Crema di Pistacchio Cake
A Cake for the Pistachio Lovers (Me) - Friday Food Chat with Kath
This cake is a favourite of mine, for obvious reasons.
I can thank Skye McAlpine for heavy influence in both my crema di pistacchio obsession, and this recipe. I stumbled across this recipe of Skye’s on Pinterest ages ago, and have since made my own adaptations. Skye has also since published a similar recipe in her book A Table for Friends 💚.
This seems to be a recipe I can’t stop tinkering with, my original version is here with suggestions on how to make this cake without having a pistachio cream/spread or using less of it. It is expensive stuff so try the variations mentioned here and use your spread for the icing.
Pistachio cream/spreads I can recommend for this cake that are relatively easy to buy include Oh Pista, Pietro Lab and Pisti. The green colour of your cake and icing will vary depending on the spread you use.
Crema di Pistacchio Cake
Ingredients:
200g unsalted butter, softened
180g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
180g crema di pistacchio/pistachio spread/pistachio cream
3 eggs
120g Greek-style yoghurt
200g self raising flour
Ingredients for the Buttercream:
150g unsalted butter, at room temp
190g icing mixture
80g crema di pistacchio/pistachio spread/pistachio cream
Slivered pistachios, optional
Method:
Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a 23cm square baking tin with baking paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the crema di pistacchio and mix until combined.
Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and add half the flour and gently mix with a spatula until almost combined. Then add the yoghurt and gently mix until combined. Add the remaining flour and gently mix until combined.
Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 40-50 mins (I find the exact time is slightly different depending on the brand of pistachio spread, so check at 40 mins and do an extra 5 mins or less until cooked through). A skewer will come out clean when the cake is cooked through.
Allow the cake to cool in its tin for a few minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing, beat the butter using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment for 1-2 minutes, or until it is pale and creamy. Add in the icing mixture, and beat for another 1-2 minutes or until the icing is fluffy.
Add the crema di pistacchio and mix until combined.
Spread the buttercream evenly over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with slivered pistachios to decorate if desired.
Serves about 15. Will keep in an airtight container for about 5 days.
Check out more recipes over on the paid version of this newsletter featuring, A Ginger Sponge Cake, A Festive Boiled Fruit Cake and A Caramel Ginger Pudding. See the whole archive here and sign up to support my work and get it all straight to your inbox or Substack feed!
Biscoff Babka
If pistachio isn’t your thing, hopefully this babka will hit the spot. Choc hazelnut spread can also be used in place of the Biscoff spread.
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wow YUM alert!