Remember that Persian Love Cake I made last month?  Well, if you are a fan, you are going to love this pistachio cake!

I tested this recipe several times before I was happy with the final outcome.  I tried all-purpose flour versus cake flour, whole milk versus buttermilk, almond extact versus pistachio extract.  I even tried olive oil in place of the vegetable oil, and it didn’t play well with the pistachios in this recipe.    Mind you, it was still good, but oddly enough, I preferred the vegetable oil, go figure 🤷‍♀️.  I am wild about olive oil (the feelings are real), and anyone who knows me can attest.

I bought my pistachios in the shell.  My hubby was kind enought to shell them for me (it’s the little things 😉).  You can also buy them shelled.

I didn’t add green food coloring to the cake batter, but you can certainly do so.  It will make the cake a darker green.  You can use liquid or gel food coloring because you are using such a small amount (just a few drops).  This won’t change the taste or texture of your cake.

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups (300 grams) cake flour*
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar  (1 2/3 cups 340 grams?)
• 2 tablespoons (27 grams) vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs (160 grams), room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon pistachio (or almond) extract
• 1 cup (237 ml) buttermilk
• 1½ cups (125 grams) finely ground unsalted pistachios,  shelled and finely ground ** (plus more to garnish top and side of cake, optional)

*All-purpose flour can be used in place of the cake flour, but your cake will be a little dense as opposed to a lighter texture 😋.  I tested this recipe with both flours and they were equally delicious!

**I like to use my food processor to grind the pistachios.  Do short pulses until the nuts are just ground.  Over processing will turn them into pistachio butter.  Pistachio butter is really good, but that’s not our goal here 😁.

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.  Grease and flour three 6″ pans.  Line with parchement paper to ensure the cakes don’t stick to the pan.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Set aside
3. Cream butter, oil and sugar on medium speed for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Scrape bowl and paddle as needed to make sure they are evenly distributed.
5. Add extracts and mix until combined.
6. Add one third of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and mix until just combined.  With mixer on low speed, add ½ of the buttermilk, ½ of the flour mix, the rest of the buttermilk, and the remainder of the flour mix (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients).
7. Scrape the mixing bowl and paddle, making sure to get all the bits from the bottom of the bowl.
8. Mix on low until everything is just combined.  Do not overmix!
9. Add the ground pistachios to the cake batter.
10. Gently fold the pistachios into the batter until they are evenly distributed.
11. Divide the batter evenly in the 6″ pans (approx. 440 grams per pan).
12. Bake for 20-30 minutes.  Insert toothpick or cake tester into cakes to check for doneness.  Cakes are ready if the tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.  Remove from oven when ready and allow cakes to cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons whole milk (or heavy cream), room temperature
• 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups (360 grams) confectioners’ sugar

Instructions for Frosting:

1. In mixing bowl, add cream cheese and butter and beat on medium high for 2 minutes.
2. With mixer on low speed, add extract and salt.  Mix to incorporate, scrape paddle and bowl as needed.
3. Add the confectioners’ sugar (with mixer on low speed) until incorporated.  Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. Add more sugar if mixture is too runny and some milk or heavy cream if it’s too thick.  Frosting should be a nice spreadable consistency

Frost cake and serve!

I like to add some crushed pistachios to the top and around the bottom of the cake.

I hope you make this yummy cake, and if you do, please tag me on Instagram @goodeatsbymimi.  I would love to hear from you and see your photos!