Pistachio Cake with Buttercream and Espresso Ganache

Ingredients

• 3 cups cake flour
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 3/4 cups sugar (divided)
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• 3/4 cup egg whites (about 5 extra large)
• 1/2 cup ground pistachios (plus more to cover the outside of the cake, if desired)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp espresso powder
• 8 oz bittersweet chocolate (finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup ground pistachios

Instructions

1. 1

   --- Cake ---

2. 2

   Preheat oven to 300°F. Butter and flour two 8×3-inch cake pans.

3. 3

   Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

4. 4

   Cream the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 1 minute. Add 1 1/2 cups sugar lemon zest and vanilla and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl as needed.

5. 5

   Add a third of the flour and beat on low speed until combined. Add half the milk and mix until blended. Continue with another third of the flour and then the rest of the milk, finish with the final third of flour.

6. 6

   Put the egg whites in a very clean bowl and whip until foamy. Slowly add the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and continue to beat until medium-stiff peaks.

7. 7

   Add 1/4 of the whites to the cake batter and mix together well. Add another 1/4 whites to the batter and fold gently until mostly combined. Continue in the same way with the remaining egg whites. Gently fold the pistachios into the batter before dividing it into the pans.

8. 8

   Divide the batter into the two prepared pans and smooth with a spatula. Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool.

9. 9

   --- Espresso Ganache ---

10. 10

    In a sauce pan heat the heavy cream to a simmer. Add the espresso and chocolate, swirl the pan until the chocolate is submerged into the hot cream. Remove from the heat and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Gently stir the gauche until smooth.

11. 11

    --- Buttercream ---

12. 12

    I used my classic buttercream recipe and folded 1/2 cup of ground pistachios into it.

13. 13

    --- Assembly ---

14. 14

    Divide each cake layer into two and ganache the tops. I only divided 3 of my 6x2-inch rounds, because I had other plans for the last layer, but you could easily make these cakes with all the layers. I love a tall cake.

15. 15

    I smoothed the surface with a spatula, as you can see in this video. And now they are ready for the pistachios on the sides. Use your hands to gently press the nuts to the sides of the cake. I left the top clean, but you could cover the whole thing in nuts.