Pistachio Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
An easy recipe for a light and flavorful pistachio cake with tangy cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Pistachio Cake
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup ground pistachios
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup freeze dried strawberries crushed to 1/2 cup powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3-4 cups confectioners sugar
Almond Paste Strawberries (Optional)
- 8 oz almond paste
- food color gels
Instructions
Pistachio Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Lightly spray a 9x11 baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, attaching it to the sides with binder clips. Lightly spray the parchment paper.
- Grind unshelled, lightly salted pistachios in a food processor. Process until you have very small pieces, but do not overdo it or you will create a nut butter. Pulse and check the texture from time-to-time.
- Add the ground pistachios, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and corn starch to a large bowl. Mix with a whisk or fork.
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about two minutes.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until incorporated.
- Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so that everything gets mixed.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk, mixing between each addition. You can do this in three times each.
- Again, make sure you scrape the bottom and sides.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 33-35 minutes, until golden brown and a wooden skewer/toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- Crush the freeze-dried strawberries to a powder. I needed 3/4 cup to create 1/2 cup of powder.
- Add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Mix the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla and mix.
- Add the strawberry powder and mix.
- Add the confectioners sugar one cup at a time. I found that 3 cups worked well for the flavor and consistency I wanted. If you want something sweeter and thicker, you can add additional confectioners sugar a bit at a time up to a total of 4 cups.
- Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
- Remember: you cannot frost the cake until it is completely cool. You can store your frosting in a covered container in the fridge while the cake cools, but you will need to take it out for a bit to soften before using.
Strawberry Decoration
- Separate the almond paste into 2/3 and 1/3 pieces.
- It is a VERY GOOD IDEA to wear gloves when dying the almond paste.
- Add 2 drops of red or fuchsia food gel to the 2/3 portion of the almond paste and knead it together until completely combined. Set aside.
- Add 2 drops of green food gel to the 1/3 portion of the almond paste and knead it together until completely combined.
- Roll out the red almond paste between two sheets of parchment paper.
- You can use a paper template to create the strawberry and leaf patterns in the next step or you can eyeball it. I started with the paper and switched to doing it on my own.
- Cut a strawberry shape from the almond paste using the tip of a sharp knife. It helps to have a wet paper towel nearby to clean off the end of the knife.
- Prick the surface of the "strawberries" using a toothpick. This will make the seed pattern.
- Roll out the green almond paste between two sheets of parchment paper.
- Cut a leaf pattern using the tip of a sharp knife.
- Position the strawberry design on top of the frosted cake. Add the leaves to the top of the strawberries.
- Cover your cake and store it in the fridge.
