Pistachio and strawberry cake

For the cake:

• Trewithen butter 500g
• Caster sugar 500g
• Free range eggs 6, beaten
• Oranges 2, zest and juice
• Vanilla bean paste 1tsp
• Ground almonds 200g
• Ground pistachios 200g
• Plain flour 100g

For the filling:

• Unsalted Trewithen butter 150g
• Icing sugar 300g, sieved
• Strawberries 10, hulled and quartered

For the topping:

• Icing sugar 125g, sieved
• Lime 1, zest and juice
• Pistachios 50g, crushed

1. Preheat the oven to 160 degrees and line the bottom and sides of two 20cm round tins.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
3. Gradually add the beaten eggs to the mixture, beating well after each addition.
4. Add the orange zest, juice and vanilla bean paste, then fold in the almonds and pistachio nuts and the flour.
5. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins. Bake for 40-45 minutes until golden and cooked. Leave the cakes in the tins to cool completely before icing.
6. Cream the butter and icing sugar for the filling together until light and fluffy. Add the strawberries and beat together so the strawberries are crushed and turn the icing a lovely pink colour.
7. When the cakes are completely cool, sandwich them together with the strawberry butter icing – turn the bottom cake upside down so the top is flatter and more stable to hold the top level. Put the cake in the fridge to chill and firm the buttercream for when you make the topping.
8. Put the pistachios in a sandwich bag and crush with a rolling pin, it’s best to have a mix of big and little pieces. Mix the icing sugar with lime juice and zest. Drizzle over the cake and then sprinkle with the crushed pistachios.