Celebrate Spring
Spring is synonymous with renewal, freshness and bright colours that brighten up our days. It is a season when nature awakens, flowers bloom and days begin to lengthen, bringing new energy. What better way to celebrate this season than to prepare a tasty dessert that reflects all this vitality? Welcoming spring with a delicious pistachio cake is a perfect idea to delight your guests, whether it is for a family reunion, a snack with friends or even a more special celebration.
A cake inspired by childhood memories
This cake with its soft texture and subtle and unique pistachio flavor is inspired by childhood taste memories, evoking moments of sharing and conviviality spent in the kitchen. Its soft green color — with or without a little coloring ;) — recalls the buds of spring and adds a beautiful spring presentation to your table, making this cake a real pleasure for the eyes as well as for the taste buds.
The result is a layered cake with a creamy homemade buttercream frosting that pairs perfectly with the light almond flavor. This frosting not only provides a melting texture, but it also enhances the flavors of the cake, creating a perfect harmony between each bite.
Preparation and organization
To make this cake, you will need a specific list of ingredients and kitchen equipment. Make sure you have everything on hand before you begin. Whether you are an experienced layer cake maker or a first-timer, the steps are designed to be easy to follow and ensure a perfect result. Taking the time to properly prepare each element helps create a stress-free baking experience and ensures that the cake will be as beautiful as it is delicious. Organization is key to enjoying the preparation and savoring the process from start to finish.
Some tips on ingredients
Flour
I use the organic unbleached white all-purpose flour (T55 equivalent) from the Milanaise brand, a Quebec company. For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour mix specially for baking.
Whole shelled pistachios
Make sure the pistachios are unsalted and fresh. For a more economical version, you can substitute with almonds or cashews.
Eggs
If you are vegan, you can replace each egg with 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons of water (let sit for 5 minutes).
Almond extract
For a different touch, you can use vanilla or orange blossom extract. Choose a quality extract for the best flavor and make sure it pairs well with your choice of jam.
Oat milk
I always use oat milk in my recipes. After several tests, I find that it is the vegetable formula that best retains its texture when cooking and its taste is more subtle than other types of vegetable milk. However, you can replace the oat milk with the vegetable milk of your choice or even with animal milk. Make sure the milk is at room temperature.
Plain coconut yogurt
You can replace coconut yogurt with Greek yogurt. Yogurt provides a soft texture, choose a version without added sugar.
Powdered sugar
Sifting is essential to avoid lumps in the frosting.
Vegetable margarine
Make sure the margarine is at room temperature to make mixing easier. You can also use vegan butter or regular unsalted butter.
Notes and comments
For a colorful frosting, add jam to your buttercream, but keep in mind that this may make the frosting a little runnier. If you add jam, adjust the amount of powdered sugar to achieve the desired consistency.
To prevent jam from escaping from the cake layers, use a piping bag or a simple resealable plastic bag to create a border around the jam before layering. This will keep the jam in place and ensure that the layers look neat when you cut them. (See photo below)
This cake pairs very well with a green tea or a light coffee, ideal for a snack or a light dessert after a meal. For an extra touch, you can also serve it with fresh fruit, such as raspberries or strawberries, which will bring a nice acidity and a welcome freshness.
EQUIPMENT
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Pistachio Layer Cake
Want to do something different? Try my pistachio cake recipe. This moist and tasty dessert is ideal to share with your loved ones on special occasions. Easy to make, it will impress all pastry lovers with its texture and irresistible taste.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups whole shelled unsalted pistachios (200 grams)
- 3 eggs
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 1/3 cups oat milk
- 1/2 cup plain coconut yogurt
- A small dash of green food coloring (optional)
Jam
- 1 cup store-bought jam (to taste)
Buttercream
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable margarine
- 2 to 3 tablespoons of oat milk
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
The final touch (to taste)
- Cake candies
- Gel coloring
- Pistachios
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven. Heat it to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Make sure the rack is placed in the center of the oven for even cooking.
- Prepare the pistachios. Save some pistachios for decoration. In a food processor, finely chop the pistachios until you have a powder with a few larger pieces to give the cake some crunch. This step is crucial to release all the flavor of the pistachios and give the cake an interesting texture.
- Prepare the mussels. Grease and flour three (3) cake pans. This step is essential to ensure a smooth release. You can also line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper for even easier release.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, then add the chopped pistachios. Sifting ensures the cake has a light texture and prevents lumps, which is especially important for a fluffy cake.
- Prepare the wet mixture. In another bowl, beat the sugar with the vegetable shortening until creamy and light. Then add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the almond extract. Each egg should be well incorporated before adding the next to obtain a smooth batter.
- Combine the liquid ingredients. In a third bowl, mix together the milk, yogurt, and a small dash of green food coloring, if you want a brighter color for your cake. The yogurt adds a slight acidity that balances the sweetness of the cake and contributes to its moist texture.
- Assemble the dough. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Do not overmix or the cake will become too dense. The goal is to incorporate the ingredients just enough so that they are well combined.
- Bake the cake. Divide the mixture into the molds and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Monitor the cooking carefully from 35 minutes to avoid the cake being overcooked.
- Cool the cake. Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. (About 1 hour) Complete cooling is essential to prevent the buttercream from melting when you frost the cake.
Buttercream
- Prepare the buttercream. In a bowl, beat half of the powdered sugar with the margarine until creamy and light. Then add 2 tablespoons of milk, then stir in the remaining sugar and almond extract. Adjust the texture with a little more milk if necessary. The frosting should be thick enough to hold on the cake, but soft enough to spread easily.
Assembling the cake
- Assemble the cake. Once the cakes have cooled completely, level them if necessary to obtain uniform layers.
Options for icing cake layers
- Buttercream option only. Spread about 1/2 cup buttercream per layer.
- Option with jam. If you like, you can add a layer of jam to each layer for a fruity touch. However, before adding the jam, apply a thin layer of frosting to the cake. Then to prevent the jam from escaping the cake, use a piping bag or a simple resealable plastic bag to create a border around the cake layer before adding the jam and layering.
Final touch
- Layer each cake, ice, personalize. Frost the edge and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Let your imagination run wild for the final decoration. I like to use a good quality cake candy mix (I only use the brand name Sweetapolita), colored buttercream as well as the pistachios kept at the beginning of the recipe;)
Notes
This combination of pistachio and raspberry brings a tangy note that contrasts pleasantly with the sweetness of the cake.
Nutrition Information
Yield 16 tips Serving Size 1 tipAmount Per Serving Calories 547Lipides 21gSaturated Fat 5.6gTrans Fat 1.1gUnsaturated Fat 14.6gCholesterol 40mgSodium 303mgCarbohydrates 85gFiber 2.2gSugar 62gProtein 6.4g
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