Sexy Pistachio Cake with Sexier Rose Buttercream

Pistachios.

Don't you just love pistachios? It's a nut of sophistication. Mario thinks I'm a nut myself for holding it in high regard....what does he know eh?

I was given the honour to bake my gf's birthday wedding cake - long story, beautiful but long. She wanted a Pistachio Rose Cake so I was on the hunt to find the perfect pistachio cake, with REAL pistachios.

Three weeks of search and I stumbled upon Paige's blog.

Oh. My. God!

Rich, buttery and pistachio-ey. It's a cake for adults. Here's my adaptation of it.

Sexy Pistachio Cake with Sexier Rose Buttercream


The Sexy Cake:
180g unsalted butter

225g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla
85g almond meal

90g pistachio meal

4 eggs, at room temperature
80g cake flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt

MAKE 'EM:

1. Preheat oven @ 165°C.
   Grease and line a 9" x 2" round tin.
2. Sift cake flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and set aside. 
3. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer on high till light and fluffy.
4. Turn speed to low and add almond meal and pistachio meal. Increase speed to medium-high and cream till pale and fully - about 3 minutes.
5. Add eggs one at a time, creaming the mixture on high speed.
6. Gently fold in flour mixture till well combined.
7. Pour mixture into lined tin and bake for 35-40 minutes at 165°C till golden and cooked through.

The Sexy Rose Butter Cream:
300g caster sugar
5 large egg whites
455g unsalted butter, cubed
2 tsp rose water or 1 tsp rose essence


MAKE 'EM:

1. Place egg whites and sugar in a heat proof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water.
2. Whisk until sugar dissolves and temperature on thermometer is 70-75°C.
3. Remove from heat and whisk on high speed to cool mixture. *This step is very important as if the mixture is still warm, it will melt the butter.
4. Whisk egg whites till stiff peaks - about 6 minutes.
5. While mixer is on medium speed, add butter one cube at a time. Mixing well after each addition.
6. Pour in rose water or essence and mix well.

I topped my cake with Rose Pashmak and chopped pistachios.

Sexy adult's cake. Lovely.