If you like apricots and pistachios, you should give this simple recipe a go. The dried apricots bring a fruity tang to the inside of the cake, while the pistachio and lemony topping gives a zesty, crunch to the outside.
Using yoghurt and oil in a cake may seem a little unusual but the combination is popular in the Mediterranean as it helps to creates a sumptuous, moist sponge without being greasy or tasting of olives!
Prep to Plate: Prep: 20 mins Cooking time: 50-55 mins
Difficulty:
Ingredients
- 125g chopped, dried apricots
- 150g natural Greek yoghurt
- 2 large eggs
- 150g caster sugar
- 210g plain flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 75 ml refined olive oil
For Topping
- 70g icing sugar
- 1 tbspn (or around 12g) pistachio nuts (chopped)
- 1-2 tbspns lemon juice
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180°C, Fan, Gas Mark 4.
- Grease a loaf tin (size :10x5ins, or 25.5 x12.5 cms)
- Whisk together eggs, caster sugar, yoghurt, oil and vanilla extract.
- Add flour, apricots and baking powder and stir together until you have a well blended batter.
- Pour the mixture into the greased loaf tin and bake in oven for around 50 minutes.
- Check cake is cooked by inserting a small knife into the centre. If it comes out clean, remove cake from oven. If not, bake for several more minutes.
- Once baked, allow cake to cool for a few minutes, before removing from tin and placing on a wire rack to cool.
- Make topping by mixing icing sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle over cake.
- Finish by sprinkling the chopped pistachios over the icing.
- Allow icing to cool, then you’re ready to slice and serve.
- Enjoy!
Nutritional notes:
Apricots are a good source of iron, potassium and carotenes. 125g of dried apricots=279kcal.
Pistachio nuts are a good source of protein, fibre and heart healthy fats. They are also high in potassium, magnesium, B vitamins and vitamin E. 10g of pistachio nuts=57 calories.
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