Pistachio & Raspberry Cakes

A birthday treat for a pistachio lover. I found this recipe after somewhat of a goose-chase over the internet searching for pistachio cake recipes.

Remaining cuttings can be cut into cubes (or any shapes) and made into little cake-bites. They could also be turned into cake pops.

The pistachio creme au beurre is rather buttery, but the tartness of the raspberries cuts through it. If you weren't using raspberries (or just couldn't be bothered with making the buttercream), you could fold the pistachio paste into some whipped cream to top the cakes.

I packaged this in little home-made pastry boxes.

Recipe from From Buenos Aires to Paris

Pistachio & Raspberry Cakes
makes 10 6cm-round cakes

Ingredients:
For the pistachio cake
100g pistachios
200g unsalted butter
120g plain flour, sifted
180g caster sugar
4 eggs
For the pistachio buttercream
250g unsalted butter
50ml water
140ml caster sugar
2 eggs
2 egg yolks
1-2 tsp pistachio paste (about 10-20 pistachios blended into a fine paste with a drizzle of oil)

400g raspberries
     

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/mark 2 and butter a 25cm round cake pan.

2. For the sponge, process the pistachios and half  the sugar until the pistachios have been very finely chopped.

3. Whisk together the butter and remaining 90g sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually mix in the eggs and then the flour and ground pistachio/sugar mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool and then remove the cake from the pan.

4. For the pistachio buttercream, whisk the butter until pale and fluffy. Heat the water and sugar in a saucepan until it dissolves and reaches 118C.

5. Whisk the yolks and eggs in a separate bowl until pale and creamy. Slowly pour the syrup (once it has reached 118C) over the eggs and egg yolks and quickly whisk to incorporate. Keep whisking until the mixture has dropped to room temperature. Beat in the butter and continue whisking until the buttercream is smooth. Whisk in the pistachio paste.

6. To assemble, cut 6cm disks out of the sponge and pipe or spread the buttercream on top of the disks. Top with raspberries and a dusting of icing sugar.

* Instead of making pistachio buttercream to top the cakes, the pistachio paste can be folded through firmly whipped cream.