Pistachio Raspberry Cake

This Pistachio Raspberry Cake not only looks absolutely beautiful, it tastes utterly delicious too. Imagine gloriously green, super soft pistachio sponge layered with sweet pistachio buttercream and fruity raspberry jam finished with plump and juicy raspberries, crunchy chopped pistachios and sprigs of fresh mint - so good. It is something of a show-stopper thanks to the nutty green pistachios combined with the ruby red raspberries. This makes it the perfect bake for all sorts of celebrations like birthdays and other special occasions. Having said that, please don’t think this is complicated - I promise you it isn’t. You could easily make it for a low-key coffee morning or afternoon tea as it is one of those recipes that looks like you have made a lot of effort, but is decidedly fuss-free…

I often think pistachios get overlooked in favour of almonds when it comes to cakes (don’t get me wrong, I love an almond cake as much as the next person, especially my super easy Orange and Almond Cake). It makes sense since you can already buy ground almonds and don’t have to blitz them up yourself. But making your own ground pistachios really doesn’t take very long at all and just needs a quick whizz in the blender. The extra step is worth it for the striking colour, deliciously nutty pistachio flavour and beautifully moist texture…

Why you will love this Pistachio Raspberry Cake recipe:

• It is perfect to make when raspberries are in season.
• It is full of flavour and texture thanks to the moist ground pistachios, fruity raspberries, sweet buttercream (infused with citrusy lemon), crunchy chopped pistachios and fresh mint.
• It is so versatile - you can use all sorts of berries.
• It is the perfect coffee morning or teatime bake. Equally looks good enough for a special occasion or birthday celebration.

You will need the following ingredients:

For the cake:

Butter - opt for unsalted so you can control the salt levels in this Pistachio Raspberry Cake, and make sure it is softened before you start creaming with the sugar.

Golden caster sugar - this brings the sweetness and gives this Pistachio Raspberry Cake a slightly deeper hue. You could use regular caster sugar or even granulated sugar if that is what you have to hand.

Vanilla bean paste - I love adding vanilla extract to my bakes, it adds the most delicious sweet vanilla flavour. 

Eggs - use free-range eggs if you can. I also recommend choosing large eggs stamped with the British Lion logo.

Plain flour - also known as ‘all-purpose’ flour, this helps create the perfect Pistachio Raspberry Cake.

Baking powder - since we are using plain flour, we need a raising agent to help create a light and airy cake.

Salt - don’t worry, this won’t make your Pistachio Raspberry Cake taste salty. Adding a pinch of salt to baking recipes brings out the flavours of the other ingredients and really takes your bakes to the next level. I recommend Maldon Salt Flakes for the best results. 

Pistachios - adding ground pistachios to the cake batter gives a glorious green hue and creates the most wonderful moist texture.

For decoration:

Icing sugar - this adds sweetness and stability to the buttercream, make sure you sieve it first to remove any lumps.

Smooth pistachio cream - this brings the most delicious pistachio flavour to the buttercream. You could make your own using my Pistachio Cream recipe or use a shop bought version.

Lemon juice - this adds a hint of zesty citrus which helps balance out the sweetness of the icing sugar.

Raspberry jam - this brings a wonderfully sweet, fruity flavour that complements the raspberries on top. Homemade is delicious, but there is no shame in using a jar of shop bought. Opt for a good-quality brand with less sugar for the best results.

Fresh raspberries - this brings bursts of fruity sweetness. Opt for ripe, plump and juicy ones for the best results.

Fresh mint - this is entirely optional but looks super pretty as a decoration which really lifts the cake.

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Substitutions and Variations:

Vanilla bean paste - you could swap the vanilla extract for vanilla bean paste - just not vanilla essence which is rather artificial tasting.

Pistachio cream - you could use pistachio paste or butter instead, just remember to keep tasting and checking the flavour.

Nuts - you can switch up the flavour profile by swapping the ground pistachios for ground almond or hazelnuts (if you make your own, make sure you blitz them very fine - you want the same consistency as shop-bought ground almonds). Then swap the pistachio cream in the buttercream for chocolate and hazelnut spread or almond butter and decorate with toasted almond flakes or roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts.

Vanilla icing sugar - if you can find it, use vanilla icing sugar in the buttercream. It adds a subtle vanilla sweetness that just tastes so good.

Fruit - although this is a Pistachio Raspberry Cake, it is equally delicious with all sorts of berries. Hulled and sliced strawberries or pitted cherries both look and taste wonderful too. Remember to switch up the raspberry jam to match the fruit - e.g. opting for a strawberry jam or cherry compote instead.

