Twist Pistachio Cake
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A layered pistachio cake with praline crunch and enriched buttercream. Ingredients quantities tweaked for balance. Two swapped: corn syrup replaced with honey; vegetable oil swapped for grapeseed oil. Steps reordered for efficiency. Bake time reduced slightly. Pasteurized egg whites used in buttercream instead of whole eggs, adding lightness. Praline pistachios roasted with cardamom for twist. Cake cools longer before assembly. Icing whipped longer to stiff peaks. Mix of rough and fine chopped nuts for texture contrast. Store cool, never fridge. Serve room temp for best nutty aroma.
Prep:
45 min
Cook:
50 min
Total:
Servings:
12 servings
#cake
#pistachio
#dessert
#French-inspired
Pistachio. Nuts toasted with cardamom. Crunch. Buttercream whipped with honey and egg whites to lighten, no corn syrup cloy. Cake tender but sturdy. Oil changed to grapeseed. Slightly more flour, more sugar, baking powder too. Bake time shortened by a bit, less drying. Praline crust crackles under fork. Cold butter in chunks, whipped long. Green color optional but fun. Cake layer tops trimmed flat. Frosted twice, nut layers in between. Around edges pressed with chopped nuts, rough texture. Cool place, not fridge. Otherwise, buttercream stiffens, aroma dulls. Serve at room temp. Layers dense but moist. Nuts add crunch, sweetness, spice. Sweetness balanced by honey, cardamom warms, pistachio greets in every bite.
Ingredients
Cake
- 340 ml (1 1/3 cup) water
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) grapeseed oil
- 2 eggs
- 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla extract
- 690 ml (about 2 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour unbleached
- 410 ml (1 3/4 cups) granulated sugar
- 13 ml (2 3/4 tsp) baking powder
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
Praline Pistachios
- 180 ml (3/4 cup) unsalted shelled pistachios
- 50 ml (3 1/3 tbsp) granulated sugar
- 12 ml (4 tsp) water
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (new)
Pistachio Buttercream
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) unsalted shelled pistachios
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) honey (replaces corn syrup)
- 4-5 drops green food coloring (optional)
- 500 ml (2 cups) powdered sugar
- 310 ml (1 1/4 cups) unsalted cold butter cubed
- 3 pasteurized egg whites (replaces whole eggs)
About the ingredients
Switched vegetable oil to grapeseed for nuttier, lighter mouthfeel complementing the pistachio. Honey replaces corn syrup—adds natural flavor and softer texture in buttercream. Egg whites replace full eggs in frosting, reducing fat, adding airy structure. Pistachios split between coarse and fine chop; fine fold carefully to not break cream texture; coarse for crunch contrast atop. Cardamom addition sparks subtle warmth in praline coating. Amounts adjusted: flour upped by 10%, sugar by about 8% to balance extra dry nut flavors. Water slightly increased for batter consistency. Use unsalted shelled nuts to control salt, avoid bitter skins in grinding. Colorant totally optional; green tints skin deep, but lemon zest can add freshness. Timing changes to avoid overbaking dense batter. Chill butter cubes to keep creams stable during mixing.
Method
Praline Pistachios
- 1. Line baking sheet with parchment.
- 2. Combine pistachios, sugar, water, cardamom in saucepan. High heat, stir constantly with wooden spoon until sugar crystallizes and coats nuts unevenly. Spread immediately on sheet. Cool completely.
- 3. Roughly chop half of cooled praline nuts. Set aside.
Cake
- 4. Position rack center. Preheat oven to 175 °C (347 °F). Line two 20 cm (8 inch) springform pans with parchment. Grease well.
- 5. In bowl, mix water, grapeseed oil, eggs, vanilla. Reserve.
- 6. Pulse flour, sugar, baking powder, salt in food processor to combine.
- 7. Add wet ingredients. Blend until uniform, no lumps. Batter thicker than usual, dense but pourable.
- 8. Divide batter between pans, smooth tops.
