Lime and Pistachio Loaf Cake

This easy Lime and Pistachio Loaf Cake has flavours of zesty lime, nutty pistachio and buttery vanilla sponge. It’s topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and decorated with crunchy chopped pistachios for a vibrant pop of colour! This recipe is perfect for beginner bakers, a speedy weekend bake, or an afternoon pick-me-up treat.

Ingredients To Make This Lime and Pistachio Loaf Cake

• Unsalted butter – Gives the sponge a soft and tender crumb and adds structure. For an even fluffier texture, use margarine spread instead! Unsalted butter is also used to make the cream cheese frosting.
• Caster sugar – Sweetens the sponge and adds moisture to this lime and pistachio cake.
• Vanilla extract – Adds a delicate sweet flavour to soften the tartness of the limes.
• Eggs – Eggs provide structure and richness to the cake. Make sure they’re at room temperature so they can be easily mixed.
• Self-raising flour – the added raising agent in self-raising flour gives the cake a lovely rise and fluffy texture. You can use all-purpose plain flour instead, just remember to add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
• Limes – For this recipe, you will need 3 limes in total for the sponge mixture, lime drizzle and decoration. Perfectly ripe limes are bright green, slightly soft and have a fresh zesty scent.
• Pistachios – Chopped pistachios are folded into the sponge and scattered on top of the cake for decoration. Remember to use unsalted pistachios!
• Icing sugar – Blended with unsalted butter to make the frosting. Remember to sift the icing sugar to remove any lumps.
• Cream cheese – Used to make the cream cheese frosting. To make a thick and spreadable texture, use full-fat cream cheese like Philadelphia Original.

Recipe Success Tips

• Use a 2lb loaf tin: This recipe makes enough mixture to fill a 2lb loaf tin. Using a smaller or bigger tin will affect the baking time and the end result of your loaf cake.
• Avoid opening the oven door during baking: Opening the oven door too early causes the temperature to fluctuate too quickly, resulting in a sunken loaf cake. Only check on the cake during the last five minutes of the baking time.
• For the frosting, use cold cream cheese: Essential for making a thick and sturdy frosting to spread on your lime and pistachio cake!
• To make the recipe gluten-free: Swap the self-raising flour for 300g gluten-free flour, plus 1.5 teaspoons of xanthan gum (this will improve the texture of the cake) and 2 teaspoons baking powder.
• How to store the loaf cake: Keep the cake stored in a baking tin, in the fridge, for up to 4 days.

Lime and Pistachio Loaf Cake

This easy Lime and Pistachio Loaf Cake has flavours of zesty lime, nutty pistachio and buttery vanilla sponge. It's topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and decorated with crunchy chopped pistachios for a vibrant pop of colour! This recipe is perfect for beginner bakers, a speedy weekend bake, or an afternoon pick-me-up treat.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Baking

Servings 10

Equipment

• 2lb loaf tin

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

Lime and pistachio loaf cake

• 300 grams unsalted butter or margarine room temperature
• 300 grams Caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• 3 large Eggs room temperature
• 300 grams Self-raising flour
• 1 Lime zest and juice
• 75 grams Unsalted pistachios roughly chopped

Lime drizzle

• 0.5 Lime juice only
• 50 grams Caster sugar

Cream cheese frosting

• 75 grams Unsalted butter room temperature
• 150 grams Icing sugar
• 75 grams Full-fat cream cheese keep in the fridge

Decoration

• 25 grams Unsalted pistachios
• 1 Lime zest only

Instructions

 

Start by making the lime and pistachio cake

• Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 200°C conventional. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar and vanilla extract together until light and fluffy.
  300 grams unsalted butter or margarine, 300 grams Caster sugar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
• Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined.
  3 large Eggs
• Fold in the flour until just combined.
  300 grams Self-raising flour
• Add the lime zest, lime juice and chopped pistachios. Fold until mixed through.
  1 Lime, 75 grams Unsalted pistachios
  
• Spread the mixture out into the loaf tin. Bake for 60-65 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Meanwhile make the lime drizzle

• In a small bowl, stir the lime juice and sugar together.
  0.5 Lime, 50 grams Caster sugar
  
• As soon as the cake is out of the oven, use a toothpick to prick the top all over and then spoon over the lime drizzle.
  
• Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

Make the cream cheese frosting

• Beat the butter until soft and fluffy.
  75 grams Unsalted butter
• Sift in the icing sugar and beat until smooth and combined.
  150 grams Icing sugar
• Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and add it to the bowl. Gently fold until the frosting is combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as it can quickly become runny.
  75 grams Full-fat cream cheese

Decorate the cake

• Spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the loaf cake.
• Sprinkle the chopped pistachios and lime zest on top. Slice and serve!
  1 Lime, 25 grams Unsalted pistachios
  

Video

Keyword Cream cheese frosting, Lime cake, pistachio cake

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