Mandarin Chiffon Cake with Pistachio Cardamon Glaze

Oh how I wish I had taken a picture of this cake, but alas it was for my dear friend Irish Jane's birthday and it was already belated. But trust me it was a beautiful golden color with speckles of pistachio green. Then I made a sunburst with mandarin orange slices radiating from the center.

Of course the recipe was a modified version of the chiffon cake recipe from "Baking Illustrated, " my bible when it comes to baking. 

Mandarin Chiffon Cake with Pistachio Cardamon Glaze

Cake
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 large eggs, 2 whole, 5 separated at room temperature
2/3 cups orange juice
Fresh squeezed juice from 5 mandarins
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Tablespoons grated mandarin orange zest
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Glaze
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
4-5 Tablespoons orange juice
1/2 cup finely ground unsalted, roasted pistachios
1 1/2 teaspoons cardamon
2 cups confectioner's sugar

Garnish
2 mandarin oranges peeled and sectioned
1/4 cup coarsely chopped unsalted, roasted pistachios

   1. For the cake: Preheat oven to 325. Whisk the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk in 2 whole eggs, 5 egg yolks (reserve whites), orange juice, mandarin juice, oil, vanilla, and mandarin zest until just smooth.
   2. Beat egg whites a separate bowl with a standing mixer.Start at a low speed until foamy, about one minute. Add cream of tartar. Gradually increase speed to medium-high. Beat eggs until very stiff, about 7 to 10 minutes. With a large rubber spatula, gently fold in whites into batter.
   3. Pour batter into an ungreased large tube pan. Bake cake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 - 65 minutes. Imediately turn cake upside down to cool on top of a funnel or bottle. Cool completely, 2 - 3 hours.
   4. Remove cake from pan using a butter knife or skewer to loosen from edges of the pan. Place on serving dish.
   5. For the glaze. Beat butter, orange juice, cardamon, and sugar in a medium bowl for 1 minute. Mix in ground pistachios. Spread on top of cake letting some dribble off the side.
   6. Garnish with mandarin sections and chopped pistachios.