The saying goes that we eat with our eyes. This is a notion highly applicable to the realm of sweets. The difficult thing about baking cakes is that, often, they can come out of the oven looking less than spectacular – at least compared to the photos in recipe books. This cake throws any worry of a wonky rise or volcanic cake peak out the window. 

I think I’ve found the cake that is perfect for those times when you feel like baking something a little more extravagant without the fuss of layering, filling or icing a cake. Made by baking homemade lemon curd on top of a basic cake batter, the end result is so aesthetically pleasing that you’ll grin with glee when it comes out of the oven. 

Lemon is one of my favourite flavours to cook with. Not only is it easy to integrate into recipes – the zest of half a lemon can do wonders in a cake or whipped into cream – but I find that it balances the sweetness of baked goods perfectly. 

Making your own lemon curd isn’t that difficult at all. I was a bit sceptical at first, having failed to make custard many times before, but using a bain marie to heat the eggs and sugar and create that luxurious curd really is a fail-proof method for first timers. The end result is so delicious you’ll never go back to buying store-bought curd again!

The cake batter uses finely chopped pistachios and only a small amount of flour to lend a slightly dense texture and nutty flavour, with a pop of freshness added by a small amount of lemon rind. Spread the velvety, sweet curd on top, sprinkle with more pistachio and flaked almonds and bake until the lovely aroma of citrus and nuts fills your kitchen.

A lot of the sweetness of the cake comes from the lemon curd rather than the cake itself. 

Lemon curd and pistachio cake

From 'Indulgent Cakes by the Australian Women’s Weekly', see recipe here

Ingredients

Lemon curd

Pistachio cake

Method