Pistachio Cake w/ Orange Zest

These are my favorite kinds of cakes, the ones made with ground nuts. They always come out rich and moist, using few ingredients.

Leave the loaf on the counter and take a slice.

This recipe is from the French magazine SAVEURS, which I wish I could get here in the US, but a subscription would be astronomical with the international shipping. :(

So I always pick up an issue in Paris to bring home, and I try and decipher the French recipes to make at home.
Whether or not I do it correctly is another story, however, the end results are always terrific.

I accidentally bought salted pistachio meats, but I don't think it hurt the recipe at all, however try and use unsalted nuts always in baking.

Cake Pistache Fleur d'Oranger (loosely adapted from French Saveurs)

3/4 cup of unsalted pistachio meats
1 cup of sugar
1 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp of baking powder
4 tbsp of creme fraiche, whole fat yogurt or sour cream (don't use low fat in this recipe)
zest of an orange
2 eggs
1 stick of butter (1/4 cup), melted

In a grinder or food processor, pulse the nuts with one tablespoon of the sugar a few short times. I like my nuts ground coarse, so there is some texture to the cake. It's a personal choice, you can pulse them to powder if you like.

Add the pistachios to the melted butter in a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients.

Pour into a well greased or parchment paper lined loaf pan and bake at 350F for 40 minutes.
Let cake rest in pan for 10 minutes and unmold to a cooling rack.

How easy was that?

Store the cake wrapped in foil for a day or two, if it lasts that long!

SO GOOD!