Little Lemon-Pistachio-Cornmeal Cakes

It's almost Christmas!
That was fast, I didn't even get the chance to count down the days (maybe that's partially because I didn't even get an advent calendar).

But anyway, to feed my lemon obsession, and after being told about this flavour combination by my brother, it was decided that these bright little cakes would be the perfect Christmas Eve dessert following an untraditional meal of Tapas.

This colour combination of bright green pistachios and the yellow cake is so refreshing, and I love love love baking things in mini loaf pans! Aww they're so sweet!

Happy Holidays!


Little Lemon-Pistachio-Cornmeal Cakes
adapted a tiny bit from Epicurious - Lemon Cornmeal Cake
Makes 10-12 muffins/little loaves

1 cup (4.5 oz / 125g) shelled pistachios
1 1/2 cups (6.9 oz / 190g) all purpose flour
1/3 cup (5 tbsp + 1 tsp) cornmeal
3/4 cup (6 oz / 170g) sugar
3 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (250 ml) buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 tbsp fine lemon zest
3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/2 cup (4 oz / 110g) unsalted butter, melted, browned and cooled

Lemon Syrup

1/2 cup (4 oz / 110g) sugar

1/3 cup (80 ml) lemon juice

Chop the pistachios quite finely. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C), grease your mini loaf pans/ line your muffin tin. 

Combine the next 5 ingredients in a large bowl and set aside. 

In a small bowl, lightly whisk together the buttermilk, eggs, lemon peel and extracts. Pour this mixture, along with the browned butter into the large bowl and fold together using a spatula. 

Fill each loaf pan/muffin cup about 3/4 full and cover the whole top of each one with the chopped pistachios. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

While the cakes are baking, make your lemon syrup. 

Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small pan over a medium-low heat whilst stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. 

Remove the cakes from the pan(s). Then, using a thin skewer, poke about 10 holes on top of each of the little cakes, pushing all the way down the bottom of the cake. Brush their tops with the syrup (you can brush the sides too if you didn't use liners).