Pistachio Cake with Honey Vanilla Buttercream
 
 
This pistachio cake with honey vanilla buttercream frosting is a true celebration cake - with a light crumb and a delectable frosting, it's the kind of cake that you will never forget after that first bite.
Yield: 1 triple layer 8-inch cake
Ingredients
For the cake
  • 1 cup shelled pistachios
  • 2½ cups cake flour
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1¾ cups sugar
  • 1 tbsp vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar
For the buttercream
  • 1½ cups sugar
  • ⅓ cup flour
  • 1½ cups milk
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • 1½ cups unsalted butter, soft, cut into small pieces
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp honey
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 325. Grease and line three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pistachio meat until it is coarsely chopped. Remove 2 tbsp to a small bowl. Pulse the remaining pistachios until they have almost a powder-like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk together both the roughly chopped and fine pistachios with the all purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter in the stand mixer for 3 minutes. Add in the sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in the egg and mix until just combined.
  4. Turn the mixer to low. Pour 1½ cups ice water into a measuring cup. Add the flour/pistachio mix to the batter in three additions, alternating with the ice water, mixing each time until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and mix on low speed for a few more seconds.
  5. In a medium, clean bowl whisk together the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form, about 3-5 minutes. Fold the egg whites into the batter.
  6. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Flip the cakes out of the pans, onto the rack and let cool completely before frosting. Remove parchment paper from the bottoms.
  7. For the buttercream, in a medium heavy saucepan, whisk together the flour and sugar. Add in the milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until the mixture comes to a boil and then thickens, 10-15 minutes.
  8. Transfer the hot milk mixture to a stand mixer bowl and mix with the paddle attachment on high speed until cool, about 9 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter, a few pieces at a time, until it is full incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, a few minutes.
  9. Add in the vanilla and honey and continue mixing until combined. If the frosting is too soft, chill it and mix again.
  10. To assemble the cake, place one cake layer top side up on a serving platter. Use a long serrated knife to cut the top so that it is flat and even. Spread a little over a cup of frosting on top. Add the next later and, again, trim so that it is flat. Top with another cup of frosting. Add the remaining cake layer and trim the top again. Spread cake with a very thin layer of frosting for the crumb coating. Put in the freezer for 5-10 minutes. Spread the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as desired.
Notes
Slightly adapted from Baked Explorations: Classic American Desserts Reinvented
Nutrition Information
Serving size: 1 slice
Recipe by Joanne Eats Well With Others at https://joanne-eatswellwithothers.com/2014/02/pistachio-cake-honey-vanilla-buttercream.html