Pistachio Cake with Fig Compote and Pistachio Buttercream

This Pistachio Cake with Fig Cardamom Compote and Pistachio Buttercream is inspired by one found at Eats Well with Others. In a quest to move past traditional white, chocolate and yellow cakes with plain frostings, I’ve compiled a list of ingredients to make up my flavor profile. These flavors will mostly be included in cakes and pastries. Granted the base flavors of many cakes may be white, chocolate or yellow but those are only starting points. This cake is also a move to get me out of my baking and flavor comfort zone. A while back my daughter sent me a jar of Pistachio Cream and it is divine. Adding ¼ cup of it to the buttercream frosting recipe below was one of my changes to the original recipe. My other change and it was a big one, is the Fig Cardamom Compote that’s spread between the layers. Using pistachios in some form was at the top of my list for a fall/winter cake. To me they are seasonless. What enhanced the fall flavor profile was the figs, and to add a warm spice to the mix I decided on cardamom. Pardon the drama but, this Pistachio Cake with Fig Cardamom Compote and Pistachio Buttercream was an eyes-rolling in the back of my head moment. The cake is moist with a delightful crunch from the pistachios. The slightly citrus and herbaceous cardamom is a perfect complement to the figs. Then there is the Pistachio Buttercream. The recipe calls for cooking the flour sugar and milk until thickened. Now I’ve made a buttercream like this before. Instead of letting this mixture cool in the fridge as I’ve previously done, the mixture is cooled by mixing at high speed until cool. Once the mixture is cooled the butter and pistachio cream are added. Then you beat it until all the ingredients are incorporated and it’s light and fluffy. Please don’t be put off by the long list of instructions, the end result is worth it. My good friends at our local library were the lucky recipients and they seemed pretty excited to receive it. This is a great holiday dessert that is sure to garner rave reviews for you. This Pistachio Cake with Fig Compote and Pistachio Buttercream is a great holiday or any time of the year dessert. The pistachio flavor is mild but noticeable and this cake is sure to garner rave reviews for you. Crema di Pistacchio by Olive & Oil is the pistachio cream I used and it can be found here.   Print Pistachio Cake with Fig Compote and Pistachio Buttercream Author: Sandra Lee Garth Recipe type: Dessert Cuisine: American Prep time:  Cook time:  Total time:  Serves: 12-16   This Pistachio Cake with Fig Compote and Pistachio Buttercream is a great holiday or any time of the year dessert. The pistachio flavor is mild but noticeable and this cake is sure to garner rave reviews for you. Ingredients 1 cup shelled pistachios 2½ cups cake flour ¾ cup all-purpose flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda ¾ tsp salt 1 cup unsalted butter, softened 1¾ cups sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 large egg 3 large egg whites, at room temperature ¼ tsp cream of tartar Fig Compote 1 cup of water 3 tablespoons honey 1 teaspoon vanilla ¼ tsp cardamom 1 cup diced dried figs Pistachio Buttercream 1½ cups sugar ⅓ cup flour 1½ cups milk ⅓ cup heavy cream 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, soft, cut into small pieces ¼ cup pistachio cream 1 tsp vanilla extract 3 tbsp honey Chopped Pistachios for garnish (optional) Instructions Preheat the oven to 325° F and prepare 3 8- inch cake pans with parchment paper. In the bowl of a food processor pulse pistachios until they are coarsely chopped and place 2 tablespoons in a small bowl. Pulse remaining pistachios until they have almost a powder like consistency. Transfer to a large bowl and whisk together both the roughly chopped and fine pistachios with the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside. In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the butter for 3 minutes. Add in the sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy about 3 minutes and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Next, add in 1 egg and mix until just combined. In a medium-sized clean bowl, whisk together the egg whites with the cream of tartar until soft peaks form about 3 to 5 minutes. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes rotating the pans halfway through and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for 20 minutes. Turn the cakes onto cooling racks and let cool completely before frosting. While the cake is cooling make the fig cardamom compote. Bring water, honey, vanilla, and cardamom to a boil in a medium pan over high heat. Cook stirring occasionally until honey is dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in diced figs and return to a boil. Next, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer stirring occasionally until mixture is reduced and thicken to a lumpy jam consistency approximately 25-30 minutes. Pour into a small bowl covered loosely with plastic wrap and set aside to cool completely For the Pistachio Buttercream In a medium heavy saucepan whisk together the flour and sugar then add in the milk and cream. Cook over medium heat whisking frequently until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens about 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the hot mixture to a stand mixer bowl and mix with the paddle attachment and on high-speed and beat until cool about 9 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add the butter a few pieces at a time and the pistachio a tablespoon at a time until its fully incorporated. Increases speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy for 2-3 minutes. Add the vanilla and honey and continue mixing until thoroughly combined. If the frosting is too soft chill and mix again. Assembling the Cake Make a dam around the outside edge of the cake by filling a piping bag fitted with a medium plain tip with the Pistachio Buttercream on the outside of your cake. If you don’t have a frosting bag place the frosting inside a zippered bag and snip off the corner. Pipe a ring /dam of frosting around the outer edge of your cake, and then spread half of the fig compote in the center. Place the second layer on top, trim the top if necessary and repeat the above steps. Place the last layer on top, bottom side up, and frost the top and sides of the cake. If desired, pipe rosettes around the top border and garnish with more chopped pistachios. Notes The cooking time of 85 minutes includes 45 minutes to bake the cake, 10 minutes to cook the base for the buttercream frosting and 25 minutes to cook the fig compote. Wordpress Recipe Plugin by EasyRecipe 3.5.3251 Please check out the Christmas Tablescape Blog Hop organized by Chloe Crabtree of Celebrate and Decorate. The hop started on Monday, December 10th and runs through Friday, December 14th. My table debuts this Friday the 14th.   Monday Home is Where the Boat Is | Everyday Living | Knock it Off Kim | A casa di Bianca Tuesday Life and Linda | The Painted Hinge | Panoply | Corner of Plaid and Paisley Wednesday Debbee’s Buzz | Follow the Yellow Brick Home | Living With Thanksgiving Home and Gardening With Liz Thursday Red Cottage Chronicles | The Painted Apron https://thepaintedapron.com/ | Our Crafty Mom | Celebrate & Decorate Friday From My Carolina Home | Sweet Sensations | Me and My Captain Zucchini Sisters | BlueSky at Home   Share this:ShareEmailTweetPrintLike this:Like Loading... Related