Pistachio Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

(King Arthur Flour)

Moist and rich, with a lovely green interior, this cake from King Arthur Flour is studded with bittersweet chocolate and chunks of pistachio.

Cook Time:1 hours10 min

Prep Time:25 min

Total Time:1 hours35 min

Servings: 20

Ingredients:

3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

6 tablespoons cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup pistachio paste

1 3/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 to 4 drops green food coloring, optional

5 large eggs

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup shelled pistachio nuts, roughly chopped

3/4 cup chopped bittersweet chocolate

1/3 cup heavy cream

chopped pistachios for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 10-cup Bundt pan or 9" x 5" loaf pan.

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter, cream cheese, and pistachio paste until soft and fluffy.

Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine; the batter will be stiff.

Add the flavorings, optional food coloring, and 1 egg. Beat well. Continue to add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. When done, the batter will be very fluffy. Mix in the chips and nuts.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake for 70 to 80 minutes, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven, and after 5 minutes turn it out of the pan to cool on a rack. The cake will be golden brown with a dark brown edge, and a fine crumb inside.

To make the glaze: Melt together the chocolate and cream over low heat; stir until smooth and cool to lukewarm. Pour over the top of the cake, and sprinkle with chopped pistachios before the glaze hardens.