Pistachio Raspberry Layer Cake
Velvety-soft pistachio cake is layered with silky raspberry buttercream and fresh raspberries.
servings
Ingredients
Pistachio Cake
- 4 ounces pistachios (or pistachio flour)
- 6 large egg yolks
- 8 ounces sour cream (1 cup, room temperature, divided)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounces granulated sugar (1 ½ cups, divided)
- 9 ounces cake flour (2 cups, see note)
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 ounces unsalted butter (room temperature, see note)
- green food color (optional)
- 3 large egg whites (room temperature, see note)
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
Raspberry Meringue Buttercream
- 6 ounces raspberries (fresh or frozen)
- 8 ounces granulated sugar (1 cup)
- 5 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 pound unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Assembly
- 1 pint fresh raspberries
- pistachios
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Line two 8"x3" cake pans (don't use non-stick pans) with a circle of parchment paper or butter and flour the bottom of pans only. Do not butter and flour the sides of the pan.
- In a food processor, grind 4 ounces pistachios to a coarse powder. Set the ground pistachios aside.
- Combine 6 large egg yolks, half of the sour cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract in a small bowl, whisk to combine, set aside.
- Put 10 oz (1 ¼ cup) of the sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Sift in 9 ounces cake flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon baking soda. Add the ground pistachios to the bowl. Mix on low speed for 10 seconds to distribute the leavening and nuts. With the mixer running on low, add 8 ounces unsalted butter to the flour mixture. Mix on low until the butter is incorporated and the batter looks like a paste. Add the remaining sour cream to the bowl. Add the green food color, if desired.
- Increase the speed to medium and mix about 3 minutes until the batter lightens in texture. If you're using a hand mixer add another minute or two to the total time. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to make sure there are no pockets of unmixed batter. Set the batter aside.
- In another bowl, whip 3 large egg whites with ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar on medium high until they form soft peaks. Turn the mixer to medium low and slowly add the remaining 2 oz (¼ cup) of sugar. Turn the mixer to medium-high and whip the whites to full peak.
- Fold the whites into the batter in 2 parts, folding just until there are no streaks of egg white. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 pans and spread to level. Use the tip of the spatula to make an X in the center of each cake. This promotes even rising.
- Bake about 25 minutes until the center of the cake springs back when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool at least 20 minutes in the pan and then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool to room temperature. Wrap in plastic and hold at room temperature until you're ready to assemble the cake. (see note)
Frosting
- Puree 6 ounces raspberries in a food processor. Run the puree through a fine strainer to remove the seeds. You should have about ¾ cup of puree. Set the puree aside while you make the buttercream.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 8 ounces granulated sugar, 5 egg whites, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar and ¼ teaspoon table salt. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Whisk the egg whites until the temperature reaches 160 °F.
- Remove the bowl from the heat and whip the whites on high speed until stiff peaks form and the whites are cooled to about 80 °F.
- With the mixer running on low speed, toss in 1 pound unsalted butter, a few tablespoons at a time. Increase the speed to medium high and whip until the buttercream comes together. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the raspberry puree. The buttercream might look curdled when you add the puree but it will come back together. Whip on high speed until the buttercream is light and fluffy.
- Hold the buttercream at room temperature until you're ready to assemble the cake.
Assembly
- Trim the brown tops and bottoms from each cake then split each cake in half, horizontally (this is called torting). You will now have 4 layers.
- Divide the buttercream in half. Reserve one half for icing the cake, use the remaining for filling the cake.
- Place the bottom cake layer on your serving platter or onto a cardboard cake circle. Use a dot of buttercream to stick the layer to the plate. Spread ⅓ of the filling buttercream on the layer. Top with the second cake layer. Spread another ⅓ of the filling buttercream over the layer. Dot the entire layer of buttercream with raspberries. Use the tip of your finger to push the berries into the buttercream. Use a spatula to spread a little more buttercream over the berries.
- Top with the 3rd cake layer. Spread the remaining filling buttercream on the layer and place the 4th layer on the cake. Ice the sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of reserved buttercream for a crumb coating. Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to set the layers.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Ice the cake with another layer of frosting. Reserve about 1/2 cup of buttercream. Put the reserved buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe a shell border around the edge of the cake. Place a ring of raspberries around the inside of the border. Sprinkle a few pistachios in the center of the raspberry border. If you'd like, decorate the bottom edge of the cake with ground pistachios (see process photos)
- The assembled cake can be held at room temperature for 5-6 hours. If you need to hold the cake longer refrigerate until 1-2 hours before serving. Best served at room temperature so the buttercream is soft.
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Equipment
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess. I prefer bleached cake flour for the softest texture.
Room temperature butter is between 65°F and 70°F. It should be slightly pliable but not soft and melting.
Do not use pasteurized egg whites as they may not whip up properly.
The wrapped cakes can be frozen for up to a month. Defrost in the wrapping.
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