Pistachio, cardamom and lemon drizzle cake recipe
 I love anything with lemon in it so when I found out we had to make a drizzle cake lemon was the first thing that came to mind, but I spiced it up a bit to make it special. For this recipe you will need a 900g/2lb loaf tin and a food processor. 100g/3½oz shelled pistachios, plus extra to decorate 125ml/4fl oz sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing125g/4½oz caster sugar2 large free-range eggs 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 8 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground (to make 1 tsp ground cardamom)1 unwaxed lemon, zest only100g/3½oz plain flour30g/1oz ground almonds, siftedpinch salt1 tsp baking powder½ tsp bicarbonate of soda50g/1¾oz soured cream 100g/3½oz shelled pistachios, plus extra to decorate 125ml/4fl oz sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing 125g/4½oz caster sugar 2 large free-range eggs 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 8 green cardamom pods, seeds removed and ground (to make 1 tsp ground cardamom) 1 unwaxed lemon, zest only 100g/3½oz plain flour 30g/1oz ground almonds, sifted pinch salt 1 tsp baking powder ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g/1¾oz soured cream 2 lemons, juice only120g/4¼oz caster sugar 2 lemons, juice only 120g/4¼oz caster sugar 75g/2½oz icing sugar1-2 tbsp lemon juice 75g/2½oz icing sugar 1-2 tbsp lemon juice dried rose petals dried rose petals Method Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin.In a food processor, pulse the pistachios to make a powder.In a large bowl, mix together the sunflower oil and caster sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla paste, ground cardamom and lemon zest. Stir until combined.In a separate bowl, add the flour, ground pistachios, ground almonds, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate soda. Stir until well combined then fold into the wet ingredients in the other bowl. Fold in the soured cream.Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Heat the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, then briefly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.As soon as the cake is cooked, poke holes all over the top using a skewer. Pour over two-thirds of the hot syrup and leave to cool in the tin. Add half the extra pistachios (for decorating the cake) to the remaining syrup. When the cake is cool, remove it from the tin.For the lemon icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.To finish, finely chop the remaining pistachios and scatter over the icing. Top with the syrup-coated pistachios and some dried rose petals. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios to make a powder. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios to make a powder. In a large bowl, mix together the sunflower oil and caster sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla paste, ground cardamom and lemon zest. Stir until combined. In a large bowl, mix together the sunflower oil and caster sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla paste, ground cardamom and lemon zest. Stir until combined. In a separate bowl, add the flour, ground pistachios, ground almonds, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate soda. Stir until well combined then fold into the wet ingredients in the other bowl. Fold in the soured cream. In a separate bowl, add the flour, ground pistachios, ground almonds, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate soda. Stir until well combined then fold into the wet ingredients in the other bowl. Fold in the soured cream. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Heat the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, then briefly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup. Heat the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, then briefly bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and set aside. As soon as the cake is cooked, poke holes all over the top using a skewer. Pour over two-thirds of the hot syrup and leave to cool in the tin. Add half the extra pistachios (for decorating the cake) to the remaining syrup. As soon as the cake is cooked, poke holes all over the top using a skewer. Pour over two-thirds of the hot syrup and leave to cool in the tin. Add half the extra pistachios (for decorating the cake) to the remaining syrup. When the cake is cool, remove it from the tin. When the cake is cool, remove it from the tin. For the lemon icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake. For the lemon icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in the lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake. To finish, finely chop the remaining pistachios and scatter over the icing. Top with the syrup-coated pistachios and some dried rose petals. To finish, finely chop the remaining pistachios and scatter over the icing. Top with the syrup-coated pistachios and some dried rose petals.