- 9. Bake 30-33 minutes. Test doneness with toothpick; moisture should clear but crumb moist.
- 10. Cool 25 minutes in pans; remove edges, invert to rack. Let cool another 45 minutes at least. Cake fragility means patience pays.
Pistachio Buttercream
- 11. Blitz pistachios very fine in processor.
- 12. Whisk egg whites with honey, food coloring until fluid.
- 13. Sift powdered sugar into double boiler bowl.
- 14. Place bowl over simmering water (bain-marie), whisk eggs, honey, powdered sugar continuously 8-12 minutes until thick ribbon forms.
- 15. Remove from heat. Beat with electric mixer until lukewarm and light. Takes about 10 minutes.
- 16. Add butter cubes gradually, beating well till fluffy and unctuous. Mixture might look curdled but keep going.
- 17. Fold in ground pistachios thoroughly.
Assembly
- 18. Trim cake domes for flat tops.
- 19. Place one layer on board. Spread one-third buttercream evenly.
- 20. Sprinkle half the chopped praline pistachios over cream.
- 21. Top with second layer. Cover cake fully with remaining buttercream.
- 22. Press praline chopped nuts around base and sides for textured finish.
- 23. Refrigerate covered minimum 1 hour before serving or keep in cool spot but not fridge. Room temp brings out pistachio aroma best.
Cooking tips
Praline pistachios are cooked one step before cake; requires constant stirring to prevent burning. Watch sugar crystallization closely; sugar turns grainy then smooth. Cool completely before chopping to retain crunch. Cake layers better baked 5 minutes less than original; prevent dry crumb. Cool for total 70 minutes minimum to set crumb, easier trimming and stacking. Batter tends to thicken, mix just enough. Buttercream uses double boiler, beat egg whites, honey, powdered sugar long to cook off raw egg taste and to develop structure. Don’t rush cooling after cooking buttercream base. Adding cold butter too fast can curdle mix - add cubes slowly. Folding pistachios into cream must be gentle. Assembly order flipped: praline nuts applied after some cream on base layer, not all on top of frosting; preserves texture. Pressing nut crumbs around sides creates no-mess edges. Storage instructions emphasized; refrigeration risks buttercream hardening, dull flavor. Serve at room temp gives best mouthfeel.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Choose good pistachios. Freshness matters a lot. Toasting adds flavor. Only roast them briefly. Cardamom gives warmth. Don't skip the spice. Finding balance is key. More sweetness needs careful hand.
- 💡 Double boiler helps cook egg whites. Don't rush the process. Whisk constantly while warming. This prevents curdling and adds fluff. You want airy, light frosting. Keep butter chilled. Adding it slowly is critical. Too fast makes a mess.
- 💡 Cooling layers is crucial. Be patient; it pays off. 70 minutes minimum. Each layer needs stability. Trim them flat. A serrated knife works wonders. This helps stacking. Avoid uneven layers; they wobble.
- 💡 Storing it right is vital. Keep cool, not in the fridge. Refrigeration toughens buttercream. Texture suffers. Simple spacing is smart; cover lightly. Avoid airtight, just keep cool.
- 💡 Make batter carelessly. Thin batter is not it. Needs density, keep lumps out. Blending over mixing works well. Just until ingredients combine. Consistency affects overall texture. Must be pourable but robust.
Common questions
Can I use different nuts?
Yes alternatives exist. Almonds, walnuts can work. Adjust for flavor. Each nut has unique taste. Texture too differs; try but adjust sweetness.
What if I overbake the cake?
Dry crumb is the issue. Once overdone, cake remains dry. It won't fix easily. Next time reduce time, check early. Use toothpick; moisture should cling.
Can I freeze leftovers?
Sure you can freeze this cake. Wrap well in plastic wrap. Then cover in foil. Defrost at room temp. Buttercream may lose some fluff.
How long does buttercream last?
Up to a week kept cool. Cubes need refrigerating after a few hours. Store them carefully. Lightly cover, but avoid sealing tight.
