Pistachio Cake With Chocolate Buttercream

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 50 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup sour milk
• 6 egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups toasted chopped pistachio nuts
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel (can use other citrus peel or leave out)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 (6 ounce) package baking bar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup butter, softened (no substitutes)
• nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon hot water

Recipe

• 1 prepare pistachio cake:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350º f & grease and lightly flour three 8x1-1/2-inch round baking pans; set aside.
• 3 stir together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
• 4 beat the 3/4 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
• 5 add the 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1 teaspoon almond extract; beat until fluffy.
• 6 alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk or sour milk, beating on low to medium speed just until combined.
• 7 thoroughly wash and dry beaters.
• 8 in a medium mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).
• 9 gently fold beaten egg whites into batte;.fold in the pistachio nuts and the orange peel.
• 10 pour batter into prepared pans.
• 11 bake in preheated oven 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center of each cake comes out clean.
• 12 cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes.
• 13 remove cakes from pans and cool thoroughly on wire racks.
• 14 prepare buttercream:.
• 15 combine the 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour in a medium mixing bowl; add egg yolks.
• 16 beat mixture with a wire whisk until combined; set aside.
• 17 heat the 1-1/2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat just to boiling;.remove from heat.
• 18 gradually beat hot milk into egg mixture with the wire whisk; return entire mixture to saucepan.
• 19 cook over medium heat until bubbly, whisking constantly; cook 2 minutes more & remove from heat.
• 20 add baking bars, 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.
• 21 let stand for 1 minute; stir until smooth & transfer mixture to a bowl.
• 22 cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin from forming; cool to room temperature.
• 23 beat the 1 cup butter in a medium mixing bowl on medium to high speed until fluffy.
• 24 add cooled baking bar mixture, one-fourth at a time, beating on low speed after each addition until combined.
• 25 spread between layers and over cake.
• 26 if desired, pipe decorative lines along the edges and down the sides of the cake, using a decorating bag fitted with a star tip.
• 27 serve immediately or cover and store cake in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• 28 let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• 29 just before serving, if desired, top with caramelized pistachio shards.
• 30 prepare caramelized pistachio shards::.
• 31 preheat oven to 350ºf & line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil; coat foil with nonstick cooking spray.
• 32 sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios onto prepared foil.
• 33 bake in preheated oven 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted.
• 34 meanwhile, place 1/3 cup sugar in a heavy 10-inch skille & heat over medium-high heat until sugar begins to melt, shaking skillet occasionally to heat sugar evenly.
• 35 do not stir.
• 36 when sugar begins to melt, reduce heat to low.
• 37 cook for 2 minutes more or until sugar is melted and lightly golden, stirring as needed with a wooden spoon.
• 38 remove pan from heat.
• 39 stir in 1/2 teaspoon hot water.
• 40 immediately pour over nuts on hot baking sheet; let cool for 1 minute.
• 41 using two forks, gently pull caramel mixture as thinly as possible, lifting slightly as you pull.
• 42 let cool thoroughly on foil.
• 43 break into pieces; store tightly covered.
• 44 enjoy!