Pistachio cake — a tender ground-pistachio sponge layered with mascarpone-pistachio cream and fresh raspberries, finished with lime zest. An elegant, nutty celebration cake.
- 250g Butter
- 200g Pistachio
- 80g Plain Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 225g Caster Sugar
- 4 Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 100g Icing Sugar
- 250g Mascarpone
- 200ml Double Cream
- 100g Pistachio Paste
- 400g Raspberries
- 1 Unwaxed Lime
Video
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 23cm springform cake tin. Tip 150g of the pistachios into a food processor and blitz until finely ground, then tip into a bowl and mix in the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Beat the butter and sugar in a separate bowl until fluffy and pale, around 5 minutes. Crack in the eggs one at a time, beating well for 1 minute after each, then beat in the vanilla and gently fold in the flour mixture. Carefully spoon into the tin and bake for 35–40 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack in the tin.
- Meanwhile, sift the icing sugar into a bowl, then add the mascarpone, double cream and pistachio paste. Beat until well combined, then chill for 20–30 minutes to thicken to a spooning consistency.
- Cut the cooled cake in half horizontally with a serrated knife to make two layers. Put the bottom layer on a plate and spread over a generous spoonful of the pistachio cream, then top with a generous handful of raspberries. Add the other sponge half, then cover the top and sides with the remaining cream. Scatter over the last of the raspberries, the remaining pistachios and the lime zest to serve. Keeps chilled in an airtight container for two days.
