Nutty and tasty. This cake is made with crushed-up roasted pistachios with a pinch of almond extract that brings out the extra nutty flavor to this moist and soft cake.
Happy Saint Patty's Day! I made this cake thinking the crushed pistachios would bring out a natural green coloring which would have been perfect for a Saint Patty's Day celebration. Unfortunately, the cake did not come out the beautiful green I imagined it would but it does taste amazing! If you love pistachios as much as I do you will love this cake.
I lived in Chicago for many years and Saint Patty's Day is one of the biggest holidays in Chicago. If you are ever in Chicago for Saint Patty's day I would recommend going to watch the river get dyed green. It is a spectacular sight to see! Chicago is booming with energy on Saint Patty's day, it is hard to avoid the streets and get excited with the crowds. I use to bake cinnamon buns dyed green for Saint Pattys Day which was always a favorite amongst my friends. I decided to make this cake which is a little healthier and filled with flavor. I can't celebrate Saint Patty's day this year but in the spirit of the holiday, I made this cake. It is as NUTTY as the streets of Chicago are during this celebration!
What is Saint Patty's Day?
Saint Patty's day is also known as the Feast of Saint Patrick is a celebration that is held on March 17th. It the anniversary of the death of Saint Patrick that happened in the fifth century. It is a religious holiday for most people who are Irish Catholic and for many it is a cultural celebration.
Chicago has a large Irish immigrant group and the city developed its own tradition of the holiday. The famous tradition is the dying of the Chicago River green. This started in 1962 by using green vegetable dye to change the color to green. This tradition remains today and it is a fun activity to go to if you are visiting Chicago.
What makes this cake so good?
There is nothing like eating a homemade natural flavor cake that is filled with so much flavor. You get a strong roasted nutty flavor from the pistachios that are blended into the batter. The almond extract gives an extra nutty essence and the whole wheat flour enhances that nutty flavor even more. It is perfect for anyone who is a nut lover.
Pistachios pair well with so many flavors and I love to cook with crushed-up pistachios. These nuts are even better tasting in a sweet loaf where you get a crunch of pistachio and a taste of melted chocolate in every bite. To really get that pistachio flavor in the loaf or a cake you need to grind the pistachios to a fine powder. The key to this recipe is the setup part where you make a paste consistency with sugar, pistachios, salt, and butter. This ensures that you get a strong flavor in the cake and a great texture. This cake is so delicious to eat and easy to make. You could make the whole batter in the blending with only a few ingredients.
A few tips to success:
Whole wheat flour vs all-purpose flour - I am on a whole wheat flour kick lately and I find whole wheat flour pairs well with crushed nuts. There is already an element of nuttiness in whole wheat flour so it is perfect in this cake. You can substitute the whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour if you prefer. Also, if you would like the texture to be moister you can add an extra egg or oil.
Storage - this cake will last for about 5 days wrapped in plastic wrap and an air-tight container. I like to reheat it in the microwave and add a little bit of butter. It is a delicious afternoon snack.
Chocolate chips - I love to add chocolate to most of my baked goods. Who doesn't love chocolate? Chocolate makes everything taste better. However, you can leave the chocolate chips out if you want a plain pistachio loaf cake or you can fold in crushed pistachios for chunks.
Lemon pistachio glaze - I find it is best to make this when the cake is out of the oven and cooling. You are making a sticky syrup so if you let the glaze sit for too long it will begin to harden. You can always reheat it on low heat if you do make it beforehand, just be careful not to burn the sugar.
Check out how to make this cake in the video below:
Pistachio Cake with Lemon Glaze
Serving size: 1 loaf
Total Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Source: Adapted from smitten kitchen
Cake:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons roasted, shelled, and unsalted pistachios
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Lemon Pistachio Glaze:
1/3 cup roasted, shelled, and unsalted pistachios
1/4 cup granulated sugar
zest and juice of 1 lemon
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a loaf pan.
Step 2: In a blender or food processor, grind pistachios, sugar, and salt together until powder forms. Add the butter cut into small chunks and blend with pistachio mixture. The mixture should form a smooth consistency.
Step 3: In a large bowl, whisk eggs then add in the pistachio butter mixture. Whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add milk, mix to combine. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and baking powder and mix to fully combine. Mix in the flour until batter forms.
Step 4: Add the cake batter to the loaf pan and spread until smooth. Bake for 60-65 minutes. To check if the cake is ready insert a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. This cake took a little extra time for me to cook because it was so thick. Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the cake and transfer to a cooling rack or plate. Let cool while you make the glaze.
Step 5: To make the glaze, bring pistachios, sugar, zest, and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then pour over cooled cake. I find this glaze works best when you pour it on top of the cake immediately after making it because the glaze will harden quickly. Once you add the glaze on top, cut the loaf into slices and serve. The cake will last for a few days if wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in an air-tight container.