Ingredients

Method

For the cake:
• 240 g flour
• 1/2 t salt
• 2 1/2 t baking powder
• 1/4 t bicarbonate of soda
• 150 g sugar
• 2 free-range eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Ideal milk
• 115 g butter, melted and at room temperature
• 1 T vanilla paste
For the icing:
• 50 g sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 100 g shelled pistachios
• a pinch salt
• 1/2 cup cream
• icing sugar, for dusting

Method

Ingredients

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20 cm springform cake tin. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sugar. Make a well in the centre.

2. In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, Ideal milk, butter and vanilla. Fold the wet mixture into the flour – a thick batter will form.

3. Spoon the batter into the cake tin and bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

4. While the cake is baking, prepare the icing. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan until a maple-coloured caramel is formed. Place the pistachios on a tray lined with greaseproof paper. Pour over the caramel and allow the caramel to set.

5. Once set, chop into pieces and blend with the salt and cream until a smooth icing is formed. Serve the cake with a dollop of the pistachio icing, dusted with icing sugar.

Cook's note: Soak the leftover cake in a syrup and serve with fresh berries and crème fraîche, or more Ideal milk.

Find more cake recipes here. 

Photographs: Jan Ras
Food assistant: Marcelle De Wet