Mini Pistachio Bundts
Mini but mighty, these rich, Middle Eastern-inspired rings are made with half flour, half ground pistachios (for a vivid-green color, seek out the blanched Sicilian variety), and flavored with pistachio extract and aromatic orange-flower water. While optional, chopped nuts and rose petals are the classic toppings on a Persian love cake and make for an extra pretty presentation.
Ingredients
Cake:
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
- 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour plus more for pan
- 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk room temperature
- 1/4 cup whole milk room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon pure pistachio or almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon orange-flower water optional
- 3/4 cup Sicilian pistachios or blanched and peeled shelled pistachios, plus more, coarsely chopped, for serving (optional)
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Orange-Flower-Water Glaze:
- 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar sifted
- 1/8 teaspoon orange-flower water
- Dried rose petals for serving (optional; available at kalustyans.com)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F with a rack in center. Brush the hollows of a mini Bundt pan with butter. Dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together egg and yolk, milk, nut extract, and orange‐flower water.
- Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Add confectioners' sugar; pulse to combine. Transfer mixture to the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and add flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed to combine.
- Continue beating while gradually adding butter until mixture is crumbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add half of milk mixture; increase speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add remaining milk mixture and beat, scraping down bowl as needed, until incorporated, about 15 seconds.
- Divide batter evenly among hollows of prepared pan (using a piping bag fitted with a coupler or a plain large tip makes neat work of this). Bake until tops are light golden and spring back when lightly touched, about 30 minutes.
- Let cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes. (Cakes can be stored unglazed, wrapped in plastic, at room temperature up to 2 days.)
For the Glaze:
- Whisk milk into sugar until mixture has the consistency of thick white glue. Stir in orange‐flower water. Glaze can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.
- Spoon glaze over tops of cakes, allowing it to drip down sides. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios and rose petals; let stand until set, about 30 minutes.
Notes
To blanch pistachios, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add pistachios and return to a boil; drain. Rub skins to remove. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and let dry completely, at least eight hours, or dry in a 200°F oven for one to two hours.
