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Pistachio Raspberry Cake Recipe. Deliciously nutty layers of cake enrobed in a beautiful raspberry swiss meringue buttercream. Looking for a unique cake for that special occasion then this is it! | thesugarcoatedcottage.com #cake #recipe #pistachiocake #buttercream #raspberry

Pistachio Raspberry Cake Recipe

Stacey - The Sugar Coated Cottage
Pistachio Raspberry Cake Recipe. Deliciously nutty layers of pistachio cake enrobed in a beautiful raspberry swiss meringue buttercream.
4.50 from 6 votes
Prep Time 45 mins
Cook Time 1 hr 15 mins
Total Time 2 hrs
Course Dessert
Cuisine Cake
Servings 1 - 7 inch cake

Ingredients
  

  • Note: you will need a total of 1 1/2 cups raspberry puree in total here's the break down- 3/4 cup for the buttercream and 3/4 cups for extra flavor on top of the buttercream layers.
  • CAKE:
  • All ingredients should be room temp.
  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 1 - 6 oz bag of unsalted pistachios plus a few extra for garnish, these will not be ground but rough chopped ground into fine crumbs (see notes for more info)
  • 1 Tbsp Baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup butter room temp
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temp
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 cup milk room temp
  • Few drops of green food coloring optional - I used a very tiny amount but wish I had used a little more.
  • RASPBERRY PUREE makes 1 1/2 cups:
  • 12 ounce bag of frozen raspberries
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • BUTTERCREAM:
  • 4 egg whites
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3/4 cups raspberry puree
  • GARNISH:
  • Freeze dried raspberries
  • Rough chopped pistachios
  • Buttercream

Instructions
 

  • CAKE:
  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (this is not a typo, lower temp makes for a smaller hump on top of the cake).
  • Grease, parchment and flour 3 - 7 inch round baking pans, set aside.
  • In medium bowl add the flour, ground pistachios, salt, baking powder, stir, set aside.
  • In bowl of mixer cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  • Add in the eggs 2 at a time, continue mixing.
  • Add in the extracts, continue mixing.
  • With mixer on low add the flour mixture and milk by alternating each. Mix until fully combined.
  • Pour batter evenly into the 3 prepared cake pans.
  • Bake 40 minutes (rotating cake pans half way through) or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • RASPBERRY PUREE:
  • Place raspberries and sugar into medium sauce pan.
  • Break up the raspberries with spatula as they thaw and continue to stir.
  • Stir mixture until bubbling.
  • Reduce to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. The mixture should thicken.
  • Pour mixture into strainer over a bowl and press raspberries through the strainer.
  • Keep at it until all the raspberry is pushed through and only the seeds are left.
  • Also scrape the underside of the strainer with the spatula as some raspberry puree will stick there.
  • Let cool completely, place plastic wrap directly on top of mixture so a skin does not form on top. (can be cooled in refrigerator).
  • BUTTERCREAM:
  • In medium sauce pan add the egg whites and sugar.
  • On medium heat you are going to whisk egg mixture until sugar is completely dissolved (you can test it by rubbing a small amount between your fingers to test it, it should be completely smooth).
  • Transfer to mixing bowl and with whisk attachment whisk on high until stiff peaks form and mixture is cooled. (mixture must be cool or your butter will melt, feel the bottom of the bowl and if still warm let sit until cooled)
  • On low speed add the butter one piece at a time. Mix until well combined.
  • If decorating with white buttercream like in the photos take out 1/3 cup buttercream before adding the rasperry puree.
  • With mixer running on medium speed add raspberry puree to buttercream one spoon full at a time.
  • Mix until fully combined scraping down the sides with spatula as needed.
  • ASSEMBLY:
  • Level out cakes by cutting the bumped top off each.
  • Put a small dab of frosting on cake board/cake plate to stop cake from sliding off.
  • Put first cake layer on cake board/plate, Frost the top with buttercream.
  • Pour about scant 1/4 cup of raspberry puree on top and spread with offset spatula.
  • Repeat with remaining layers.
  • On top layer pour a scant 1/4 cup of raspberry puree and smooth with offset spatula spreading up to 1/8 inch from the edge.
  • GARNISH (optional):
  • Pipe different size stars using pink and white frosting.
  • Sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries and chopped pistachios

Notes

1. You will want to use a food processor to make the pistachio crumbs. You will see that I have a few larger pieces (see picture in post) left for some texture in the cake but over all they are processed into a crumble.
2. Be careful not to over process your pistachios or you will have pistachio butter. The best way to help avoid this is to use the "pulse" button so you can control when to stop/start the processing.
3. I baked these cakes at a low temp to get flat tops. However I still got a tiny hump on top of cake which I just cut off using a serrated knife.
4. When you add the raspberry puree on top of the buttercream layer it might make the cake layer on top of it slide a bit when trying to frost (it did for me). Just be aware of it and hold the layer in place as you frost the cake.
5. I had the idea of using the raspberry puree as a drip down the side of the cake. It did NOT work, the drips separated. Not a big deal but in case you had the same idea thought I would save you some time and disappointment by telling you my experience.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!