'I owe at least a dozen limes' Â Little Women
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Here's a fresh summer cake for you, with homemade lime curd and three layers of cake-y goodness to devour. Combine this with pistachio chocolate bark and it makes a gorgeous dessert for a BBQ, which we are finally able to have now the sun is shining again!Â
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Ingredients
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500g caster sugar
610g butter
7 eggs
300g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
120g pistachio nuts
5 limes, juice and zest
200g full-fat cream cheese, chilled
350g icing sugar
100g milk chocolate
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Putting it all Together
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Heat the oven to 190ºC. Grease and line three cake tins.
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Beat 300g of the butter and 300g caster sugar until light and fluffy. Add five of the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one and add 1 tbsp of flour with the final egg.
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Sift and fold in the remaining flour and baking powder thoroughly, then add the zest and juice of 2 limes, roughly grind 120g pistachios in a pestle & mortar and stir through. Divide between the tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out to cool on a wire rack.
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Meanwhile, grab a saucepan to make the syrup. Heat the juice of 1 lime and 2 tbsp caster sugar over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer then remove from the heat to cool. While the sponges are still warm spoon the lime syrup over each. Leave to cool.
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For the frosting, beat 250g softened butter until smooth. Add the cream cheese and mix until combined. Sift in the icing sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
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Break chocolate and place into a heatproof bowl. Sit over a pan of barely simmering water (a bain marie) and allow the chocolate to melt, stirring occasionally. Once melted pour on to a sheet of baking paper, spread thinly and sprinkle with ground pistachios. Pop in the freezer to harden.
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To make the lime curd place 60g butter, 170g caster sugar, 2 eggs and the zest and juice of 2 limes into a small pan and heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon (don’t let it boil). When it has thickened, sieve into a bowl and allow to cool.
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Once all ingredients are cool and you are ready to assemble spread 2 sponges with lime curd and frosting, sprinkle with some pistachios and sandwich all 3 together and cover the top with remaining frosting. Remove chocolate from the freezer and break into shards. Press these around the outside and sprinkle the top with pistachios.
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Cara x
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