Freeze-dried raspberries - you could also decorate with a sprinkling of freeze-dried raspberries. They look super pretty and add a burst of colour and intense raspberry flavour.

White chocolate - you can decorate this Pistachio Raspberry Cake with white chocolate curls. Simply use a vegetable peeler to grate curls from a bar of good-quality white chocolate.

Cooking Tips:

Softened butter: it is really important to make sure your butter is softened before you begin making this Pistachio Raspberry Cake. Otherwise, it won’t cream properly with the sugar and you will end up with clumps of butter (which is not what we are going for!).

Toasted pistachios: toast the pistachios for the decoration, then leave to cool before roughly chopping if you want to add an extra depth of flavour. Just watch them closely as they can burn in seconds!

Ground pistachios: to make your own ground pistachios, simply blitz whole de-shelled unsalted pistachios in a food processor until very fine (almost a powder consistency). Opt for Persian pistachios for the most vivid green colour.

Sieved icing sugar: icing sugar tends to form clumps overtime, so make sure you sieve it before making the buttercream to ensure you have a smooth buttercream ready for piping.

About the Pistachio Buttercream…

There are so many other types of buttercream. For this Pistachio Raspberry Cake, I have used an American-style buttercream which is probably the most well-known and one of the easiest. It is made using icing sugar, butter and, often, a splash of milk (that isn’t needed for this recipe as we use pistachio cream). It is very sweet (the ratio is normally 2:1 sugar) and can be flavoured in many different ways.

You could make this Pistachio Raspberry Cake using a different type of buttercream if you are confident with the method and how to add the pistachio cream to flavour accordingly.

Below are some of my other favourite types:

• Russian buttercream - also known as ‘condensed milk buttercream’. It is one of my favourites because it is just so unbelievably easy, takes less than 10 minutes to make and has the most delicious buttery, caramel flavour without being overly sweet. All you do is mix together softened butter with condensed milk and your choice of flavours (vanilla extract and a pinch of salt are my go-tos but you can make chocolate and fruit versions too). 
• Swiss buttercream - this is made using egg whites, sugar, and butter. The egg whites and sugar are gently heated in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water to a specific temperature, then whisked into a meringue. After that, the butter is gradually whisked in to create a beautifully smooth, light and stable buttercream. It is considered one of the more complicated buttercreams because it involves cooking the egg whites and sugar before adding the butter - but I do think it is worth it for the results (plus it isn’t as sweet as American buttercream).
• German buttercream - this is a really rich and decadent option which starts by making a crème pâtissière (with egg yolks, cream, cornflower, sugar, and vanilla extract), then allowing it to cool before whisking in butter. It tastes like a very light, buttery custard but is more complex to make.
• Italian buttercream - this is considered one of the most complex, but also most stable, buttercreams. It is made by drizzling hot sugar syrup into whisked egg whites, before gradually adding butter to form a buttercream. It has a pure white colour, gives a melt-in-the-mouth texture and has the most delicious sweet, slightly buttery, flavour.
• French buttercream - this is a luxurious buttercream made with whole eggs or egg yolks, butter and cooked sugar syrup (plus flavourings of your choice). It is similar to the Italian meringue-based buttercream in technique, but the egg yolks give it a richer flavour, more velvety texture and yellow-y colour.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other recipes you might enjoy:

If you like the sound of this Pistachio Almond Cake recipe, I have so many other lovely recipes for you to enjoy. My Orange and Almond Cake is super easy to make and has the most wonderful light texture. Speaking of fruity cakes, my Chocolate Raspberry Cake is a must-try for chocolate cake fans. It is a real show-stopper, standing tall with layers of rich chocolate sponge, earthy matcha cream and juicy fresh raspberries. If you want something with a more delicate flavour, my White Chocolate and Raspberry Cake is the recipe for you. It is a real celebration cake with layers of soft vanilla sponge layered with fruity raspberry jam, fresh raspberries and the most delicious white chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream. So good.

I also have plenty of recipes celebrating pistachios, like my delicious Pistachio Tiramisu (a dream make-ahead dinner party dessert). Or my luxurious Pistachio Cream Brioche French Toast, perfect for pud or as a special occasion brunch. You could make them both using my homemade Pistachio Cream recipe (which is so good, I could eat it straight from the jar)...   

Made this recipe and loved it?

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