Buttery Pistachio Cake With Cream Cheese Buttercream And Blackberry Compote Recipes

PISTACHIO LAYER CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray three 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line each pan with a round piece of parchment paper, and spray with cooking spray.
• Prepare the cake: pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses. Transfer 1 1/2 cups ground pistachios to a bowl with flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda; whisk until well combined and set aside. Place remaining ground pistachios, about 1 1/3 cups, in a bowl and reserve for finishing the cake.
• Beat butter and white sugar for cake in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides as needed, until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg whites and beat on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
• Mix in sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture in batches on low speed until completely incorporated, about 2 minutes. Mix in milk and food coloring until just combined, about 1 minute.
• Divide batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Gently tap each pan on the countertop to spread and flatten batter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of each pan removes cleanly, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for about 10 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen cakes, then invert carefully onto a serving plate or cooling rack. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• While the cakes are cooling, prepare buttercream: beat cream cheese and butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in powdered sugar in 1/2-cup increments on medium-low speed, allowing sugar to be completely incorporated before adding more, until combined, about 4 minutes. Mix in vanilla and food coloring on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Top with 1 cup buttercream and 1 tablespoon ground pistachios, and spread evenly over the surface using a spatula. Place second cake layer on top; top with 1 cup buttercream and 1 tablespoon ground pistachios, and spread evenly over the surface. Place third cake layer on top, and spread 1 cup buttercream evenly over the surface. Spread 2 cups buttercream evenly around sides of assembled cake and smooth with a spatula. Transfer cake to the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
• Remove cake from the refrigerator and spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake until sides are smooth and top is billowy. Using a small offset spatula, make a spiral pattern on top of the cake. Press remaining ground pistachios into sides of the cake.
• Slice and serve immediately or chill in an airtight container until ready to serve. If chilled, allow cake to come to room temperature before serving.

BUTTERY PISTACHIO CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees (second-lowest oven rack).
• Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, line bottom with parchment paper, then dust with flour, shaking out any excess flour out of pan.
• Pulse the pistachio nuts in a food processor until finely ground (careful not to over-grind them into a paste).
• Add in 1 cup flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt; pulse one or two times to combine.
• In a cup whisk together the milk and vanilla.
• In a bowl beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 4-5 minutes, this is important, must beat/mix for 4-5 minutes!).
• Add in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
• Alternately add in the pistachio/flour mixture and milk on low speed of mixer JUST until combined.
• Transfer the batter into prepared baking dish.
• Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until cake tests done.
• Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges of cake to loosen, invert onto a rack, or slice the cake from the pan.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

BLUEBERRY & PISTACHIO CAKE WITH CARDAMOM CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. Grease the tins again, dust with a little caster sugar and a little flour, then tap out any excess.
• Put the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl and, using an electric whisk, mix briefly to combine. Place the bowl over a pan of steaming water and continue to whisk until the mixture is pale and thick - when the whisk is lifted, the mixture should leave a trail on the surface lasting about 5 secs. Remove the bowl from the pan and continue beating for 2 mins.
• Continue to whisk the mixture while trickling the melted butter around the edge of the bowl. Sift in the flour and ground pistachios, very gently give the mixture 2-3 folds, then add the blueberries and fold again, being careful not to knock out all the air. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25-30 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the cardamom, then drizzle in the cream. Continue to beat until light and airy.
• Cool cakes in their tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove lining paper when completely cooled. Sandwich the cakes together with the cardamom cream, top with some more, then decorate with pistachios and blueberries.