This lovely moist cake is full of of flavour and good-looking to boot!
Preheat your oven to 180ºC (350ºF) and generously grease a bundt pan. In a bowl combine 3 cups of flour with ½ a teaspoon of kosher salt. In a food processor pulse 2 cups of shelled and roasted pistachios until they are very fine and stick together when pinched. Now beat 290g (11oz) of butter with 1½ cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the pistachios, 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract then add 4 large eggs, incorporating them one at a time. Finally, mix in the flour and salt alternately with ¼ of a cup of white rum until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin and bake until the cake tests clean. This might take 60 minutes or more. Cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then finish cooling on a wire rack. In a small saucepan combine ¾ of a cup of sugar, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of water and a pinch of salt. Simmer over medium heat for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved then add ½ a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract. Allow to cool a little before brushing onto the cooled cake.
* adapted from this recipe
michelle picker cooks 