James Martin’s pistachio coffee cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan170°C/gas 5. Grease a deep, 23cm springform or loose-bottomed cake tin with butter.
2. Place the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl and whisk until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating between each addition. Be careful not to add them too quickly or the mixture might curdle.
3. Add the coffee and chopped nuts and mix well, then carefully fold in the flour. Pour the mixture into the cake tin straight away. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
4. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
5. For the filling, pour the cream into a bowl and whisk until it forms soft peaks, add the icing sugar and pistachios and fold gently with a spatula until the mixture forms firm peaks, being careful not to over-mix.
6. Cut the cake in half horizontally with a bread knife [or see tip below] and place the bottom half on a serving plate. Spread the pistachio cream over the bottom half of the cake, then cover with the other half. Dust with icing sugar and serve.