Pistachio Cake with Honey Vanilla Buttercream

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Pistachios remind me of Christmas.  In fact, just this morning I had my first pang of "I miss Christmas," which usually hits me around July.  My family rarely eats/buys/uses pistachios, but we always have bowls of them out for Christmas.  It's tradition.  Beyond that, I never thought too much of cooking or baking with them because they were only ever around when we were already over inundated with food.  And yes, they are expensive and you may have to shell them.  

Then I went to Europe where pistachio gelato is the best flavor and the line up of pastries always includes pistachio right next to the chocolate and vanilla.  Pistachio was this flavor, this nut, that I had not tapped into.  And I've only just started.  Oh the thrills!  This cake was a light bulb of "What have I been missing out on!?" My poor family and friends, all these years and I didn't make this for them.  How selfish of me.  Selfish no more, here is the recipe so you can revel in the glory with me!

This cake is fluffy, light, with a wonderful, nutty pistachio flavor that is not overbearing. It has a slight elegance to it, something about being more than 2 layers and the white frosting.

The cake ingredients are fairly standard aside from the pistachios. If you have pistachio flour ready-made available to you, you can save yourself step. Maybe try Amazon, you can find anything online these days! If not, pistachios should be readily available, and you can make pistachio flour yourself by grinding them for a few seconds in a food processor. I don’t have a food processor in Italy, so I get by with an electric coffee grinder which works great!

The frosting is a light and creamy, not-too-sweet cooked frosting. Ever since the first time I’ve made a cooked frosting, the raves come pouring in about how it’s the best frosting they’ve ever eaten. Between cooked frostings and Italian meringue buttercream, I’ve rarely looked back at the traditional American buttercream that is mostly sugar. It has its place, but it seems the general consensus between anyone who has tried some of my cakes and cupcakes that a not-too-sweet frosting is GREATLY appreciated. Give the cooked frosting below a try and see if you don’t fall in love with it!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from Joanne eats well with others

Pistachio Cake with Honey Vanilla Buttercream

Makes 1 3 layer 6-inch round cake. Serves about 8

Ingredients:

For the Pistachio Cake

  • 1/2 cup / 63g shelled pistachios

  • 1 1/4 cups / 164g cake flour

  • scant 1/2 cup / 47g all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 tsp / 7g baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp / 2.5g baking soda

  • 1/2 tsp / 2.5g salt

  • scant 1/2 cup / 100g oil

  • 3/4 cup / 150g sugar

  • 1 1/2 tsp / 7g vanilla extract

  • 1 egg

  • 3/4 cup / 178g ice water

  • 1 egg white

  • 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

For the Honey Vanilla Buttercream

  • 3/4 cup / 150g sugar

  • 3 Tbsp / 20g all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup / 178g milk

  • 3 Tbsp / 44g heavy whipping cream

  • 3/4 cup / 170g butter, cubed

  • 1 tsp / 5g vanilla extract

  • 2 Tbsp / 42g honey

Directions:

Oven 350°F / 177°C.  Grease and line the bottoms of 3 6-inch cake rounds with parchment paper.

Make the Pistachio Cake

  1. Place the pistachios in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.  Set aside 2 tablespoons.  Continue to pulse remaining pistachios until finely ground, like flour in texture.  

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together pistachio flour, cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  

  3. In a normal bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat together oil, sugar, and vanilla.  Add egg and beat until just combined.  

  4. With the mixer on low, add the pistachio flour mixture to the batter in three additions, alternating with the ice water, beginning and ending with pistachio flour mixture.  After each addition mix until just combined.  

  5. In another medium bowl, beat the egg white with cream of tartar until soft peaks form, about 3-4 minutes.  Gently fold the egg white into the cake batter, starting with just a spoonful to lighten the batter, then continue on with the rest.  

  6. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.  Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to cool completely while you make the buttercream.  Remove parchment paper from bottoms.  

Make the Honey Vanilla Buttercream

  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and flour.  Add milk and cream and place over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens, about 5-10 minutes.  

  2. Once thickened, pour mixture into a bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat on high until cool, 8-10 minutes.  Reduce speed to medium low and add butter, piece by piece, until fully incorporated.  Increase speed and beat a few minutes, until light and fluffy.  Beat in vanilla and honey.  

Assembly

Use a serrated knife to level off the top of the cakes.  Cut off just as much as necessary to make the top of the cake level and flat.  If you prefer domed cakes, leave one layer uncut for the top. Place one leveled layer on desired serving plate, cut side down.  Generously spread frosting over top and place second layer on top, again cut side down.  Top with more frosting.  Finish with top layer, domed side up if desired.  Frost the whole cake.  Top with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios.   

