Ingredients
225g/8oz self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
75g/3oz ground almonds
100g/3½oz caster sugar
2 medium eggs
50g/2oz clear honey
250ml/9fl oz natural yogurt, unsweetened
150ml/¼pt sunflower oil
1 lime, finely grated zest only
FOR THE SYRUP
100g/3½oz caster sugar
1 lime, juice only
1-2 tbsp rosewater
FOR DECORATING
50g/2oz unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
rose petals (optional)
Method
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Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line the base and sides of a 22cm spring-form/loose-bottomed cake tin with greaseproof paper. Sift the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Stir in the ground almonds and caster sugar.
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Mix together well the eggs, honey, yogurt, sunflower oil and lime zest in a medium-size bowl. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and slowly pour in the wet ingredients, bringing them together with a whisk until they are just combined. You can add some chopped pistachios to the mixture if you wish, or save them for decorating.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for about 50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 20 mins.
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While the cake is cooling, make the syrup. In a small saucepan, boil 150ml water and the sugar for about 5 mins or until it is reduced by half. Add the lime juice and boil for a further 2 mins, then cool. Add rosewater to taste.
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With a fine skewer, make holes on top of the warm cake and spoon the syrup all over the top. Scatter the pistachios over, if you wish, and leave to settle for 1 hr. Decorate with rose petals, if using. Serve with cream, natural yogurt, sliced mangoes or berries. This keeps extremely well in the fridge for a few days.
