (100% power) for 20 to 40 seconds.
- Brush warm glaze over top of cake. Let stand until firm.
- Garnish with pistachio nuts, fresh apricot halves and glace apricots.
- Cake may be glazed, wrapped, and stored up to 2 days at room temperature.
Notes
* For best results, use our Pan Release!
If desired, prepare cake up to glazing step. Freeze unglazed cake for up to 2 weeks. Thaw, then glaze cake just before serving.