Lemon & Pistachio Cake

You need to try this combination of lemon and sweet pistachio!. The perfect cake this Summer to impress friends without spending hours in the kitchen.

A twist on a classic, the pistachios in this cake work perfectly with the zingy lemon.

This cake keeps really well once wrapped well in cling film or stored in an airtight container. So its the perfect tea/coffee accompaniment to enjoy throughout the week.

Ingredients

Cake ingredients:

• 225g Self-raising flour (or add 1 ½teaspoons baking powder to regular flour)

• 225g Caster sugar

• 225g Butter (softened)

• 4 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste/extract

• 50g unsalted or salted, unshelled, chopped pistachio nuts

• Zest of one large lemon

Lemon sugar syrup:

• 85g caster sugar

• Juice of 2 lemons

• Extra pistachios for sprinkling (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/Gas 4

2. Butter a loaf tin (23 x 13 cm) and line tin with baking paper

3. In a mixer or using a wooden spoon cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Add vanilla extract followed by the eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated.

4. Add the self raising flour, lemon zest and chopped pistachio until the you have a smooth cake batter.

5. Spoon mixture in to the lined loaf tin and bake for 35-40 minutes, until a thin skewer/knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

6. While the cake is cooking, make the lemon syrup. In a small saucepan heat the sugar and lemon juice stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

7. Remove cake from the oven and prick with skewer/knife and pour all of the syrup over the cake. The syrup will sink into the cake.

8. Once cooled remove the cake from the tin and scatter over extra chopped pistachio nuts. I also like to serve with some fresh raspberries. Slice cake as needed, this cakes keeps very well for 3-4 wrapped in cling film.