Cake heaven

P17: PISTACHIO & ROSE CAKE P18: EASY BAKEWELL CAKE P19: VEGAN BLOOD ORANGE & GINGER UPSIDEDOWN CAKE P20: STICKY GINGERBREAD CAKE P21: CRANBERRY CAKE P22: NO BAKE MAPLE RHUBARB CAKE P22: LEMON & PISTACHIO CAKE P23: BERRY & WHITE CHOCOLATE POPCORN CHEESECAKE P24: ORANGE & ALMOND CAKE WITH BRANDY CREAM P25: RAW APPLE CARAMEL CHEESECAKE P25: WHOLEWHEAT CARROT AND HONEY CAKE P26/27: PINK VELVET CAKE WITH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM P28: VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE

Pistachio & rose cake

SERVES 12-14

For the cake

400g (14oz) plain flour
25g (1oz) baking powder
100g (3½oz) unsalted pistachios
400g (14oz) caster sugar
¾tsp fine salt
210g (7¼oz) soft butter
4 free-range eggs, at room
temperature
300ml (10½fl oz) milk, at room
temperature
2tsp vanilla essence or extract
2-3 drops of green food
colouring, (optional)

For the rosewater buttercream

750g (1lb 9oz) unsalted butter,
softened
450g (1lb) icing sugar
½tsp salt
2-3tbsp rosewater
1tsp vanilla essence or extract
2-3 drops of pink food colouring

To decorate

45g (1¾oz) chopped pistachios

1 Preheat the oven to 175°C/Gas Mark 4 and grease and line four 6in round cake tins with baking paper.

2 In a food processor, blend the pistachios until finely ground.

3 In the bowl of an electric mixer, mix the flour, sugar, pistachios, salt and baking powder for 10-20 seconds until well combined. Add the butter and mix on low speed until fully incorporated.

4 Combine the milk, vanilla and eggs in a jug and mix with a fork. Add about three-quarters of the wet ingredients and beat on medium to medium-high speed for two minutes, scraping the bowl halfway through. The mixture will start to get fluffier.

5 Add the rest of the wet ingredients and beat for another 30 seconds until well combined. Add the green food colouring (if using) and mix well. Do not add too much food colouring as this may sometimes dry up the cake.

6 Divide the mixture between the cake tins, then bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove the cakes from the tins and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

7 For the buttercream, beat the butter for 3-4 minutes until creamed together. Stop halfway through to scrape down the bowl and continue to mix.

8 Add the icing sugar and mix on low until well incorporated. Turn up the mixer to a medium-high and mix again for 3-4 minutes until the buttercream becomes light and creamy. Add the salt, vanilla, food colouring and 2tbsp rosewater and beat to incorporate. Taste and add more sugar or rosewater if desired.

9 When the cakes are completely cool, frost with the buttercream and decorate with chopped