Baking a cake with Pistachio has been on my mind for a long time now, and I recently got to try my hand at it. The result was stunning. But I must say not everyone has a liking for the intense Pista flavour. I must add that I have not used any food colour for the cake and what is see is the natural Pista green, which is a dull green, unlike the bright green store bought ones.
Well, this cake was totally inspired by some wonderful chocolate bars ( both dark and white), that we bought recently from Fabelle by @itcltd . Just imagining the taste of Pista and white chocolate together was making me crave it and so this cake came about. Now when I cook/ bake a new recipe a lot of research goes in. Before I zero in on how I want to go about it.
As I always claim about my baking recipes, this one too is a single bowl recipe. No mess and no extra clean up. Let’s get to the recipe right away.
While you are here check out my other bakes like Apple Crumble, Blueberry Cheese cake, Upside down orange vanilla cake, Oatmeal cookies, Easy two way muffins, Apple Tea Cake, Eggless Pineapple cake and more...
Ingredients:
Pista/ Pistachios unsalted 100 GM
Flour/ Maida 1/2 cup or 70 GM approx.
Unsalted butter 100 GM
Refined oil 1/4 cup
Icing sugar/ castor sugar/ sugar powder 100 GM
Lemon zest of 1 whole Lemon
Eggs 2
Vanilla essence 2 drops
Baking powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Ghee for greasing the baking mold 2 tsp
Ingredients for White Chocolate glaze:
White chocolate ( invest in a good quality one) 40 GM
Whipping cream 1 cup + 2 tbsp chilled
Castor sugar/ icing sugar 1 tbsp less than 1/2 cup
Directions for cake:
In a pan roast the Pistachios very lightly. They just need to get warm, and not change colour. Cool them and pulse them to a fine powder in a blender. Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 mins. In a bowl cream the butter, oil and sugar with a beater. Now add half the amount of Pistachio powder and half the amount of flour and beat. Add the remaining Pista powder, baking powder, and flour and beat again until combined. The mixture will appear a little dry. Now add one egg at a time and beat to combine. Finally, add the lemon zest and vanilla essence and give a finally spin with the beater. Now using a spatula, scrape the sides and stir just once. The cake batter is ready. Grease a circular cake mold or Loaf pan, and pour the cake batter into it. Tap once gently to remove any air gaps and put it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Since each oven has a different setting, keep checking for fineness from 15 minutes onward. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Directions for making glaze.
Bring the White chocolate to room temperature. Take the chocolate in a bowl, add 2 tbsp cream and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Bring it out and stir vigorously so that the melted white chocolate combines with the cream evenly. Cool it for 10 minutes. In the meanwhile, take the chilled cream in a bowl, add the castor sugar and start beating until it turns airy and forms soft peaks. Once soft peaks form, don’t whip it any more. Add the white chocolate mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Put it in the fridge until further use.
How to assemble ( no pictures)
Let the cake cool naturally. Now bring out the white chocolate glaze and using a spatula gently spread it on the cake. I have left the sides uncovered. Spread generously to form a 1 cm coating. Sprinkle some Pistachio powder over the glaze and some split pistachios too. Add a few edible rose petals for contrast. Keep in fridge until it’s ready to serve.
STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:
1. To make the cake-- In a pan roast the Pistachios very lightly. They just need to get warm, and not change colour. Cool them and pulse them to a fine powder in a blender. Preheat oven to 200 C for 10 mins.
2. In a bowl cream the butter, oil and sugar with a beater. Now add half the amount of Pistachio powder and half the amount of flour and beat. Add the remaining Pista powder, baking powder, and flour and beat again until combined. The mixture will appear a little dry.
3. Now add one egg at a time and beat to combine. Finally, add the lemon zest and vanilla essence and give a finally spin with the beater. Now using a spatula, scrape the sides and stir just once. The cake batter is ready.
4. Grease a circular cake mold or Loaf pan, and pour the cake batter into it. Tap once gently to remove any air gaps and put it in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Since each oven has a different setting, keep checking for fineness from 15 minutes onward. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
5. To Make the glaze-- Bring the White chocolate to room temperature. Take the chocolate in a bowl, add 2 tbsp cream and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Bring it out and stir vigorously so that the melted white chocolate combines with the cream evenly. Cool it for 10 minutes.
6. In the meanwhile, take the chilled cream in a bowl, add the castor sugar and start beating until it turns airy and forms soft peaks. Once soft peaks form, don’t whip it any more. Add the white chocolate mixture and gently fold it in with a spatula. Put it in the fridge until further use.
7. To assemble the cake-- Let the cake cool naturally. Now bring out the white chocolate glaze and using a spatula gently spread it on the cake. I have left the sides uncovered. Spread generously to form a 1 cm coating. Sprinkle some Pistachio powder over the glaze and some split pistachios too. Add a few edible rose petals for contrast. Keep in fridge until it’s ready to serve. (no pictures)
NOTES:
1. Ensure that all ingredients are at room temperature before baking.
2. Use good quality eating chocolate instead of the cooking chocolate bars available at stores. They are mostly flavoured and not real chocolate.
3. Always use pulse mode in the blender to powder the Pistachio, so that it does not turn oily.
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