Pistachio Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

Even though it's still November, the holidays will be here before you know it. With all of the super sweet desserts that come with this time of year, there can also be festive desserts for those with a little less of a sweet tooth. I paired this Pistachio Cake with a Vanilla Buttercream Frosting to make it slightly sweeter, but still keeping that sugary taste out. This dessert is both light and sweet (pun intended). With every recipe I make, I picture the perfect scenario for each dessert. Meaning, what setting would this dessert be best in? Although pistachio cake does not necessarily have to do with Christmas, it is fitting for the event because it has a nutty flavor that we see a lot around this time of year and with a dot of food coloring, this cake becomes a light, Christmas green that matches the flavor of the cake. Although this cake can be loved by all, I picture this one on the adult table when it's time for dessert.

HOW TO MAKE PISTACHIO CAKE

You Will Need:

• 2 cups unsalted pistachios (out of shells)
• 2 and 1/3 cups sifted cake flour (spoon & leveled)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• Optional: 1 tiny drop of green food coloring
• Optional: garnishes such as berries and leftover pistachios

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.
2. Make the cake. Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until ground up into very fine crumbs. You'll have about 1 and 1/2 cups of pistachio crumbs. (If you have more than that, set aside for garnish).
3. Pour 1 and 1/2 cups of pistachio crumbs into a large bowl. Whisk in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and cream, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, pour in the milk (and the green food coloring, if using) and mix until just combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
5. Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for around 21-23 minutes or until the cake are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
6. Make the frosting. Recipe below.
7. Assemble and decorate. Using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with more frosting. Top with the 3rd cake layer. Spread the frosting all over the tops and sides. Decorate with garnishes, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30-45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake keep its shape when cutting.
8. Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

HOW TO MAKE VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

You Will Need:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3-4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)

Directions:

1. With an electric mixer and the paddle attachment, beat the butter with the salt until creamy.
2. Add the powdered sugar,1 cup at a time, mixing completely before adding more. Repeat until all powdered sugar is added.
3. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Then add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix at low speed, until the desired consistency is reached.
4. Spread or pipe frosting onto cake. May add food coloring first, if desired.

MY REVIEW

Today is my first time reviewing two recipes at once. I found the pistachio cake recipe first and the author attached a link to a cream cheese frosting that she made that she thought would pair well. I wanted to use something a little sweeter, so I found a different recipe from another author for vanilla buttercream. Because I used two different recipes and you can use one without the other, I will review both separately. For the frosting, I used 4 cups of powdered sugar and 4 tablespoons of half & half (I ran out of heavy cream). The vanilla buttercream was smooth and creamy, and spread easily. Again, this dessert wasn't overly sweet, so if you use this frosting recipe, don't expect a sugary taste. Overall, I'd give the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe a 9/10. There was nothing wrong with this frosting by any means, I've just had better. As I said, this one is perfectly fine, especially if you're looking for a lighter buttercream. For the cake, I was really pleased with the taste. It had the same taste as pistachio ice cream which is what I was hoping for. I didn't grind the pistachios into a dust, but rather into small crumbs, which added a little extra texture to the cake which I enjoyed. The cake didn't rise as much as I expected, but when I put all the layers on top of each other it was still a tall cake. I would give this recipe an 8/10.  Again, there was definitely nothing wrong with this recipe, but I've had better. The taste was spot on and the texture was not too light or heavy. If you love pistachio flavor, this would be a great cake to try out this holiday season. 

Original Pistachio Cake recipe: https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/pistachio-cake/#tasty-recipes-66948 

Original Vanilla Buttercream Frosting recipe: https://www.dessertnowdinnerlater.com/vanilla-buttercream-frosting/