A strong recipe for a novice baker as the method is simple and easy to master. Milk provides a tender crumb for all cakes, and this is no exception. Adding pistachios makes this a bright, colourful, cheerful cake to enjoy in the Italian peach season, but apricots will also work beautifully.
185 g Italian 00 flour
170 g caster sugar, plus 2 tablespoons extra for sprinkling
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
50 g pistachios, chopped, plus extra to decorate
3 large eggs
60 ml milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
grated zest of 1 lemon
180 g butter, softened
2 ripe peaches, each stoned/pitted and cut into 6 pieces
20 x 30-cm/8 x 12-inch baking pan, greased
Makes 14 slices
Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/325°F/Gas 3.
Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the sugar, baking powder, salt and pistachios and make a well in the centre.
Put the eggs, milk, vanilla and lemon zest in another bowl and mix to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the well in the dry ingredients, add the butter and beat for 2 minutes until smooth.
Spread the mixture evenly into the baking pan. Push the peach pieces into the cake mixture in two rows of six. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
Sprinkle over the extra sugar and cook for another 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Decorate with pistachios and cut the cake into fingers to serve.
This recipe is from Dolci Italiani by Ursula Ferrigno. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.