Lemon Pistachio Cake

Whenever I go for a run, I reward myself with cake.  Cake is my carrot.

Lemon Pistachio Cake

For the Cake:

115g unsalted butter, at room temperature

115 caster sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

100g ground almonds

100g grouns pistachios. plus extra chopped pistachios for sprinkling

Pinch fine sea salt

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

125g self raising flour, sifted

For the Syrup:

100g caster sugar

100ml lemon juice

For the Glaze:

225g icing sugar, sifted

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Make the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 180C.  Grease and line a 20cm springform cake pan with baking paper.  Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar for 5 minutes on medium-high, until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, on at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add the vanilla and beat to incorporate.  Stop the mixer and add the ground almonds, ground pistachios, salt, lemon zest and juice and flour.  Mix on low until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.  Leave the cake in the pan and set the pan on a wire rack to cool.

Make the Syrup:

While the cake is baking, place the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and put it on the stove over a high heat until the sugar dissolves.  Remove from the heat.

Use a long skewer to poke holes all over the still-warm cake in its pan, going all the way through the cake to the bottom of the pan.  Pour the hot syrup all over the cake.  Leave to cool to room temperature before glazing.

Make the Glaze:

Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice together until smooth and pour it over the cooled cake.  Sprinkle with chopped pistachios.