Pistachio Raspberry Cake: A Moist and Beautiful Layer Cake

Pistachio Raspberry Cake

If you have been hunting for a layer cake that looks like a celebration and tastes even better than it looks, this Pistachio Raspberry Cake is the one.

Two soft, gloriously green pistachio sponges are stacked with sweet pistachio buttercream and a bright ribbon of raspberry jam, then finished with plump fresh raspberries, crunchy chopped pistachios, and sprigs of fresh mint.

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It makes 8 generous servings, with about 40 minutes of prep and roughly 35 minutes in the oven. The whole cake comes together in about 1 hour 15 minutes, and most of that time is the oven doing the work while you tidy the counter and sneak a raspberry or two.

Why you will love this recipe

First, the cake is made in one bowl, so there is no mountain of washing up waiting for you at the end.

Second, it is a lovely recipe for raspberry season. When berries are at their best and most affordable, this cake gives them a real job to do.

Third, every single bite has something going on: the tender, nutty crumb from the ground pistachios, the sweet pistachio buttercream, the tart raspberry jam, the juicy fresh berries, the crunch of chopped pistachios, and a whisper of fresh mint on top.

It is also wonderfully versatile. You can swap the raspberries for other berries and match the jam to whatever fruit you choose, so the recipe keeps working all year long.

Finally, it fits more than one kind of occasion. Serve a slice with coffee on a slow morning, set it out for afternoon tea, or bring it to a birthday table where it will absolutely hold its own.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need, grouped the way you will use it. Weighing the ingredients on a kitchen scale gives the most consistent result, and I really do recommend it here, because ground pistachios and confectioners’ sugar both vary in how they settle into a cup.

For the cake:

For the pistachio buttercream:

To decorate:

A quick word on the key players. Golden caster sugar brings sweetness with a slightly deeper color and flavor than plain white sugar, though regular caster or superfine sugar works perfectly well. All purpose flour is the base of the sponge.

The ground pistachios are what give the cake its green color and its moist, tender texture. Confectioners’ sugar needs to be sieved before it goes anywhere near the buttercream, and smooth pistachio cream, whether you buy it or make your own, is the ingredient that carries real pistachio flavor into the frosting.

Substitutions and variations

This recipe is a wonderful base for playing around, and a few simple swaps work beautifully.

• Vanilla: Vanilla bean paste can replace the vanilla extract. Skip vanilla essence, which will not give you the same flavor.
• Pistachio cream: Pistachio paste or pistachio butter can stand in for the smooth pistachio cream. Taste as you go, because these products vary in sweetness and intensity.
• Ground nuts: Ground almonds or ground hazelnuts can replace the ground pistachios. If you grind your own nuts at home, blitz them very fine, close to the texture of shop bought ground almonds. Pair hazelnuts with chocolate hazelnut spread in the buttercream and toasted hazelnuts on top, or use almond butter and toasted almonds if you go the almond route.
• Sugar: Vanilla icing sugar adds a subtle vanilla sweetness to the buttercream if you happen to have it in the cupboard.
• Fruit: Hulled and sliced strawberries or pitted cherries work in place of raspberries. Match the jam to the fruit, so strawberry jam with strawberries or cherry compote with cherries.
• Decorations: Freeze dried raspberries make a pretty finish, and white chocolate curls, shaved with a vegetable peeler, add an elegant touch.

The one thing to keep in mind is balance. If you swap in a sweeter nut paste, you may want a touch more lemon juice in the buttercream so the whole cake does not tip over into cloying.

If you use a fruit that is tarter than raspberries, a little extra jam in the filling will bring things back into line.

How to make pistachio raspberry cake

I promise you, the method is far friendlier than the finished cake suggests. Follow it step by step and the layers will come out even, soft, and beautifully green.

