Tender and sweet with the sharp zest of lemon, this cake is the ideal choice for anyone on a dairy-free diet – and even those who aren’t.

Ingredients: (Serves 8)

For the cake:

1. 2 large eggs
2. 80 ml/3 fl oz vegetable oil
3. 100 g/3 oz caster sugar
4. Seeds from 6 cardamom pods, crushed
5. ½ teaspoon ground ginger
6. 1 large (about 250 g) courgette, grated
7. 80 g/3 oz shelled pistachio nuts, chopped
8. 150 g/5 oz self-raising flour
9. ½ teaspoon baking powder

For the syrup:

• Finely grated zest and juice of 2 limes
• 60 g/2 oz caster sugar
• 60 g/2 oz shelled pistachio nuts, chopped

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4. Grease a 20-cm/8-inch round cake tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper.

Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar, crushed cardamom and ginger. Fold in the grated courgette and chopped nuts. Sift the flour and baking powder over the bowl, then fold in. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with the back of the spoon. Bake for about 35 minutes until risen and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the syrup, put the grated lime zest and lime juice in a saucepan and add the sugar. Warm gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, then boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the nuts and leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes to thicken. Pour the syrup over the cake and let it stand for at least 30 minutes before serving.