Pistachio and Lemon Cake is really quick and easy to make. The pistachio flavoured cake is filled with lemon curd, topped with a lemon mascarpone cream and decorated with pretty crystalised flowers.
I always like to make a cake to share with friends and family at Easter time. The long weekend is a the perfect time to indulge in a bit of baking for pleasure.
Last year I shared with you my delicious, decadent Chocolate Truffle Cake so this year I thought I would opt for something a little lighter and more delicate in flavour. I think this Pistachio and Lemon Cake fits the bill perfectly. If you like pistachios, you will love this cake.
They add great flavour and give a lovely moist texture. The cake itself is a doddle to make. First the nuts are whizzed together with the flour in a food processor until very finely chopped. Next, add the remaining ingredients, whizz again until well combined, and that's it.
To complete the cake the two layers are sandwiched together with lemon curd and covered with a creamy lemon mascarpone cream which, like the cake is very simple to make.
I spread it over the top and sides of the cake but, if you prefer, you could just spread a thick layer on top, which would look equally good. A little while ago I showed you how to make crystallised flowers which are ideal to decorate the cake.
These delicate flowers look stunning offset against the yellow tinted mascarpone cream and give the cake a fresh spring look perfect for Easter. Having said that, I wouldn't say no to this cake at any time of the year. If you do not have the time or inclination to make the crystalised flowers a few slither or chopped pistachios could be used to decorate the cake instead.
Pistachio and Lemon Cake
Ingredients
for the cake
- 200 g pistachio nuts
- 125 g plain flour
- 250 g butter softened
- 250 g caster sugar
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoon milk
to complete
- 8 tablespoon lemon curd
- 50 g butter softened
- 100 g icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- ½ lemon, finely grated zest and juice
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- crystalised flowers, to decorate
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of two 20cm/8in sandwich cake tins.
- Place the pistachios in a food processor with the flour and blitz together until the nuts are very finely chopped.
- Add the remaining ingredients for the cake and blitz again until the all ingredients are well blended. Divide equally between the cake tins and level the top. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until springy to the touch.
- Allow to cool in the tins for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
To complete
- Once the cake is cool, sandwich together with the lemon curd and place on a serving plate.
- Beat the butter and icing sugar and lemon zest and juice until very light and fluffy. Then beat in the mascarpone cheese. Spread over the cake and decorate with the crystalised flowers.
Mrs Susan Wilson says
Hi Jacqueline,
Would this cake be suitable for a tiered middle cake for a wedding cake but without the cream cheese frosting, just a plain lemon frosting? What are your thoughts? Does the sponge keep well or not?
Many thanks.
Sue Wilson
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes I dont see why this cake should be ok for the middle teir of a wedding cake with a plain lemon frosting. I can not vouch for how long it keeps because it always disappears within a day or two in our house but cakes with nuts in generally keep quite well. You may also be interesting in checking out my Pistachio and Lime layer cake . It is very similar but has less pistachios in it (you can also eaisly make it lemon and not lime). This is the recipe that I used for the middle tier of the semi naked wedding cake that I made for my friends daughter so it is tried and tested as a wedding cake.
Hope this helps and good luck with making the wedding cake I would love to see photos of the finished cake when you have made it.
Jacqui
jenny paulin says
lemon mascarpone sounds so delicious! this cake is very elegant and beautiful to look at Jacqueline
thank you for linking ups to #Bakeoftheweek x
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Jenny and my pleasure.
Siobhan says
I am in the privileged position of having been gifted this fantastic cake made by Jacqui herself ! And I can vouch for how delicious it is - the cream icing is mouth watering and the pistachio sponge is very tasty. It also makes for a really interesting cake - so perfect for pudding or tea-time. A clear winner!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ahh thank you Siobhan that's kind of you to say so.
Corina says
It sounds like a delicious cake and it looks so pretty too! Hope you have a lovely Easter
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks Corina, It is delicious even if I say so myself:) Have a happy Easter yourself j x
Monika Dabrowski says
This cake looks so stunning and I thought the flowers were real! Have a great Easter weekend:)
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Monica. The flowers are real, they are from my cottage garden. I crystalised them for an earlier post a week or so ago. https://recipesmadeeasy.co.uk/crystallise-flowers/ They do look so pretty.
Benny says
How great! This looks really tasty 🙂 That lemon mascarpone cream has got to be really good.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Benny and You are right the Lemon Mascarpone Cream is really good.