1. Preheat and prepare. Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C/160°C fan). Grease and line two 8 inch round cake pans with parchment paper, then set them aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and the golden caster sugar for about 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is lighter in color, completely smooth, and mousse like. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.
3. Add the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until the batter is completely smooth between each addition.
4. Grind the pistachios. In a food processor or blender, grind the shelled pistachios into a fine crumb, close to the texture of ground almonds.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then add the salt and the ground pistachios. Fold everything together carefully until just combined, and stop as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear.
6. Fill the pans. Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans, then smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon so each layer sits flat and even.
7. Bake and cool. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the cakes are well risen and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Leave them to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. The outside may lose a little of its green in the oven, but the inside stays vibrant.
8. Make the buttercream. While the cakes cool, cream the softened butter and the sifted confectioners’ sugar in a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer and the paddle attachment, until the mixture is pale and increased in size. Add the pistachio cream, salt, and lemon juice, then beat again. Taste and adjust the lemon juice as needed.
9. Assemble. Once the cakes have completely cooled, set one on a flat plate. Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe half of it on top in an even layer. Use a palette knife to spread the raspberry jam over the buttercream in a smooth, even layer. Take care not to go too near the edges or the jam will pour out the sides, though you do want to see that ribbon of red when you slice it. Top with the second cake, then the remaining buttercream.
10. Decorate. Finish with the fresh raspberries, sprigs of fresh mint, and the chopped pistachios. Then slice and enjoy.

The one step you truly cannot rush is the cooling. Let both sponges come to room temperature completely before you pipe a single swirl of buttercream, because warm cake and soft frosting do not get along.

Tips from Margie’s kitchen

Softened butter really matters. If your butter is still cool in the middle, it will not cream properly with the sugar, and you will end up with lumps instead of a smooth, airy base. Take it out of the fridge ahead of time and let it relax at room temperature.

For the pistachios on top, toast them first and let them cool before you roughly chop them. Toasting deepens the flavor, and cooling keeps them crisp. Watch them closely, because pistachios can go from fragrant to burnt in seconds.

If you are grinding your own pistachios, blitz whole shelled unsalted pistachios in a food processor until they are almost powder like. Persian pistachios give the most vivid green color, and that color is half the charm of this cake.

Always sieve your confectioners’ sugar before making the buttercream. Lumps of sugar will not dissolve into the butter, and no amount of extra beating will hide them.

For planning ahead, the finished cake keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, and you should take it out about 20 minutes before serving so the sponge and buttercream soften again.

The sponges can be baked up to 3 days in advance, and the icing can be made up to 5 days ahead. Both freeze separately for up to 3 months, which makes this a very forgiving cake to prepare in stages.

About the pistachio buttercream…

This cake uses an American style buttercream, made from confectioners’ sugar and butter. There is no milk here, because the pistachio cream brings both flavor and the softness the frosting needs.

American buttercream is the sweetest and most familiar member of the family, and it usually sits at roughly a 2 to 1 ratio of sugar to butter, which is exactly why it pipes so neatly and holds its shape between layers.

It is also endlessly flexible. Once you know the base, you can flavor it with extracts, citrus zest, melted chocolate, or nut pastes. If you are a confident baker and prefer another style of buttercream, you can absolutely use it here.

Just think about when the pistachio cream goes in, because some buttercreams are built on a cooked base and will want the pistachio cream folded through at the very end.

More types of buttercream

Buttercream is not one single thing. Beyond the Italian, Swiss, and American styles most bakers know, there is a whole family of frostings, each built on a different base and each with its own personality.

Russian buttercream is the quickest of the group. You simply mix softened butter with condensed milk and add flavorings such as vanilla and a pinch of salt, and it is ready in under 10 minutes with a buttery, lightly caramel flavor.

American buttercream is the one used in this recipe, and it is the sweetest and most straightforward of them all.

German buttercream starts with a cooled crème pâtissière, made from egg yolks, cream, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla, which is then whisked together with butter for a light custard taste.

