THB: Apricot-Pistachio-Lemon Coffee Cake

I was surprised to be invited to join the new baking event, the Home Bakers (THB) organized by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.  Proud to be a member of the baking event – an event where home bakers can bake and share their experiences with each other.

This is the second cake taken from the Coffee Cakes book by Lou Seibert Pappas.  I was drawn to this cake because I have never try cakes with pistachio nuts and I love the added lemon zest and juice in the cake which complements very well.

This cake is quite soft and I have the same problem with some of them – apricots and pistachio nuts were falling off when I cut the cake.  So I refrigerate half the cake and the slices are much neater – lesser falling off of the apricots and pistachio nuts.

These two slices were refrigerated before I sliced them - it doesnt look so crumbly and the slices look neater.

 
Please hop over to THB's site, where members have linked their bake in the thumbnail linky and also to find out more about THE HOME BAKERS (THB). If you would like to join THB and be a member of the baking group, you are welcome! Details at THB!

Apricot-Pistachio-Lemon coffee Cake

(adapted from "Coffee Cakes" by Lou Seibert Pappas)
Makes one 10-inch Bundt or tube cake, serves 12

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 ¾ cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 tbsp grated lemon zest

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup plain yogurt

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt (omitted since I used salted pistachios)

1 ¼ cups chopped dried apricots

¾ cup (3 ozs) unsalted pistachios (roughly chopped)

1.         Preheat oven to 350^oF.  Butter and flour a 10-inch Bundt or tube pan. I bake half of the recipe using 7" square pan.

2.         In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well. Mix in the lemon zest, lemon juice and yoghurt. 

3.         In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Stir to blend.  Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until blended.  Stir in the apricots and nuts.  Spread evenly in the prepared pan.

4.         Bake for 50 to 55 40 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

5.         Let the cake cool in the pan 15 minutes, then unmold right side up on a wire rack and let cool completely.  Cut into slices to serve.