If you’ve been following me or my Facebook page long enough, you will know that one of my go-to cakes is the Double Pistachio Cake. I’ve been going on about it since my very first post.
Double Pistachio mini cucpcakes
I’ve made wedding pistachio cake, big pistachio cupcakes, little pistachio cupcakes, and birthday pistachio cake. It’s. Gob-Stuffingly. Good. Moist and buttery and with a little bite to the texture. Combined with the frosting, its to die for. And that pale green is so chic, and so pretty.
Double Pistachio Cupcakes
Art Deco Caged Wedding Cake
The first time I made it for a crowd was in my good friend Rachel’s stupendous art deco wedding cake. Rachel was, to be honest, a little sceptical on the concept, though I won her over fast with a taste test. With Raspberry Crush cake, Double Pistachio cake and Spiced Chilli Chocolate cake tiers, the big decision was which tier to be which size. We went for chocolate on the bottom, but in then end we discovered that it was really the Double Pistachio cake that stopped the show. Even the attendant little kids squabbled over who would be allowed the last piece.
The coveted Double Pistachio tier of a Rachel’s wedding cake
Having thought it over, I’ve decided it would be rude not to share how it’s done.
Double Pistachio Cake or Cupcakes
Makes 12 cupcakes, 24 mini cupcakes or one tall 15cm round cake.
ingredients
for the pistachio cake
200g unsalted butter
200g caster sugar
4 eggs
125g self raising flour
1tsp baking powder
75g pistachio meal (if you can’t get this, you can make your own in a food processor. just process 70g pistachios with a tablespoon of icing sugar)
3-4 drops pistachio essence (its really strong!) (almond is also ok if you can’t get pistachio essence)
A touch of leaf green gel food colouring
for the pistachio frosting
200g unsalted butter
200g icing sugar
75g pistachio meal
2 drops pistachio essence
30mL vodka
A touch of leaf green gel food colouring
mixing – pistachio cake
To make the cake, prepare your cake or cupcake pans. Line the bottom and sides of your cake pan with baking paper, or line your cupcake pans with cupcake cases sprayed with a little canola spray.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light, Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined (the mixture might curdle – don’t worry about it!). Sift in the flour and baking powder, and tip the pistachio meal in. Mix these ingredients in on low speed until combined, then beat the mixture on high speed for two minutes. Add the essence and a touch of green colour gel if desired and beat well.
Spoon into the prepared pan or pans. For the cake, bake at 175 degrees for 45 minutes, until the cake stops “whispering” and a skewer comes out clean. For large cupcakes, bake 20-25 minutes. For small cupcakes, bake 15-20 minutes.
Let the cakes cool.
If you’re making a big cake, and want layers, split the cold cake into half, split each half into half again. If you just want to frost the top, make 1/4 recipe of frosting. If you want to frost the top and sides, make 1/2 the recipe of frosting.
mixing – pistachio frosting
Beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the icing sugar and pistachio meal and beat slowly until the mixture is combined, then beat on high speed for two minutes. Add the vodka and beat well. Finally, add the pistachio essence (to taste) and a touch of green colour gel if desired and beat well.
For cupcakes, load the frosting into a large piping bag fitted with your favourite tip and pipe frosting onto cupcakes.
For a layered cake, divide the icing roughly into fifths. Spread one fifth between each cake layer, sandwiching the layers together. Spread or pipe one fifth on the sides of the cake, and the final fifth on top.
Ombré Ruffled Celebration Cake – Double Pistacho in there!
I hope you love it as much as I do. My full permission is granted to scoff the lot!
Enjoy xxx