Italian buttercream is made by drizzling hot sugar syrup into whisked egg whites before adding butter gradually. It is complex, but it is the most stable of the family, pure white and melt in the mouth.

French buttercream uses whole eggs or yolks, butter, and cooked sugar syrup, giving a richer, more velvety result with a yellow tint.

Other recipes you might enjoy

If this cake earns a spot in your regular rotation, here are a few more bakes that share its spirit.

There is an Orange and Almond Cake, a Dark Chocolate Raspberry Cake, and a White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake for the berry lovers, plus pistachio forward recipes such as Pistachio Tiramisu and Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast.

Raspberry and Chocolate Cake

A fruit and chocolate pairing for anyone who likes their sweetness with a little depth.

Chocolate Mud Cake with Malted Whipped Cream

A rich, dense chocolate bake finished with a cloud of malted whipped cream.

Caramelised Banana Upside Down Cake

A sticky, caramelised banana cake that is every bit as easy to love as this one.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake

Another raspberry celebration cake, this time with creamy white chocolate in the mix.

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Pistachio Raspberry Cake

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Pistachio Raspberry Cake If you have been hunting for a layer cake that looks like a celebration and tastes even better than it looks, this Pistachio Raspberry Cake is the one. Two soft, gloriously green pistachio sponges are stacked with sweet pistachio buttercream and a bright ribbon of raspberry jam, then finished with plump fresh raspberries, crunchy chopped pistachios, and sprigs of fresh mint.

• Total Time: 75 min
• Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

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For the cake:
8.75 oz unsalted butter, softened
8.5 oz golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
5.25 oz all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
3.5 oz shelled pistachios

For the buttercream:
6.25 oz unsalted butter, softened
9.75 oz confectioners’ (icing) sugar, sifted
2 tbsp smooth pistachio cream
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 tsp lemon juice

To decorate:
3 tbsp raspberry jam
8.75 oz fresh raspberries
2 tbsp roughly chopped pistachios
Sprigs of fresh mint

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Instructions

1-Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C/160°C fan): Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C/160°C fan) and grease and line 2 x 8-inch (20 cm) loose-bottomed round cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
2-In a large bowl with a handheld: In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar for about 3-5 minutes – or until the mixture is lighter in color, completely smooth, and mousse-like. Add the vanilla extract and mix again.
3-Add the eggs, one at a time,: Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking until the batter is completely smooth.
4-In a food processor or blender, grind: In a food processor or blender, grind the pistachios into a fine crumb, like the texture of ground almonds/almond meal.
5-Sift in the flour and baking powder: Sift in the flour and baking powder before adding the salt and ground pistachios. Fold in carefully until just combined.
6-Divide the batter equally between the two: Divide the batter equally between the two prepared pans, then smooth over the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten into an even layer.
7-Bake for about 35 minutes – or: Bake for about 35 minutes – or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the pans for 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely (the green color on the outside might fade slightly; don’t worry – it will still be vibrant inside).
8-Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream: Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream: In a large bowl with a handheld or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sifted confectioners’ (icing) sugar until pale and increased in size. Add the pistachio cream, salt, and lemon juice, and beat again. Taste and adjust the lemon, as needed.
9-Once the cakes have completely cooled, set: Once the cakes have completely cooled, set one on a flat plate. Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag and pipe half the buttercream on top in an even layer. Use a palette knife to spread the jam on top in a smooth and even layer – take care not to go too near the edges, or it will pour out the sides (although you do want to be able to see it). Top with the second cake, followed by the remaining buttercream.
10-Decorate with fresh raspberries, sprigs of fresh: Decorate with fresh raspberries, sprigs of fresh mint, and chopped pistachios. Enjoy!

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• Prep Time: 40 min
• Cook Time: 35 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 889kcal
• Sugar: 73g
• Sodium: 506mg
• Fat: 54g
• Saturated Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 96g
• Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 9g
• Cholesterol: 196mg