Brown Butter Pistachio Cake with Candied Pistachio Topping

This brown butter pistachio cake is so moist and flavorful that no one will miss the buttercream!

We celebrated my dad’s birthday last night so it was only fitting that I make him another pistachio treat.  Last year I baked these cupcakes which were a huge hit with everyone who tried them, but admittedly my dad discarded the frosting.  So, I learned my lesson.  No buttercream (sorry, Mom!).  In a household where that wouldn’t typically pass the “dessert” test, I knew I had to go above and beyond with the cake itself.  Well, this brown butter pistachio cake was an enormous hit with everyone, my buttercream-addicted mom included.  My sister and dad kept talking about how much they loved the topping.  I couldn’t get over how much I enjoyed the cake.  The brown butter flavor came through but didn’t overpower the pistachio at all.  And the texture… it was slightly dense but extremely moist.  The edges had a light crunch to them, kind of like the perfect brownie corner.  This definitely isn’t something I’d normally think to make, but I’m definitely adding it to my future baking rotation.  My dad even joked, “you should open a bakery.”

Brown Butter Pistachio Cake with Candied Pistachio Topping

 

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This brown butter pistachio cake is so moist and flavorful that no one will miss the buttercream!

Author: Lauren Lilling

Recipe type: Dessert

Makes: 1 10-inch round cake; Serves 10

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 120g (~1 cup minus 1 teaspoon shelled pistachios) salted shelled pistachios, ground in food processor to fine meal (about 1 minute)
• 100g (~1¼ cups) almonds meal
• 40g (~1/3 cup) all-purpose flour, sifted
• 250g (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and chilled for an hour*
• 250g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 205g (~4 large) eggs, whisked
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest (~one large lemon)
• 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract

For the candied pistachio topping

• 127g (~1 cup) salted shelled pistachios
• 210g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
• 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; Grease and flour 1 10-inch round pan and line bottom with parchment paper
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together ground pistachios, almond meal and flour; set aside
3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together browned butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy
4. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula; add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined
5. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in pistachio mixture; do not overmix
6. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and place in center of oven; bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
7. Place cake on wire wrack to cool for 10 minutes
8. Once cake has partially cooled, run a knife around the edge cake for easier removal; carefully turn pan upside down to remove cake;  set aside and make topping
9. Make the Candied Pistachio Topping
10. Place sugar and water in a heavy duty medium saucepan over medium-high heat; stir until mixture comes to a boil and then continue to stir for a few minutes or until it becomes a thick syrupy consistency; remove from heat and stir in pistachios
11. Spread evenly over center of cake
12. Slice and serve

Notes

Slightly adapted from Baker by Nature
Candied Pistachio Topping Adapted from My Kitchen Stories
*To brown the butter, heat it in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately.  You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter
Store leftovers covered in a cool dry spot for up to four days for best results

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