Lime and pistachio cake

This recipe appeared in my inbox from a yahoo food group to which I subscribed a long time ago - the clincher for me was the lemon icing in the recipe. I love the sharpness of fresh lemon juice toned down by the sweetness of the powdered sugar - tart and sweet, mmmmm... what a flavour combination!

It's an easy cake (as always, a major criterion when I try out a new cake recipe) although actually this time my cake sank in the middle, for whatever reason. Not that I was bothered - I just turned it upside down and iced the nice flat bottom! :) Come to think of it, though... if anybody can take an educated guess as to WHY the cake sank, please do let me know. I havent had a cake sink in a very long time and I dont really have a clue as to why this one did.



The cake tasted extremely lemony and fresh. I have to say that the pistachio nuts didnt stand out in it particularly, taste-wise... perhaps they were too mild to stand up to the lemon. Pete suggested using walnuts the next time - maybe their slight bitterness would be tempered by the lemon without the walnutty flavour being overwhelmed.

Still, nice cake!

Recipe for: Lime and pistachio cake



Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine
Grated zest of two limes
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped pistachio nuts

For icing:

1 cup icing sugar
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp toasted chopped pistachio nuts

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/350F. Grease a 7" round baking tin and dust lightly with flour.

2. Melt the butter/margarine and set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar till fluffy and pale.

4. Add the grated zest, lime juice and nuts and stir in.



5. Sift in the flour, baking powder and baking soda and stir till incorporated. Last of all add the lukewarm melted margarine/butter and mix well.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake till the cake tests done.



7. Remove from the pan after 10 minutes and let cool completely on a wire rack.

8. To make the icing, stir the lime juice into the powdered sugar till smooth and spreadable.

9. Cover the top of the cake with the icing and let it dribble down the sides at random. Sprinkle the toasted pistachio nuts over the top.