Jenny's Notes:

  • For an 8 - 9in / 20-23cm 3 layer cake, double this recipe.  

  • If your buttercream seems too thin or soupy after you've added the butter, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes, then rewhip.  Most likely it has not cooled down enough to stabilize.

  • If you don’t have 3 6-inch pans, it is easier to split the batter in two and bake in two pans, instead of 3. You then have the option of making a two layer cake, or cutting each layer in two for a four layer cake.  

cake,layer cake,pistachio flour,pistachio,roux,cooked frosting,buttercream,honey vanilla
dessert, cake
American
Yield: 8 servings
Author: Jennyblogs
Pistachio Cake with Honey Vanilla Buttercream

Pistachio Cake with Honey Vanilla Buttercream

3 layer moist pistachio cake with a light and fluffy cooked honey vanilla buttercream frosting.
Prep time: 1 H & 25 MCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 1 H & 55 M

Ingredients

For the Pistachio Cake
For the Honey Vanilla Buttercream

Instructions

Make the Pistachio Cake
  1. Oven 350°F / 177°C. Grease and line the bottoms of 3 6-inch cake rounds with parchment paper.
  2. Place the pistachios in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Set aside 2 tablespoons. Continue to pulse remaining pistachios until finely ground, like flour in texture.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together pistachio flour, cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  4. In a normal bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, beat together oil, sugar, and vanilla. Add egg and beat until just combined.
  5. With the mixer on low, add the pistachio flour mixture to the batter in three additions, alternating with the ice water, beginning and ending with pistachio flour mixture. After each addition mix until just combined.
  6. In another medium bowl, beat the egg white with cream of tartar until soft peaks form, about 3-4 minutes. Gently fold the egg white into the cake batter, starting with just a spoonful to lighten the batter, then continue on with the rest.
  7. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then flip onto a wire rack to cool completely while you make the buttercream. Remove parchment paper from bottoms.
Make the Honey Vanilla Buttercream
  1. In a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar and flour. Add milk and cream and place over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens, about 5-10 minutes.
  2. Once thickened, pour mixture into a bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on high until cool, 8-10 minutes. Reduce speed to medium low and add butter, piece by piece, until fully incorporated. Increase speed and beat a few minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and honey.
Assembly
  1. Use a serrated knife to level off the top of the cakes. Cut off just as much as necessary to make the top of the cake level and flat. If you prefer domed cakes, leave one layer uncut for the top. Place one leveled layer on desired serving plate, cut side down. Generously spread frosting over top and place second layer on top, again cut side down. Top with more frosting. Finish with top layer, domed side up if desired. Frost the whole cake. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios.

Notes:

For an 8 - 9in / 20-23cm 3 layer cake, double this recipe. If your buttercream seems too thin or soupy after you've added the butter, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes, then rewhip. Most likely it has not cooled down enough to stabilize.


If you don’t have 3 6-inch pans, it is easier to split the batter in two and bake in two pans, instead of 3. You then have the option of making a two layer cake, or cutting each layer in two for a four layer cake.  

Calories

619.89

Fat (grams)

36.67

Sat. Fat (grams)

13.98

Carbs (grams)

68.16

Fiber (grams)

1.40

Net carbs

66.76

Sugar (grams)

42.85

Protein (grams)

6.57

Sodium (milligrams)

500.72

Cholesterol (grams)

77.11
Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 8 servings.
https://jennyblogs.com/blog/2017/6/23/pistachio-cake-with-honey-vanilla-buttercream
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Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

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It's almost Christmas!!!  The most wonderful time of the year, filled with family, friends, delicious food, and cheery music.  Wasn't that a wonderfully cliché sentence?  Yes, but we hope it's true.  I am fortunate enough to say that it is for me.  I love all my family, I love Christmas music (I can't always vouch for it all being "good" music, but it lifts your spirit and you can mindlessly sing along while wearing a Santa hat and elf socks without anyone thinking twice), and we have an abundance of delicious food.  So much food. 

