Lemon Pistachio Cake

Ingredients

• 150 g butter (softened)
• 165 g caster sugar
• 1 1/2 tbsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 200 g ground almonds
• 130 g ground pistachios (about 250g in their shells)
• half tsp salt
• Lemon drizzle :
• 100 g icing sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp rose water (optional)
• Decoration:
• chopped pistachios for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C

2. 2

   Grease and line a 23 x 13 x 8cm loaf pan with baking paper and set side

3. 3

   Beat the butter, sugar, zest and vanilla for 10 - 12 minutes until pale and creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times

4. 4

   Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition

5. 5

   Beat the mixture for a further 3 - 4 minutes

6. 6

   Fold through the ground almonds and ground pistachios to combine

7. 7

   Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top

8. 8

   Bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 10 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it and the cake has pulled away from the sides of the tin

9. 9

   Allow the cake to cool completely in the tin at room temperature

10. 10

    Make the drizzle by adding the lemon juice to the icing sugar. Add the rose water if using and mix. Add more icing sugar or lemon juice if needed to get the required consistency

11. 11

    Once completely cooled, remove the cake from the tin and pour the lemon drizzle over the cake

12. 12

    Sprinkle with pistachios (if used) and serve

13. 13

    Adapted from Jennifer Rodda - Milk and Honey