This lemon drizzle cake is a classic and the pistachios give it that vibrant green colour, intense flavour and good texture. Get the skinless blanched pistachios – but I warn you, they are not cheap. I have also made this cake with hazelnuts or walnuts instead. Vanilla also has crept up in price. We get our vanilla in the restaurant and cookery school online at vanillabazaar.com. The quality is great and you will save money in the long run.

In this treacle and ginger cake, you get two great hits of ginger, the crystallised and ground. The syrup gives lovely sweetness. I love the dark colour and richness of the treacle. You could add some sliced pear or chopped apple to this recipe is you like. There is a nice tang to the crème fraiche, but you may prefer cream or ice cream.

Both of these recipes also work well for cupcakes, but remember that they will cook much quicker.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Recipes

Pistachio and almond lemon drizzle cake.

\ Photography: Philip Doyle. Food styling: Sharon Hearne-Smith

Pistachio & almond lemon drizzle cake

Serves six

For the cake:

225g (8oz) butter, softened plus extra for greasing

225g (8oz) caster sugar

4 eggs beaten

50g (2oz) plain flour

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

100g (4oz) ground almonds

100g (4oz) ground pistachios

For the glaze:

50g (2oz) caster sugar

finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

crème fraiche, to serve

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark four). Grease and line a 20cm (8in) square tin. Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Whisking all the time, gradually add in the beaten eggs, beating well between each addition and adding a teaspoon or two of flour each time. When all the beaten egg has been added, add the lemon rind, baking powder and vanilla and salt. Add any remaining flour, the ground pistachios and almonds and fold into the mixture. Spoon into the prepared baking tin. Bake for about 40 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Once cool, remove the paper and trim down into six even-sized portions.
  • 2 To make the glaze, put the sugar and lemon juice in a pan, stirring over a low heat until dissolved, then boil to reduce by half. Turn the cake portions upside down, then brush the bottom and sides with the glaze. Then turn back over and brush the tops with the rest of the glaze.
  • 3 To serve, put the cake on plates and drizzle over a little more of the lemon drizzle, then add a dollop of crème fraîche to each one to serve.

  • Treacle & ginger cake

    Serves six to eight

    175g (6oz) butter

    100g (4oz) treacle

    2 tsp ground ginger

    ½ a jar stem ginger in syrup, chopped (reserve syrup)

    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

    1 tsp baking powder

    200g (7oz) self-raising flour

    2 eggs, lightly beaten

    175ml (6floz) milk

    crème fraiche, to serve

  • 1 Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark four). Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
  • 2 Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the treacle, ground and stem ginger and all of its syrup, cinnamon, baking powder and flour.
  • 3 Stir in the beaten eggs into the mix before finally adding the milk. Line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin with greaseproof paper and pour in the cake mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
  • 4 Remove the cooked cake from the tin and peel away the paper, then cut into slices and serve hot on plates with a dollop of crème fraiche.