Written By Catherine Parrott

If our recipes are in a storyline then this recipe is towards the end because of the previous lessons and fun we’ve had which has helped to establish. I love this point of the story because it feels like we’re having some seriously creative fun! Words of enthusiasm. This recipe uses the ‘sanding method’, using cold butter, but also buttermilk to create a moist and interesting sponge (yep, because it’s we’ve gone slightly green with pistachio).

RECIPE:

PISTACHIO BUTTERMILK SPONGE

  • 290g PLAIN FLOUR

  • 20g BAKIKNG POWDER

  • 100g UNSALTED BUTTER (cold and cubed)

  • 340g CASTER SUGAR

  • 3 WHOLE MEDIUM EGGS

  • 100g PISTACHIO

  • 300ml BUTTERMILK

POACHED RHUBARB

  • 400g RHUBARB (yummy, scrummy rhubarb. But you can use a berries or cherries in it’s place if you…DON’T LIKE RHUBARB?)

  • JUICE & ZEST OF 1 ORANGE

  • 50g CASTER SUGAR

BEFORE YOU START…

  • Preheat your oven to 165c (fan oven, 175c for other, less powerful ovens)

  • Heavily grease your Bundt tin (or grease and line a round 23cm cake tin) with butter

METHODS:

FOR THE PISTACHIO BUTTERMILK SPONGE…

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and butter in a mixing bowl and mix on a slow speed, sanding in the butter until there are no large lumps. Whisk the eggs together before adding gradually until everything together like a thick, wet dough. (Yum?)

In an electric mixer add all the pistachios and blitz until fine. Gradually add the buttermilk and blitz until you have a green, slightly lumpy with pistachio pieces (WHICH IS TOTALLY COOL AND FINE WHY WOULDN’T IT BE) paste. Add this gradually into the rest of the ingredients and mix slowly until smooth.

Decant into your prepared tin and bake until golden, risen and a knife comes out clean when inserted (30-35 minutes)

FOR THE POACHED RHUBARB…

Cut you rhubarb into even batons, around 5cm each. Place in a pan with the sugar and lemon and simmer until the rhubarb has softened. Remove from the poaching liquid and leave to cool.

Reduce the remaining liquid for few minutes to create a syrup-like texture and set aside.

TO FINISH: Once the cake has come out of the oven, leave for cool for 10-15 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Take the reduced poaching syrup and liberally soak your sponge. Leave to cool completely before slicing up, and serving with your poached rhubarb and dollop of thick cream.

Catherine Parrott
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