Raspberry + Pistachio Cake
My only requirement for my birthday was a pink cake with flowers on top. And to make it myself for a little birthday fun (duh!). My other '“craving” when it came to my cake - pistachio. For some reason I thought a fresh Summer berry with some sort of pistachio component would be fun and delicious, plus I felt a pop of green would be cute with the pink cake I dreamed of. I decided on a Raspberry + Pistachio Cake, and everything from the flavor to the texture to vibe was a hit here at our house. A delicate & sweet raspberry lemon cake with a fresh raspberry compote, a pistachio cream cheese filling, and some pistachio crunch. Finished with my ultimate favorite - a cream cheese frosting. It was fruity, lemon-y, & nutty, and it was delicious. My perfect birthday cake to ring in 35.
This year I was craving a low key, and by all definitions boring birthday. A day at home with Jordan and the dogs to relax, be kinda healthy (granted by day was somewhat revolving around my birthday cake), and just fly by the seat of my pants. It will go down as my first birthday in history where I requested salmon for dinner, and that is a lifetime shit no one saw coming. My husband probably being the most delighted that I’m a fish fan these days.
It was a good day. Leave it to Jordan to ask the thought provoking birthday question - “what did you learn this year?” SImply put, I learned that bad situations can get better, and I think it was a happy lesson to learn. I’ve seen friendships and other relationships evolve and improve, some of which have felt quite trying in years past. And by trying I mean tears were involved. Sometimes feelings of stress and hopelessness. But with time and a new open-ness for things to improve, I was able to look back and recognize that they have. I can’t say no effort was made on my to improve some of these things, but nothing was forced and I was able to see how time and patience had a positive impact on healing relationships. It’s allowing me to head into a new year with a new mindset of bad situations don’t have to stay bad. So whether it’s some struggles with how I feel about myself, someone else, or (very relevant to my current situation), I’m holding on to the knowledge that bad situations/circumstances can get better and don’t have to stay bad. It’s probably one of the more valuable life lessons I’ve had, and I’m happy to have experienced my life go through some positive changes. So thank you to my husband for the moment of reflection that’s going down as one of the more meaningful moments of my birthday.
Also meaningful - the new backyard lounge chairs I received in honor of my birthday. Tan Lesley is coming in hot this Summer, and I’m thankful for Jordan’s support on this journey. If all goes according to plan, I will be spending lots of times on my new lounger and crush a few books in the sun this Summer. When I envision by backyard time, I see Walter on the chair right next to me, and those are sweet moments I’m ready to soak up this season.
Leaving myself with this cake recipe, and the reminder that prep is key. Prep the cake, the compote, the filling, and the crumble a day ahead for easy decorating when the time comes. it was my key to enjoying the process this go around.
For the cake
1 c. butter, at room temp
1 3/4 c granulated sugar
6 egg white
1 tbsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 c. flour
1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 c. buttermilk
1 c. fresh raspberries
For the raspberry compote
2 c. raspberries
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1-2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
For the pistachio filing
1 brick of cream cheese
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. pistachios, finely chopped
pinch of salt
green food coloring
For the pistachio crunch
5 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 c. pistachios, roughly chopped
1 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar
pinch of salt
For the cream cheese buttercream
2-8 ounce bricks of cream cheese, room temperature
1 c. butter (3 sticks), room temperature
8 c. powdered sugar
pinch of salt
Start with the cakes. Preheat the oven to 325. Prep 3 cake trays with flour + line with parchment. I used 6 inch trays.
Now for the batter. Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter + sugar for 1 minute. Add in the egg whites one at a time, and continue to mix until fully incorporated. Mix in the lemon zest & the salt, mixing at medium high for 1 minute. Turn the mixture to low and add in half of the flour, the baking soda, and baking powder. Once incorporated add in the lemon juice and half of the buttermilk, mixing on low until fully incorporated. Add in the remainder of the flower followed by the remainder of the buttermilk. Mix on low until fully incorporated. Gradually increase the speed until you get to medium high, and whip at this speed for about 2 minutes. The batter should appear light and fluffy. Using a spatula, gently mix in the fresh raspberries.
Separate the batter between the 3 prepared trays, and bake for 30-35 minutes. You want the cakes to be browned on the top and to pass the toothpick test before taking them out from the oven. Once cooked, let them cool in the cake pans for 30 minutes to an hour, then remove from the pans to let them cool completely. Once cooled, trim the domes off the top of the cake so you have a flat surface, tightly wrap the cakes in plastic wrap, and freeze until you’re ready to assemble.
For the raspberry compote, place all ingredients except for the vanilla in a sauce pan and give everything a gentle stir. Turn the heat to medium, stirring occasionally and increasing the heat to medium high until the mixture begins to boil. Let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low and continue to let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes to ensure the fruit doesn’t burn at the bottom. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool completely. Refrigerate until you’re ready to decorate your cake.
Move to making the pistachio filling. Add the powdered sugar and cream cheese to the bowl, and whip on high using an electric mixer. Add in the pistachios and salt, continue to mix on high until fully incorporated. Add in 2-3 drops of food coloring to get the desired hue. Package in a sealed piping bag, leaving the tip on until you’re ready to frost the cake.
Now make the pistachio crumble. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Preheat the oven to 350. In a bowl, mix together the dry ingredients. Last step - mix in the melted butter. Stir to toss everything together. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, then toss and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. Crumble should be a nice roasted brown color and crunchy.
Now make the frosting. Place the cream cheese + butter in a stand mixer, and mix with the paddle attachment for a minute at medium speed. Add in the powdered sugar 2-3 cups at a time, beating on medium until fully mixed in, and repeating this process until all the powdered sugar has been incorporated. Increase the speed to high and whop on high for 60-90 seconds. The frosting should be light, smooth, and spreadable. Reserve some of the frosting (just a small portion) and keep white for decorating. Reserve an additional couple of tbsp and dye. Color the remaining frosting the desired shade of pink.
To decorate the cake, follow these steps:
Place one layer on a cardboard cake tray, with a small amount of frosting on the bottom.
Spread a 1/2 inch layer of the pistachio filling on top, leaving a 1/4 inch board around the edge of the cake. Using your pink frosting, pipe a border surrounding the pistachio filling. Top with a thin layer of the raspberry compote and a sprinkle of the pistachio crumble.
Place the second cake layer on top
Repeat the process outlined in step 2. Once completed, place the final top layer on top.
Move to dirty ice the cake, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Completely ice the cake and refrigerate another 30 minutes.
Proceed to decorate the cake however you like.