What is one to do when they have been indundated with rich holiday food?  Take a break?  No fun.  Stand by the vegetable tray all night?  Nah, I hear the conversation can get a little heated with those peppers.  Chew gum?  No, you need a compromise.  Something that will satisfy, but not put you over like your great-aunt's cousin-once-removed on your dad's side triple chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream, ganache, whipped cream, sprinkles, drizzled with caramel and bonbons on top.  Something more like a fruit based cake.  Banana.  With chocolate chips, because it is Christmas, and peanut butter because that makes the whole thing.  The bow on top of the present.  The icing on the cake...so very literally. Plus protein. It’s basically a health food, you guys.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe adapted from Handle the Heat

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Makes 12-16 servings

Ingredients:

For the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

  • 2 1/2 cups / 300g all-purpose flour

  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 3/4 baking soda

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 3/4 cup / 168g oil

  • 3/4 cup / 150g sugar

  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup / 123g plain yogurt or sour cream

  • 4 overripe bananas, mashed, to get roughly 1 1/3 cups / 400g mashed banana

  • 1 cup / 170g mini chocolate chips

For the Peanut Butter Frosting

  • 1 cup / 226g unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8 oz), room temperature

  • 1 cup / 260g creamy peanut butter

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • pinch of salt

  • 2 - 2 1/2 cups / 250-313g powdered sugar

Directions:

Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C.  Grease and flour two 8 or 9in / 20 or 23cm round cake pans.

Make the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together oil and sugars.  Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.

  3. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture.  Mix in yogurt.  Add another third of flour mixture.  Add bananas.  Add final third of flour mixture.  Fold in chocolate chips.

  4. Pour and divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. 

  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pans before flipping out onto cooling racks to cool completely. 

Make the Peanut Butter Frosting

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and peanut butter together until light and fluffy.  Add vanilla and salt.  Add 2 cups of powdered sugar; add more as needed until frosting is thick enough to spread. 

Assembly

  1. Center one cake layer upside down on a cake stand or plate.  Frost this layer within 1/4 inch of edge of cake. 

  2. Place second layer on top, and frost cake with remaining frosting.  Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired. 

Jenny's Notes:

  • I prefer to use organic yogurt instead of sour cream in recipes simply because it's healthier.  I don’t always have plain yogurt on hand, so in those cases I use vanilla yogurt and reduce the sugar in the recipe by 1/3-1/2 cup, depending on the amount of yogurt called for.  Feel free to use whatever you have on hand! 

Banana, cake, banana chocolate chip, chocolate chip cake, peanut butter, peanut butter frosting, banana cake, ripe banana recipe
Dessert, Cake
American
Yield: 12-16
Author:
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

A tender banana cake speckled with chocolate chips topped with a creamy peanut butter frosting.
Prep time: 1 hourCook time: 40 MTotal time: 1 H & 40 M

Ingredients:

For the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
  • 2 1/2 cups / 300g all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup / 168g oil
  • 3/4 cup / 150g sugar
  • 1/2 cup / 100g brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup / 123g plain yogurt or sour cream
  • 4 overripe bananas, mashed, to get roughly 1 1/3 cups / 400g mashed banana
  • 1 cup / 170g mini chocolate chips
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
  • 1 cup / 226g unsalted butter (2 sticks, 8 oz), room temperature
  • 1 cup / 260g creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 - 2 1/2 cups / 250-313g powdered sugar

Instructions:

Make the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
  1. Oven preheated to 350°F / 177°C. Grease and flour two 8 or 9in / 20 or 23cm round cake pans.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together oil and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs; beat well.
  4. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Mix in yogurt. Add another third of flour mixture. Add bananas. Add final third of flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
  5. Pour and divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for about 10 minutes in the pans before flipping out onto cooling racks to cool completely.
Make the Peanut Butter Frosting
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter and peanut butter together until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and salt. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar; add more as needed until frosting is thick enough to spread.
Assembly
  1. Center one cake layer upside down on a cake stand or plate. Frost this layer within 1/4 inch of edge of cake.
  2. Place second layer on top, and frost cake with remaining frosting. Sprinkle with additional chocolate chips, if desired.

Notes:

I prefer to use organic yogurt instead of sour cream in recipes simply because it's healthier. I don’t always have plain yogurt on hand, so in those cases I use vanilla yogurt and reduce the sugar in the recipe by 1/3-1/2 cup, depending on the amount of yogurt called for. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand!

Calories

785.39

Fat (grams)

45.52

Sat. Fat (grams)

15.55

Carbs (grams)

88.21

Fiber (grams)

3.37

Net carbs

84.84

Sugar (grams)

59.78

Protein (grams)

10.55

Sodium (milligrams)

386.82

Cholesterol (grams)

75.36
Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 12 servings using the full 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar for the frosting.
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Tag @jenevamorris on instagram and hashtag it #jennyblogs
Created using The Recipes Generator
More Bakes:
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Scrumptious Apple Cake

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One of the many things I love about Michigan is the diversity of seasons.  Autumn is no exception, with the leaves turning brilliant shades of red, orange, yellow, burgundy, green, and brown.  I love a brilliant brown, don't you?  It's just the prettiest.  I kid.

