Pistachio Cake with Irish Buttercream

• Refrigerated

  • 1 Egg, large
  • 3 Egg whites, large

• Baking & Spices

  • 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp Baking powder
  • 1 tsp Baking soda
  • 2 1/2 cups Cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups Caster sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Cream of tartar
  • 1 Food coloring, green
  • 2 cups Powdered sugar
  • 3/4 tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Vanilla extract

• Nuts & Seeds

  • 1 cup Pistachios
  • 1 cup Pistachios, unsalted
  • 1 Raspberries and chopped pistachio

• Dairy

  • 1 cup Butter, unsalted
  • 2 cups Butter
  • 8 oz Cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup Irish cream

• Liquids

  • 1 1/2 cup Iced water

Found on bearnakedfood.com

Ingredients

• For pistachio sponge:
• 1 cup shelled pistachios (processed in food processor finely)
• 2½ cups (320 g) cake flour
• ¾ cup (64 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder (don’t worry, there’s no typo error)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 ½ cups (300 g) caster sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 ½ cup (300 ml) iced water
• 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ tsp cream of tartar
• For Irish Buttercream:
• 1 cup (100g) unsalted pistachios
• ½ cup (118ml) Irish cream (I used Baileys)
• 2 cups (453g) butter, softened at room temperature
• 8 ounces (226g) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 2 cups (250g) powdered sugar
• Green food coloring (optional)
• For decoration:
• Raspberries and chopped pistachio

Directions

• For pistachio sponge:
• Preheat oven to 165°C/325°F.
• Using a food processor or blender, grind the pistachios into fine bits.
• Prepare 3 x 8-inch round cake pan by greasing it with butter and lining it with non-stick baking paper. Grease the baking paper and the sides of the pans and dust it generously with plain flour. *see video for details.
• In a large mixing bowl, add in both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk well together and set aside.
• Using the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with the paddle whisk for 2 mins. If you are using an electric hand whisk, just do it in a large bowl.
• Add in sugar and vanilla extract and beat for another 3 mins, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides if the mixture is sticking to the sides of the bowl.
• Add in egg and mix until combined.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the iced water and alternative with the flour pistachio mix. You should do it in three batches.
• Scrape down the sides if necessary and mix until just combined.
• Add the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Using a clean electric whisk, beat the meringue until soft peaks, about 3 mins.
• Fold the meringue into the batter swiftly yet gently.
• Divide the batter equally into the 3 prepared pan. *I like to weigh the batter to get an even distribution.
• Smooth the top and bake them for 45 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. *As my oven is not big enough, I baked them separately and all the cakes turned out well.
• Let the cakes rest for 15 mins before flipping them out, removing the baking paper and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
• For pistachio buttercream:
• Pulse pistachio into fine powder.
• Add in Irish cream and blend until smooth paste.
• Add few drops of green food coloring.
• Using an electric whisk or stand mixer, whisk softened butter until light and fluffy, approx. 3 mins.
• Add in softened cream cheese, pistachio paste and mix until well combined.
• Add in icing sugar in 3 batches and mix until your frosting comes together.
• Slice of the top of the cake to level it and place it onto a cake board or cake stand.
• Drop two generous dollops of buttercream onto the cake and spread well.
• Stack another layer of cake and repeat.
• When you reach the last layer, frost the top and the sides.
• For the outside of the cake, you could do a light layer of frosting or a thick one.
• For thick frosting technique, please see below.
• Place cake into the fridge and let it set for 20 mins.