Pistachio & Cardamom Lemon Drizzle Cake

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F fan and line a 2lb loaf tin on all sides with baking paper. Add the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and 150g / 5.3oz of caster sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir.
2. Next, either grind the pistachios in a pestle and mortar until fine or add them to a food processor and process until a crumb like consistency forms. Then add the cardamom pods to a pestle and mortar, grind gently, remove and discard the shells, and continue to grind the seeds. Add both the pistachio and cardamom seeds to the mixing bowl and give everything a stir.
3. Next add the zest and juice of 1 lemon, the oil and plant-based milk to the bowl and stir gently until fully combined. It’s important you avoid over mixing or air pockets will form in the batter. Pour the cake batter into the lined loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 
4. Once the cake is ready, use the toothpick to prick holes in the top of the cake. Then combine the juice of 1 lemon with the remaining 70g / 2.5oz of caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the sugar syrup all over the cake, making sure it goes into the pricked holes. Now leave the cake to cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool fully.
5. To finish, stir the icing sugar with 2 tbsp of juice from the remaining lemon until you have a thick but runny consistency. Note you may need to tweak the amounts of lemon juice and icing sugar to get the perfect consistency. Once the cake has cooled, pour the icing all over so that it runs down the sides. Roughly chop some additional pistachios and sprinkle all over the top.