Oh friends. Wow wow wow.
This pistachio cream cake is like an actual mic drop for your next dinner party or birthday party or anything party. It's what we like to call a show stopper and so good it's guaranteed to impress everyone you choose to share it with.
If you're looking for a dessert that people will be talking about for daaaaaays, you can stop right now because this cake will knock the socks off anyone lucky enough to get a slice.
Here's what this cake is all about:
- Two layers of soft pistachio cake flavored with ground pistachios, cardamom, vanilla, and almond extract. The batter includes buttermilk, yogurt, and olive oil which add even more flavor and creates work an impossibly tender and moist texture.
- Is one layer of pistachio pastry cream enough for this cake? No it is not. We're going to spread it in between the cake layers AND pile it on top to ensure a cake-to-pastry-cream-ratio that's deserving of the name "cream cake". Also, trust me on this, you can NEVER have too much pistachio pastry cream.
- The whole cake is covered in two layers of rich chocolate ganache because, as we all know, chocolate and pistachios were made for each other and also because it looks all sleek and fancy but really just requires that we pour it on.
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Step-by-step photos and instructions
Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans and cover the bottom of the pans with a parchment round. Here's more information about how to prepare cake pans so the cake will not stick.
Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse 5-8 times, until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Set ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons of the nuts aside for the topping then grind the rest of the pistachios into powder.
Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, cardamom, salt, to the food processor and process until everything is very well blended and the pistachios are even more finely ground.
Add the eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract to a separate bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a spoon until blended.
Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and set them in the center of the preheated oven to bake.
Allow the cakes to cool inside the pans for 5 minutes then gently turn them out onto wire baking racks. Let the cakes cool completely before assembling.
Spread a generous 1 cup of pistachio pastry cream over one of the cakes then top it with the second layer of cake. Spoon another cup of pistachio pastry cream over the top of the cake and spread it into an even layer that goes all the way to the edges.
Use the remaining pastry cream to coat the sides of the cake, like you would with buttercream frosting.
You don't need a thick layer of pastry cream on the sides - you will still be able to see the cake through the layer of pastry cream on the side.
Wrap a cake collar around the cake, pulling it tight and pressing it into the sides of the cake so it is very close fitting. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top to prevent the top layer of pastry cream from forming a skin and place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 48 hours.
Prepare the ganache so that it has time to cool slightly. You want it to be pourable but not hot.
Set a wire baking rack over a large piece of parchment paper. Remove the cake from the refrigerator and use a spatula to carefully transfer it to the baking rack. Remove the cake collar. Use an offset spatula or cake smoother to smooth the top and sides of the cake so that they are as smooth as possible.
Pour about one-half to two-thirds of the ganache over the top of the cake, starting in the center and then moving out so that the ganache runs down the sides of the cake coating the cake completely. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the ganache to set.
Scrape the ganache on the parchment paper back into the bowl with the remaining ganache, cover and set aside.
Gently reheat the ganache in the microwave, heating it in 10 second intervals, stirring after every interval, until it returns to a pourable consistency.
Set the cake, still on the baking rack, over a fresh sheet of parchment paper.
Pour the remaining ganache over the cake, starting in the center and then moving out so that the ganache runs down the side of the cake to give it a second coating. (If you have enough ganache left over for a third coating, repeat the process once more.)
Immediately sprinkle the reserved chopped pistachios around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for another hour to allow the ganache to set.
Use a spatula to carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Useful tools
There are a few inexpensive tools that, if you have them, will make putting this cake together so much easier!
The first is a cake collar, something I don't use very often, but in certain situations it can be a godsend. A cake collar is simply a thick sheet of plastic that you cut to size and then wrap around the outside of the cake.
For this cake, I like to use it after layering cake and pastry cream. After stacking the layers of pistachio cake with pistachio pastry cream, it's important to put the cake in the refrigerator for a few hours to give it a chance to stabalize.
Wrapping a cake collar around it ensures that the middle layer of pastry cream will not seep out and eliminates the chance that the top layer of cake will slide around.
Also, cake collars can make transporting a layer cake a piece of cake (😂).
Two other tools that are super useful are an offset spatula and a cake smoother. Both of these tools will make spreading the pastry cream into an even layer a super easy task.
Tips and tricks
Before covering the cake with chocolate ganache, it's important to set the cake on a wire baking rack that's placed over a sheet of parchment paper. As the ganache runs down the sides of the cake, excess ganache it will run through the baking rack and collect on the piece of parchment paper. Then, you can simply scrape the excess ganache on the parchment paper back into the bowl.
To do this, you'll want to move the cake from a plate to the baking rack and that can be tricky unless you set the cake on a parchment round. So, before assembling the cake, do yourself a favor and cut an 8-inch circle of parchment and set it on a plate. Build the cake on that parchment covered plate then use a spatula to move the cake, parchment and all, from the plate to the baking rack.
Make ahead and storage instructions
All of the components of this cake can be prepared in advance:
- The cakes can be prepared up to 24 hours in advance if stored at room temperature, or for 3 months if frozen. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap if storing the cake layers for 24 hours or less. To freeze the cake, wrap it in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil.
- The pastry cream can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, or frozen (freeze before adding the pistachio paste) for up to 3 months.
- Chocolate ganache can be prepared up to 2 weeks in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before using, reheat gently on low in the microwave or on the stovetop until it's softened to a pourable consistency.
More show stopper cake recipes
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me.
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Pistachio Cream Cake
This pistachio cream cake is like an actual mic drop for your next dinner party or birthday party or anything party. It's what we like to call a show stopper and so good it's guaranteed to impress everyone you choose to share it with.