Back to how great Michigan and autumn is.  The dried cornstalks and gourds come out, decorating the fields and porches; pumpkins appear in all the stores, asking to be taken home and carved.  The air turns as crisp and refreshingly cool as the apples hanging on the trees in the orchards.  The cool, dewy mornings call for cozy sweaters, wool socks, warm scarves; the rainy afternoons make a crackling fire, a hot cup of apple cider, and a good book all but necessary.  Comforting squash soups and crusty breads, pumpkin pies and cinnamon rolls just out of the oven, and family nearby makes the dusk that comes sooner and sooner a welcome friend.  Autumn is wonderful, but Traverse City, Michigan, really is an idyllic place to experience it.   

Hannah, myself, and my mom apple picking

Hannah, myself, and my mom apple picking

We all know, the food of choice in autumn is pumpkin. 

So here is a recipe for Scrumptious Apple Cake.  Ha.  I just wanted to trick you into thinking this would be a recipe for something pumpkin. There will be plenty of pumpkin in the near future, but today I wanted to share with you this recipe, Scrumptious Apple Cake by my mamma. Yes, scrumptious is part of the title  It is not simply a scrumptious Apple Cake, it is a scrumptious Scrumptious Apple Cake. Trust her on this one.  

Now, if you have some fancy, two-tier frosted apple cake envisioned in your brain, erase that and think simple.  It's more like a moist bread.  9x13 pan.  I think I just felt some of you relax; "no cake tins?  Phew, 9x13 I can do..." and yes, it is so simple.  Did I mention scrumptious?   

The apples in this recipe are handpicked by my mom, Hannah, and yours truly.  Apple picking is one of the things I look forward to most in September, I recommend you find the nearest apple orchard and go!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase using these links, Jennyblogs may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you. This helps to support Jennyblogs. For further information see the privacy policy. Grazie!

Recipe from my mamma

Scrumptious Apple Cake

Serves 18-20

Ingredients:

For the Cake

  • 1 cup / 225g oil

  • 2 cups / 400g sugar

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 3 cups peeled chopped apples, about 3 medium

  • 3 cups / 360g all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 1 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

  • 1 tsp nutmeg

For the Cinnamon Topping

  • 1/4 cup / 50g sugar

  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

Oven 350°F / 177°C.  Greased 9x13in / 23x33cm pan. 

Make the Cake

  1. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; beat.  Stir in chopped apples. 

  2. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Add this mixture to first mixture and stir until combined.  Pour into prepared pan.

Make the Cinnamon Topping

  1. In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle evenly over batter in pan.

  2. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  

Jenny's Notes:

  • My mom is very adverse to nuts in her desserts.  However, many people do enjoy nuts in their desserts, and if you do, a cup of chopped nuts added to the batter would do the trick.  You could also add about 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the topping.  *This note is not Jean-approved.  :)

Scrumptious Apple Cake
Yield 18-20
Author
Prep time
25 Min
Cook time
40 Min
Total time
1 H & 5 M

Scrumptious Apple Cake

A moist cake with apple chunks, a hint of nutmeg, and a gooey cinnamon sugar top.

Ingredients

For the Cake
For the Cinnamon Topping

Instructions

Make the Cake
  1. Oven 350°F / 177°C. Greased 9x13in / 23x33cm pan.
  2. In a large bowl combine oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla; beat. Stir in chopped apples.
  3. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add this mixture to first mixture and stir until combined. Pour into prepared pan.
Make the Cinnamon Topping
  1. In a small bowl combine sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over batter in pan.
  2. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Notes

If you enjoy nuts in your desserts, a cup of chopped nuts added to the batter would do the trick. You could also add about 1/2 cup chopped nuts to the topping.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

299.52

Fat

13.26 g

Sat. Fat

1.03 g

Carbs

43.25 g

Fiber

1.16 g

Net carbs

42.09 g

Sugar

27.09 g

Protein

2.83 g

Sodium

178.26 mg

Cholesterol

20.67 mg

Nutritional information is approximate. Based on 18 servings.

quick bread, cinnamon sugar, apple cake, dessert, fall recipe, apple recipe
dessert
American
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2016-09-25 14.09.03.jpg