Pistachio Raspberry Cake (Printable)
Elegant layer cake combining ground pistachios and fresh raspberries in a moist tender crumb, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting and decorated with nuts and fruit.
# What You Need:
→ For the Cake
01 - 7 oz shelled unsalted pistachios
02 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 2 tsp baking powder
04 - 1/2 tsp salt
05 - 7 oz unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 2/3 cup whole milk
09 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
11 - 7 oz fresh raspberries
→ For the Cream Cheese Frosting
12 - 9 oz cream cheese, softened
13 - 3.5 oz unsalted butter, softened
14 - 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ For Decoration
16 - 1.75 oz shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
17 - 3.5 oz fresh raspberries
# How To Cook:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a food processor, finely grind 7 oz pistachios until they reach a fine meal consistency. Set aside.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and ground pistachios until well blended.
04 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
05 - Mix in the vanilla extract and lemon zest until incorporated.
06 - Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
07 - Gently fold in 7 oz fresh raspberries by hand until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
08 - Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
10 - Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until fluffy and well combined.
11 - When cakes are completely cool, spread a layer of frosting over one cake layer, top with the second layer, and frost the top and sides evenly.
12 - Sprinkle chopped pistachios over the top and sides of the frosted cake. Arrange fresh raspberries on top for garnish.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The combination of nutty pistachios and bright raspberries creates this perfect balance of flavors that feels sophisticated but not fussy
- This cake manages to be both elegant enough for dinner parties and casual enough for afternoon coffee with friends
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients are absolutely nonnegotiable for this cake to prevent curdling and ensure proper emulsification
- Letting the cakes cool completely before frosting prevents the frosting from melting and sliding off
03 -
- If your pistachios have skins, blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes then rub them in a towel to remove the skins for a brighter green color
- Freeze the raspberries for 15 minutes before folding into the batter to prevent them from breaking apart too much