Ingredients
For the pistachio cakes:
- 2 ¼ cups (10 ounces/ 300 grams) shelled, roasted and unsalted pistachios
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ (180 grams) cups cake flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
- 1 ½ teaspoon kosher salt, OR 1 teaspoon table salt
- 6 large eggs
- ¾ cup (176 grams) full fat greek yogurt, plain and unsweetened
- ⅓ cup (76 grams) buttermilk or regular milk
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the cake assembly:
- 1 recipe pistachio pastry cream, prepared without whipped cream
- 3 cups chocolate ganache (the recipe makes 1 cup; triple it to make 3 cups)
Instructions
To make two 8-inch round pistachio cakes:
- Heat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare two 8-inch round cake pans: coat the inside of the pans with vegetable shortening or softened butter. Cut a parchment paper round to fit on the bottom of both pans. Smear some shortening or butter over the parchment paper. Shake a tablespoon or two of flour around inside the pans until completely coated. Tap out the excess flour. *Here's more information about how to prepare cake pans so the cake will not stick.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse 5-8 times, until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Set ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons of the nuts aside for the topping then grind the rest of the pistachios into powder. The goal is to ground the nuts into a fine powder but stop before the mixture starts to turn into pistachio butter.
- Add the sugar, flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt to the food processor and process until everything is very well blended and the pistachios are even more finely ground - at least 30 seconds. You may need to scrape the mixture out into a bowl and stir everything around if the pistachios are clumping in the processor bowl.
- Add the eggs, yogurt, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and almond extract to a separate bowl and whisk vigorously until well combined. Add the pistachio-flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir with a spoon until blended.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared pans and set them in the center of the preheated oven. Bake the cakes for 35-45 minutes. To test that they are done, insert a toothpick in the center and remove it. If there is no evidence of raw batter on the toothpick, the cakes are done.
- Allow the cakes to cool inside the pans for 5 minutes then gently turn them out onto wire baking racks. Allow the cakes to cool completely before assembling.
To assemble the pistachio cream cake (See photos above for visual reference):
- Cut a piece of parchment paper into an 8-inch circle and set it on a plate. Set one of the cake layers on the parchment.
- Use an offset spatula to spread about 1 cup of pistachio pastry cream over the cake into a thick even layer and place the second cake on top. Spoon another cup of pistachio pastry cream over the top of the cake and spread it into an even layer that goes all the way to the edges. Use the remaining pastry cream to coat the sides of the cake, like you would with buttercream frosting. You'll want a thin layer of pastry cream on the sides of the cake; you should be able to see the cake under the pastry cream.
- Wrap a cake collar (see link below) around the cake, pulling it tight and pressing it into the sides of the cake so it is very close fitting. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the top to prevent the top layer of pastry cream from forming a skin and place the cake in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours and up to 48 hours.
- Prepare the ganache so that it has time to cool slightly. You want it to be pourable but not hot. Set a wire baking rack over a large piece of parchment paper.
- Remove the cake from the refrigerator and use a spatula to carefully transfer it to the baking rack - the parchment paper on the bottom of the cake will make this easier. Remove the cake collar. Use an offset spatula or a cake smoother to smooth the top and sides of the cake so that they are as smooth as possible.
- Pour about half to two-thirds of the ganache over the top of the cake, starting in the center and then moving out so that the ganache runs down the sides of the cake coating the cake completely. Place the cake in the refrigerator for about an hour to allow the ganache to set. Scrape the ganache on the parchment paper back into the bowl with the remaining ganache, cover and set aside.
- Gently reheat the ganache in the microwave, heating it in 10 second intervals, stirring after every interval, until it returns to a pourable consistency.
- Set the cake, still on the baking rack, over a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Pour the remaining ganache over the cake, starting in the center and then moving out so that the ganache runs down the side of the cake to give it a second coating. (If you have enough ganache left over for a third coating, repeat the process once more.)
- Immediately sprinkle the reserved chopped pistachios around the perimeter of the top of the cake. Place the cake in the refrigerator for another hour to allow the ganache to set.
- Use a spatula to carefully transfer the cake to a serving plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. The cake will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Notes
See photos above for visual cues about how to make and assemble this cake.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/12th of the cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 864Total Fat: 52gSaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 281mgSodium: 612mgCarbohydrates: 77gFiber: 9gSugar: 46gProtein: 25g
Bella says
Hello, I came across your recipe and I am looking forward to baking it however, I see that on the top of your recipe it states that it yields one, 8" cake but then on the recipe itself...the directions are for 2, 8" cakes?
Perhaps I am confused but if you can elaborate, that would be great!
🙂Thanks in advance!
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi there! I totally see where that might be confusing. This is for an 8-inch cake with two layers. The layers are baked in two 8-inch pans and then stacked together with a layer of pistachio pastry cream in between. Does that make sense?
Bella says
Thanks!
Valerie Lytle says
This looks incredible and I want to make it, but the cost of the ingredients is too high. I am thinking I’ll just have a middle layer of pistachio cream (so I dont have to buy 12 oz of paste). Should I use a lesser amount of the ganache and just do a pour on the top with drips down the sides, or make a thicker ganache and just frost the top?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Valerie! I get it! This is a pricy cake to make. I would actually suggest whipping the ganache and spreading it on the cake like buttercream. This will give you the best of both worlds - a creamy and chocolate outer layer. Simply allow the chocolate ganache to cool completely, then beat it with an electric mixer until it's light and fluffy. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Valerie Lytle says
Excellent and thank you! I am going to do that. I have made so many wonderful cakes from your recipes. Looking forward to this one for an upcoming dinner party.
Rebecca Blackwell says
That just makes my day, Valerie! Please let me know how this cake comes out for you!