Shall we start the New Year with a sweet treat? I've a feeling you may not be so much into sweets these days. What with the New Year resolution and all, eh? I'm getting requests for weight loss recipes, healthy recipes, low fat recipes, see something common there? I get the hint… I promise I'll post a super healthy recipe next.
There is a reason I wanted to start this year on a sweet note. This year will be the 10th year of MariasMenu, a decade!! I wont lie, I'm excited about it!! I want you to be a part of that excitement. More about it later, ok? I guess a decade of virtual living is kinda equivalent to 50 years of real world! Just imagine, how much your life has changed in the last 10 years and I'm very happy and humbled at the same time, that we managed to reach here. Ok, I'm stopping, I'll give my emotional speech of acceptance later, when the time comes ;)
So, coming back to our recipe, it's an indulgent recipe, there is no doubt about it. But, it's worth every bite of it. The combination of Lemon and Pistachio works wonders. Not to forget the two different textures; the shortbread crust kinda texture of Pistachio base and gooey moist lemon cake, topped with the slightly tart lemon glaze is an experience, your tastebuds will thank you for.
I hope you get to try this cake and I'm sure you'll love it.
Before we go to the recipe, Wish you a fabulous year ahead!
Here is the recipe…
In a food processor, combine the flour, pistachios, sugar and salt. Pulse until well combined…
Add the butter and pulse until a green, uniform dough forms…
In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the butter, sugar and lemon zest. Beat the butter, sugar and zest together until they are light and fluffy…
With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, combining thoroughly in between…
Add the lemon juice, (it will look curdled, but it’s not!)…
Add one half of the dry ingredients, and then half of the buttermilk, make sure you start and end with dry ingredients…
Mix the batter until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the batter is light and fluffy. Press the pistachio dough into the greased baking tin…
Pour the cake batter on top of the pistachio layer. Bake the cakes on a middle shelf for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool before removing from the pan…
While the cake is cooling, make the lemon glaze. Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice, until the desired consistency: Opaque and thick enough to coat, but still runny enough to drip down the sides…
Recipe adapted from here
Lemon And Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
For Pistachio Layer
- 1 1/2 cups Plain flour
- 2 cups Raw pistachio nuts
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 cup Cold butter (cut into small pieces (227 gms))
- 1/2 tsp Salt
For the Lemon Cake
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter (113 gms @room temperature)
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1-2 tbsp Fresh lemon zest (skin of 2 large lemons)
- 1/3 cup Fresh lemon juice
- 2 large Eggs (@ room temp)
- 1 1/2 cups Cake flour (refer notes for substitution)
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/2 cup Buttermilk (refer notes for substitution)
For Lemon Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar (I used Icing sugar)
- 1/3 -1/2 cup Lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Prepare a 10” Spring form pan with baking spray.
- For the Pistachio Layer:
- In a food processor, combine the flour, pistachios, sugar and salt. Pulse until well combined. Add the butter and pulse until a green, uniform dough forms.
- Pour the dough into the spring form pan.
- Press into a firm crust on the bottom of the pan. Set aside.
- For the Cake Layer:
- In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the butter, sugar and lemon zest.
- Beat the butter, sugar and zest together until they are light and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl mix together the dry ingredients (cake flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt) and set aside.
- With the mixer running on low, add the eggs one at a time, combining thoroughly in between.
- Add the lemon juice, (it will look curdled, but it’s not!)
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and butter milk, but make sure you start and end with the dry ingredients.
- Mix the batter until all of the ingredients are completely combined and the batter is light and fluffy.
- Pour the cake batter on top of the pistachio layer.
- Bake the cakes on a middle shelf for 25-35 minutes (refer notes) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool before removing from the pan.
- While the cake is cooling, make the lemon glaze. Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice: Opaque and thick enough to coat, but still runny enough to drip down the sides.
- When the cake is completely cool, pour the glaze over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with a few Tbs of chopped pistachio nuts.
Notes
Could you clarify about the pistachios? You didn’t shell them for the base layer?
Hi Melissa,
I used shelled pistachios for the base layer.
Such an appealing photo! I had never used pistachios to make a cake before and had to give this recipe a try because of how intriguing it looked. Made it yesterday for the entire family and everyone enjoyed it.
Can I use mixie for making the pistachio base dough
Hello Maria,
This cakes looks yummy and would like to try out the same. The main thing stopping me from baking this cake is that I don’t have a good processor, instead I have a normal mixie. Is it ok to prepare the pistachio dough with processing it on low speed.
Hi Soumya,
I havent tried it in a mixie, but i guess if you pulse it at short intervals on the lowest speed, it may work :) Hope you get to try this soon. Happy baking!
Hi Maria, Congrats for completing 10 years. May God Bless you and your family. I like your recipes as well as i have tried many of your recipes occasionally and it had turned out quite surprising to me N my fly.. Thanks for posting tasty recipes. Keep going