Pistachio Layer Cake

This particular cake may take some time, but the flavor combination of the pistachio and lemon curd is quite a treat.  In the cookbook, Momofuku Milk Bar, Christina Tosi does state that this cake became a bestseller.  After tasting this, I do agree.

As you know, food bloggers are not real big on making things twice.  However, I am ready to make this again so I can share it with more people.  Sometimes the big projects in the kitchen are well worth the time and effort, and I put this cake in that category,

This is a six inch layer cake that does require some special equipment.  You will need a six inch cake ring and 2 strips of acetate (3"X 20").  The acetate strips are sometimes referred to as cake collars.

Before starting on this cake, the layering components should already be made.  The recipes for these items can be found (here). Please read through all this recipe prior to making this cake.  This will insure that you are aware of the time and the special ingredients required.

Pistachio Layer Cake
adapted from Momofuku Milk Bar

Ingredients
1 cup of flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup of blanched almond flour
1 3/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar
2/3 cup pistachio paste
3 tbs glucose
1/2 cup pistachio oil
1/4 cup heavy cream
6 egg whites (separated/add each in increments)

Prepare a baking sheet by coating the interior with non stick spray and lining with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a stand mixer, beat together the pistachio paste and glucose together until smooth.  This will take about 2-3 minutes on medium speed.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl when finished.

Put the mixer on low speed and add each egg white to the mixture.  Let the mixer run for about a minute before adding the next egg.  Repeat the same step with all the egg whites, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl after each 2 egg increment.

Keeping the mixer on low speed, blend the confectioners sugar and almond flour.  Continue to beat the mixture for about 3 minutes.  Stop and then scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Then turn the mixer back on low speed and slowly pour in the pistachio oil and the heavy cream.  Those ingredients should be fully incorporated into the batter after one minute.  Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl again.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Using a wooden spoon or spatula, fold the sifted ingredients into the batter until no dry streaks remain.

Spoon the batter onto the prepared pan and smooth to an even layer.  Bake for 20-22 minutes.  Cake is done when the edge bounces back when touched lightly and the cake starts to pull away from the edge of the pan.  Remove from oven and let cool in the pan completely before  proceeding.

Assembly Components (recipes here)

1/2 cup pistachio oil
1 recipe lemon curd
1 recipe pistachio frosting
1 recipe milk crumbs

Invert the cake onto another piece of parchment and peel off the top piece of parchment.  Using your cake ring, cut out two layers.  You will have some cake scraps left over which will be the bottom layer of your cake.

Clean the cake ring and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Line the ring with one piece of the acetate strip.  Take the cake scraps and place inside and lightly press the pieces together to form and even layer. Brush that layer with 1/4 cup of your pistachio oil.

Spoon 1/2 the batch of lemon curd onto the pistachio soaked layer.  Smooth out the curd into an even layer using a small knife or the back of a spoon.  Then sprinkle 1/3 of the milk crumbs over the lemon curd.  Press lightly so the crumbs are adhered to the curd.  The next layer added is 1/3 of the pistachio frosting.  Smooth the surface in the same manner as the lemon curd.

Take the other strip of acetate and tuck it between the cake ring and the previous piece of acetate.  The acetate should only overlap by 1/4 inch.  Choose the worst of the two layers (good layer is for the top) and place inside the acetate, on top of the pistachio frosted layer.  Smooth on the components in the same order and manner as done for the first layer.  In this process, reserve 1/2 of the remaining pistachio frosting and milk crumbs for the top layer and use up all the lemon curd and pistachio oil.

Place the top layer onto the second and smooth on the remaining frosting.  Sprinkle the rest of the milk crumbs on top.  Place the cake in the freezer for 12 hours for flavors to meld.  3 hours prior to serving, pop the cake out of the cake ring (push from cake bottom up) and peel off the acetate. Transfer to cake stand or platter.  Wrap cake in plastic and let defrost for 3 hours.  This cake will last in fridge well wrapped in plastic for up to 5 days.

Tips and Notes:

1. It is important that you have a good sturdy cake pan to insure that the cake bakes evenly.  Older pans sometimes get warped and cause problems when baking.

2. The hardest process I found was installing the 2nd acetate strip.  Since the strips are 20 inches there is a lot of overlap that must be kept even.

3. The amount of pistachio oil brushed on the layers is personal preference, I found the 1/2 cup to be too much initially. However to my surprise, it did finally meld with the cake during the chill time.

4. Do not press or mash the cake scraps too hard for your first layer.  The cake pieces still have to be somewhat spongy to soak up the oil.
                                  **LAST YEAR: Citrus Pie**

Royalty Reserve Cakes

Back in the 10th century, royalty did rule.  During this time there were certain delicacies that royalty indulged in that the commoner did not.  Some of the food was rare and expensive and some the opposite.  One of the foods that was cheap and plentiful was pistachios.  However, it was Queen Sheba that determined that these nuts were not to be eaten by the commoners.  Royalty would only be allowed to enjoy pistachios.   A few other lines of royalty also had a high regard for this nut as well. Nebuchadenezzar, King of Babylon, grew pistachio trees.  Akbar the Great (a Mogul Emperor) fed his chickens these nuts 6 weeks prior to having them prepared for a king's feast as a way to enhance their flavor.

