Pistachio and rosewater layer cake

SERVES 12 PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS (+ COOLING TIME)

Add rosewater a little at a time, because different brands vary in strength. Cake is best made on day of serving.

200g roasted unsalted pistachios 250g butter, softened 1½ cups (330g) caster sugar 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind 4 eggs 1 cup (150g) plain flour ½ cup (75g) self-raising flour ¾ cup (200g) Greek-style yoghurt 150g Turkish delight, chopped coarsely, optional

ROSEWATER BUTTER CREAM

250g butter, softened 2 teaspoons rosewater 3 cups (480g) icing sugar 1 tablespoon milk, approximately

1 Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease a deep 22cm round cake pan; line base and side with three layers of baking paper, extending papers 5cm above edge. 2 Blend or process 1 cup of the pistachios until finely ground. Coarsely chop the remaining pistachios. 3 Beat butter, sugar and rind in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in sifted flours, yoghurt and ground pistachios. Spread mixture into pan. 4 Bake cake for 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cover with foil if overbrowning. Leave cake in pan for 5 minutes before turning, top-side up, onto a wire rack to cool. 5 ROSEWATER BUTTER CREAM Beat butter and rosewater in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until as white as possible. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar until smooth. Add enough of the milk to make the butter cream a spreadable consistency. 6 Split cake in half. Place base cake layer, cut-side up, onto a cake plate. Spread with one-third of the butter cream; top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining butter cream over top and side of cake. Decorate top of cake with Turkish delight and chopped pistachios, if desired.

Suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave.