Pistachio and carrot cake

Ground almonds (almond meal) are fantastic for baking because they add moisture, richness, and a subtle nutty flavor. One of the best uses is an Almond & Lemon Cake—simple, naturally gluten-free, and impressive enough for guests.

Prep time 15 mins
Cook time 45 mins
Servings 8–10

Ingredients

  • 250g ground almonds
  • 3 large eggs
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 100g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan).
  2. Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin.
  3. Whisk the eggs and sugar together until lighter and slightly fluffy.
  4. Stir in the melted butter, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  5. Fold in the ground almonds, baking powder, and salt until combined.
  6. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 40–45 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out mostly clean.
  7. Cool for 15 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a rack.

To Serve

Dust with icing sugar and top with flaked almonds. It's excellent with berries and a spoonful of Greek yogurt.

Variations

  • Orange Almond Cake: Swap lemons for 2 oranges.
  • Raspberry Almond Cake: Fold in 150g raspberries before baking.
  • Almond & Chocolate: Add 100g dark chocolate chunks.

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