One of the things I really like about baking is making something that looks and tastes homemade. I love a dark and over spilling cake crust, knobbly crisp pastry and that unmistakable buttery crumb of a cake baked at home. All this can be forgotten at times when I get wrapped up in Blog world where I strive for perfect pictures and ever more interesting and challenging bakes ( Rhubarb Ribbon anyone! ).
Life can be complicated enough and last weekend I just wanted to make something modest and simply delicious.
So here it is, a gorgeously fragrant loaf cake with a delicate pistachio flavour that’s studded with natural glace cherries.
I feel calmer already.
Pistachio & Cherry Loaf Cake – ( Adapted from HTBADG by Nigella Lawson )
200g glace cherries (natural coloured)
225g self-raising flour
225g butter (softened)
175g white caster sugar
3 large eggs
125g ground pistachios
6tbsp whole milk
Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease and line a loaf tin (I use a silicone one so that I skip this step).
Halve the cherries, wash them in a colander under cold water, then pat them dry with kitchen towel and toss them in some flour and shake well to get rid of excess.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time along with the ground pistachios. Gently fold in the flour, the cherries and then the milk. The batter will be fairly thick so scrape and dollop the mix into your loaf tin. Place in the centre of your hot oven for ¾-1 hour, or until a cake-tester comes out clean.
Leave in the tin on a wire rack until completely cooled…..and relax.
Love Lemony x
This blog is a delight! I’m already making a list of recipes I want to try! I absolutely love the white plates you use in your photographs. Could I ask where they are from?
Gosh, thanks so much! The white plates are from Zara home, I bought them a while ago but they may well have something similar. Do let me know how you get on with the recipes.