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Lime and Pistachio Zucchini Cake

Preparation time:
25 mins
Cooking time:
45 mins
Serves:
8
Rating:
(5)
The sweet buttery glaze can be poured over the cake as soon as it comes from the oven, when it will sink into the cake. If the glaze is first left to cool and thicken for a couple of hours before pouring on the cake it will sit on top more like an icing.

Ingredients

Melted butter for greasing
2 Tbsp self-raising flour
2 large or 3 medium zucchini
2 limes
3/4 cup vegetable oil
11/2 cups caster sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup pistachio kernels
3/4 cup almond meal
2 cups self-raising flour, sifted

2 tsp ground cardamom, sifted


Lime glaze

60g butter
Juice from 1 lime
1 cup pure sifted icing sugar
Extra 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Brush a fancy or fluted deep 22cm ring tin with melted butter and dust with flour. Rinse the zucchini and pat dry with paper towel. Grate the zucchini using a large hole grater.

2. Finely grate the rind from the 2 limes. Place the oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla and lime rind into a large mixing bowl and whisk with a ballon whisk until the mixture is well combined and thickens.

3. Using a large sharp knife chop the pistachios finely. Add the prepared pistachios, almond meal, flour, cardamom and zucchini mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.

4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the surface. Bake for 45 minutes or until when a skewer comes out clean when inserted in the centre of the cake. Stand the cake on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out, to cool. Sit the cake right side up on a cake cooler and stand over a sheet of baking paper. When cold pour the glaze over the cake, sprinkle with the pistachios, and stand for 30 minutes before serving.

5. To make the glaze place the butter and lime juice into a medium pan stir over a low heat until the butter has melted remove from the heat and add the icing sugar, stir to combine. Return to the heat and stir for 1 minute. Remove and stand for 15 minutes before pouring over the cooled cake.

Notes

A plain ring tin is not as deep as the fluted ring specified and is not suitable for the amount of mixture.

Because of the detailed shape of the cake tin it cannot be lined with baking paper so brush the tin with a thick layer of melted butter and dust with flour or desiccated coconut to prevent sticking.

Only use a light flavoured oil such as a 'lite' olive, safflower or canola not strong flavours such as virgin olive oil or peanut oil.

Vanilla bean paste is available in small jars from most supermarkets; vanilla extract can be used in its place.

This cake will keep for up to 5 days in a covered container in a cool dry place. The unglazed cake can be frozen for up 3 weeks, allow to thaw in the fridge.

Pistachio kernels are available in most supermarkets. They are distinctive by their green colour and have a soft texture and a slight sweet flavour.

Scents of cardamom and lime will fill the kitchen when this cake is baking

Grated zucchini does not add any flavour to this cake, but it does give it a wonderful moist texture that helps the cake keep for about five days.

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