Left Arrow Back to recipes

Basil Pesto Cake

Basil Pesto Cake
Pesto in your baking? Absolutely! This unique vegan cake recipe uses fresh basil and Sacla' Vegan Basil Pesto to give a wonderfully fresh and herbaceous flavour. And you'll love the vibrant colour!

Cook Time

1hr 55mins

Serves

10

Ingredients

  • 100g basil
  • 120ml extra virgin olive oil
  • 225g golden caster sugar
  • 2 lemons, finely grated zest
  • 185g natural yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1½ tsp. vanilla extract
  • 75g Sacla' Vegan Basil Pesto (Classic Basil Pesto will make the cake too salty)
  • 210g plain flour
  • 2 ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 225g cream cheese
  • 50g butter, unsalted
  • 300g icing sugar

How to make the recipe

  1. You will need a 20cm non-stick loose-bottomed round cake tin, greased and base lined with parchment paper and a very fine paintbrush
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4
  3. Remove stems from the basil and whiz the leaves and olive oil together in a food processor until well puréed
  4. In a mixing bowl stir the sugar and lemon zest together
  5. Add the yoghurt, lemon juice, basil-oil mixture, eggs, vanilla and the Sacla’ Pesto
  6. Mix well with a wooden spoon until combined
  7. Sift over the flour, baking powder and salt and mix again
  8. Spoon into the cake tin where it will come to halfway up the sides and smooth the surface
  9. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 45-50 minutes or until risen and when a fine skewer comes out clean when poked in the middle
  10. Remove from the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes then remove from the tin, discard the parchment paper and allow to cool completely on a wire rack
  11. Trim the top of cake with a serrated knife if it needs levelling and turn upside down onto the rack so the base becomes the top
  12. For the icing beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed
  13. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until it is completely incorporated
  14. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins
  15. Spoon or pipe the cream cheese frosting on top of a cold cake(s)

You may also like...

Basil Pesto & Lemon Peanut Butter Sandwich Biscuits Basil Pesto & Lemon Peanut Butter Sandwich Biscuits
Fiery Chilli Chocolate Brownies Fiery Chilli Chocolate Brownies
Vegan Basil Pesto Courgetti Vegan Basil Pesto Courgetti