Mandarin Orange and Pistachio Butter Cake

I baked this delicious zesty and nutty butter cake on the first day of CNY 2013 and it was very well received!  

Mandarin orange can be substituted with orange and the pistachio with any other nuts of your preference.

Recipe modified from 'Sicilian Orange Cake'

Ingredients:

250g Butter (softened)

180g Castor sugar

4 Eggs (beaten)

210g Cake flour 

1 tsp Double-action baking powder

1 tsp  Mandarin orange zest

50g Mandarin orange juice

1 tbsp Cointreau

50g Pistachio (chopped)

Method:

Preheat oven at 180 deg c. Lightly grease the bundt tin. 

1. Sift cake flour and baking powder twice. Set aside.

2. Cream butter, sugar and orange peel till light and fluffy.

3. Turn to low speed, alternately add in eggs and sifted flour in few batches till incorporated.

4. Add in orange juice, cointreau and nuts, mix well.

5. Pour into the bundt tin and baked for 35-40 mins or until the skewer came out clean from the center.

Love the fine texture and buttery fragrant of the cake! Can't stop at a slice...lol!