Pistachio Cake

2 cups unsalted pistachios

2 and 1/3 cups sifted cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1 and 3/4 cups granulated sugar

5 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup whole milk, at room temperature

optional: 1 tiny drop of green food coloring

optional: leftover pistachios for garnish

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.

Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until ground up into fine crumbs. You’ll have extra crumbs left for optional garnish. Pour 1 and 1/2 cups of pistachio crumbs in a large bowl. Whisk in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Scrape the bowl well. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. With the mixer still running on low, pour in the milk (and the green food coloring, if using) and mix just until combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake for 21-23 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. When cake has cooled frost with Cream Cheese frosting.

Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese softened to room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

4 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 

Directions:

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If frosting too thick add a little milk or cream.  Frost the cake and then sprinkle chopped pistachios around the top edge of the cake if desired to garnish.

 

**Optional Pistachio Filling- I mixed a small jar of pistachio paste to 1 ½ cups of the frosting and spread it between the layers. I had brought mine back from Italy, but you can find pistachio paste online.