The Royal Lemon, Pistachio and Elderflower Cake Recipe

This Royal Lemon, Pistachio and Elderflower Cake is the Yurt Cafe’s take on the royal cake for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018.

20 Mins 50 Mins Easy 12 Servings

Image: The Yurt at Nicholsons

Ingredients

For the cake

375g butter
375g caster sugar
200g pistachio (plus extra to decorate, roughly chopped)
150g ground almonds
300g polenta
2 tsp gluten-free baking powder
3 tbsp greek yoghurt
5 eggs
2 lemons, zested and juice
elderflower cordial

For the elderflower cream cheese

350g cream cheese
2 tbsp elderflower cordial
80g icing sugar

Method

Cake

Preheat the oven to 160ºC
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy Add the pistachios, ground almonds, polenta, and baking powder; mix well.
Finally, add the eggs and lemon zest and juice; mix thoroughly.
Pour into a lined 26cm cake tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until cake is firm to the touch and a wooden skewer comes out clean.
While the cake is still warm, gently pour the small amount of elderflower cordial over the cake and let it soak in.

Cream cheese

Put all ingredients into a bowl and beat until smooth.
Once the cake is cool, turn out and spread the icing over the top.
Finally, sprinkle with the remainder of the chopped pistachios.

Recipe notes

Well, it would be rude not to… in homage to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s wedding on 19th May 2018 where the London-based Violet Bakery made them a Lemon and Elderflower cake, ‘incorporating the bright flavours of spring’.

To celebrate the occasion, Penny at The Yurt Cafe came up with her own, gluten-free, take on the royal cake. And for the whole month of May 2018, her lemon, pistachio and elderflower cake was available in the Yurt cake cabinet.

Reassuringly easy, having creamed the butter and sugar, the rest of the ingredients all go in at once. With the addition of the elderflower cordial on top, the result is lovely and moist.