Zoe makes cakes!

Pistachio, Sultana & Lemon Drizzle Loaf

My life for the last few weeks went something along the lines of this…Coursework finished, degree show built, degree done, city night, friends and family night, product design dinner, graduated, family dinner, degree show taken down, moved house, saw family, saw extended South African family, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Hospital, Glasgow, Sleep. To say it has been hectic would be an understatement! But with that little lot out-of-the-way I have FINALLY been able to get back to baking and blogging!

This little nutty summer loaf is perfect for wrapping up in brown paper and taking with you to the park for a spontaneous picnic. Crack open the lemonade and tuck in!

You will need:

150g self-raising flour, sifted

2 eggs, beaten

100g  unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

150g  golden caster sugar

2 tbsp milk

2 lemons, finely grated zest of 1 and juice of both

50g sultanas

75g pistachios, roughly chopped

75g granulated sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease a 900g loaf tin and line with baking parchment. (I had no idea how big a loaf tin that was, go with large and you will be fine). Beat the butter and caster sugar together until very pale and fluffy.

2. Mix in the eggs and flour. Add the milk and stir in the lemon zest, sultanas and 65g pistachios. Spoon into the tin; bake for 30–35 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.

3. Meanwhile, warm the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a pan until the sugar has melted, then set aside

4. When the cake is cooked and still hot, keep it in its tin and prick all over with a skewer, then pour over the lemon mixture. Allow to cool, remove from the tin and scatter with the remaining 10g chopped pistachios.