Pistachio Cake

Steps

1. 1
   Step 1:

   Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

2. 2
   Step 2:

   Butter and line a 23cm springform cake tin.

3. 3
   Step 3:

   Put 150g of the pistachios in a food processor and blitz until finely ground.

4. 4
   Step 4:

   Transfer the ground pistachios to a bowl and mix in the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt.

5. 5
   Step 5:

   Beat the butter and caster sugar in a separate bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

   5 min
6. 6
   Step 6:

   Crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well for 1 minute after each addition.

   1 min
7. 7
   Step 7:

   Beat in the vanilla extract, then gently fold in the flour mixture.

8. 8
   Step 8:

   Spoon the batter carefully into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

   35–40 min
9. 9
   Step 9:

   Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin on a wire rack.

10. 10
    Step 10:

    Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then add the mascarpone, double cream, and pistachio paste.

11. 11
    Step 11:

    Beat until well combined, then refrigerate for 20–30 minutes until thickened to a spooning consistency.

    20–30 min
12. 12
    Step 12:

    Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife to make two layers.

13. 13
    Step 13:

    Put the bottom layer on a plate or cake stand, spread over a generous spoonful of pistachio cream, and top with a generous handful of raspberries.

14. 14
    Step 14:

    Top with the other sponge layer, then cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining cream.

15. 15
    Step 15:

    Scatter over the remaining raspberries, remaining pistachios, and lime zest to serve.

16. 16
    Step 16:

    Keep chilled in an airtight container for up to two days.