Pistachio and cardamom cake recipe
Perfect for afternoon tea, this cake is moist and flavoursome

Not only are pistachios highly nutritious, they're also forgiving to the baker, said Michael and Pippa James. The moisture provided by their fat content makes this cake almost impossible to overbake. Our top tip is to freeze the pistachios before blitzing – that way they won't get smooshed between your food processor blades. Eat this cake for afternoon tea – preferably after an invigorating walk.
Ingredients:
For the cake:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
- 140g unsalted butter, softened
- 250g raw (demerara) sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped (or 1 tsp real vanilla paste)
- grated zest of 1 orange
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 150g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1⁄4 tsp fine sea salt
- 150g pistachios, roughly ground
- 2 tsp ground cardamom seeds
- 140g sour cream or crème fraîche
For the icing and to finish:
- 110g icing sugar
- 20g lemon juice
- 30g pistachios, roughly chopped
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (320 ̊F). Grease a 25×10cm loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and orange zest for about 10 mins, until the mixture is pale and creamy. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. In several stages, add the eggs to the creamed butter mixture, mixing well between each addition to ensure the eggs are fully incorporated.
- Scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary to ensure the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a large mixing bowl. Add the ground pistachios and cardamom and mix well. Use a spatula to gently fold the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture, in two or three batches. Finally, add the sour cream and gently fold it in until just incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into your tin and use a spatula to gently smooth out the top, then bake for 40 mins. Rotate the tin in the oven and bake for another 10 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool your cake in the tin for about 10 mins before turning it out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, ice the cake. To make the icing, sift the icing sugar into a medium bowl and whisk in the lemon juice until the icing is a thick pouring consistency. Adjust by adding a little more juice or icing sugar as required. Spoon it over the cooled cake to cover the top, allowing a little to drizzle over the sides. Sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top immediately, so they set into the icing as it cools.
Taken from Sweet Seasons by Michael and Pippa James, published by Hardie Grant at £26. To buy from The Week Bookshop for £22.99 (incl. p&p), call 020-3176 3835 or visit theweekbookshop.co.uk.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - April 19, 2025
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - free trade, judicial pushback, and more
By The Week US
-
5 educational cartoons about the Harvard pushback
Cartoons Artists take on academic freedom, institutional resistance, and more
By The Week US
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
One-pan black chickpeas with baharat and orange recipe
The Week Recommends This one-pan dish offers bold flavours, low effort and minimum clean up
By The Week UK
-
G20: Viola Davis stars in 'ludicrous' but fun action thriller
The Week Recommends The award-winning actress plays the 'swashbuckling American president' in this newly released Prime Video film
By The Week UK
-
6 must-see homes in Boston
Feature Featuring a factory-turned-loft in South Boston and a wraparound roof deck in South End
By The Week US
-
Cartier at the V&A: a 'dazzling' show
The Week Recommends A 'once-in-a-lifetime' display of the French jeweller's 'exquisite' objects
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK
-
What is Free Speech?: a 'meticulous' look at the evolution of freedom of expression
The Week Recommends Fara Dabhoiwala provides both history and critique while 'correcting misconceptions'
By The Week UK
-
Rupert Gavin shares his favourite books
The Week Recommends The theatre impresario picks works by Dan Jones, Annie Ernaux and Floella Benjamin
By The Week UK
-
What They Found: Sam Mendes's powerful debut documentary
The Week Recommends The Oscar-winning director's harrowing film features footage and first-hand accounts of the liberation of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp
By The Week UK
-
The Return: a 'lethally effective' Odyssey adaptation
The Week Recommends Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche reunite in Urberto Pasolini's 'emotionally gripping' drama
By The Week UK