Anyhow, I am glad that we all are allowed to partake in eating pistachios!  This particular cupcake is made up of two batters.  The main batter is a cake flavored with pistachios and pistachio oil.  The secondary batter is one I wanted to exude a lot of vanilla flavor, so it has melted vanilla ice cream in it.  The frosting is done with a dual frosting bag.  Each frosting has its own separate flavor much like the cupcake.

Since the main batter is made with oil instead of butter, it really is moist and light.  The other batter, even though made with butter, did go well with the texture of the pistachio cake.  You get a nutty flavor with a touch of vanilla.  The pistachio oil as well as the melted ice cream I think were key in getting these to have the balance of flavor I was looking for.

Before we go on, I have some thanks to give out for the Versatile Blogger Awards:

Nydia at Mividaenundulce
This blogger just reached her year anniversary and did a recap of some of her tasty creations.  Her blog is mostly baked goods with some savory items with the main focus being Peruvian cuisine. A few of my picks were low fat low calorie chocolate ice cream and Mulberry pie.

Maria at Flavors of Mumbai
Maria has been blogging since Oct 2010 and has really introduced me to a whole new world of baked goods.  While she does make savory foods as well, my sweet tooth is drawn to her cakes and ice cream.  Another interesting thing is that she has several recipes out there that are eggless.  I was hard pressed to only pick 2 of her recipes out but the raspberry cake and her Kiwi ice cream are just a few winners.

Thanks again for the awards!  Take some time today to venture into some delicious Peruvian and Indian cuisines by stopping by these two wonderful blogs.

Now for the recipe.  It makes about 1 1/2 dz cupcakes.

Royalty Reserve Cakes
by flourtrader

Ingredients/ Pistachio cake batter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted pistachios
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp pistachio oil extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder

Ingredients/Vanilla Cake batter
2/3 cup plus 4 tsp flour
1 tsp baking powder
5 tbs plus 1 tsp butter (room temp)
1/3 plus 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp ground vanilla beans
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup melted vanilla ice cream

For the pistachio cake batter, take 1/4 cup of the sugar and pistachios and blend in a food processor until nuts are fine. Beat together 3/4 cup of sugar, egg, egg yolk and nut mixture for two minutes. It should become thicker and lighter in color.

Scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Then on low speed, blend in the oil and pistachio extract.   Lastly, fold in the sour cream until evenly blended.  Set aside.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.  Set this aside also.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease the top edges of muffin pans and line with cupcake papers.

To make the vanilla cake batter, cream together butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Then beat in the egg.  In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.  Fold in 1/3 of the sifted ingredients to the batter.  Then stir in the melted ice cream.  Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, blending batter.  Mix in the milk until all is absorbed into batter.  Then fold in the last of the flour mixture.

Go back to your sifted ingredients for the pistachio cakes and fold into the wet pistachio batter until no dry streaks remain.

Using an ice cream scoop or big spoon, fill each cupcake cavity 2/3 full of pistachio batter.  Then, using a melon baller or a tablespoon, place a scoop of the vanilla batter on top.  Continue until all batter is in cavities.

Place pans in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until tester comes out clean.  Mine took about 18 minutes.  Remove pans from oven and let rest for 2 minutes.  Then transfer cupcakes to a rack to finish cooling.  Frost when completely cooled.

Creamy Frosting
adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients
1 cup of shortening
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla
1 lb powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
3-4 tbs milk

At medium speed beat together shortening and vanilla extract for about 30 seconds.  If using a stand mixer let run at low speed and slowly add powdered sugar.  For a handheld mixer, blend in 1/4 cup at a time.  Once all is blended, beat in 2 tbs of milk.  Then beat in the rest of the powdered sugar and add milk until you have reached the desired consistency.  This yields about 3 cups of frosting.

My frosting process for this particular cupcake:
I made the above and then took out half of the frosting and placed it in a separate bowl.  Then I added 1/4 tsp of pistachio oil to the mixer bowl and beat for about 30 seconds. Continuing to beat on low, I added leaf green food coloring little by little until I reached my desired color.
Then I used a dual piping bag with a and filled each half with the different icings.  I then piped the frosting on with a #7 Wilton tip.

Extra Tips:
-only make what you can bake at one time.  The batters instructions here is made here to insure that they do not sit very long prior to baking.  Batter is to be used immediately once dry ingredients are mixed in.
-The dual icing bags came without instructions, so  I still am not sure of the precise instructions for using these to date. I did not find the process easy.
-you will have some vanilla batter left over, so you can make about 1 or two vanilla cupcakes.
                           **LAST YEAR: Lemon Blueberry Loaf**