Real Pistachio Cake

 

Every now and then I like to post a good recipe! All of them are made from real ingredients, nothing artificial.

Because my dad loves pistachios, I wanted to make him a pistachio cake for his birthday, (not the kind with the artificial pudding mix in it).  So I came across a good one, I modified a little..

I chose a cream cheese frosting but you can also make chocolate or have none.

Ingredients 
 - 1 cup shelled natural pistachios

 - 1 cup all-purpose flour (I use Arthurs White Whole Wheat)
 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
 - 1/2 cup whole milk

 - 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
 - 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
 - 1 cup sugar
 - 3 large eggs

Frosting

 - 4 oz cream cheese

 - about 2 c. powdered sugar

 - 2 tbs milk

 - 1/2 c. butter 
 - 1/2 tsp vanilla

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x9 cake pan, round or square, then line bottom with wax paper. Butter paper and dust pan with some flour, knocking out excess.

Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. I did them a little chunky, as seen in picture.  Put 1/4 cup aside for the topping.  To the 3/4 cup of pistachios add 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt mix well.

Combine milk and vanilla.

Beat together softened butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add pistachio flour and milk in batches, beginning and ending with flour, and mix at low speed until just combined.

Spread batter evenly in cake pan and bake in middle of oven until a tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around sides of cake and invert onto rack. Remove paper and re invert cake onto a platter.  
Frosting- Beat softened butter and cream cheese for a few minutes. Add milk & vanilla, then slowly add powdered sugar until its the right consistency. 

Frost completely cooled cake. Refrigerate (if frosted).

 

I modified mine from this recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pistachio-Cake-105003

FYI
Did you know Jello Pistachio pudding mix has more almonds than pistachios and contains less than 2% pistachios. I'll pass on the yellow 5, blue 1 and yellow 6 as well as preservatives & artificial flavors!
Ingredients in Jello Pistachio pudding mix:
SUGAR, MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, ALMONDS, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF PISTACHIO NUTS, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, SALT, DISODIUM PHOSPHATE AND TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (FOR THICKENING), MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES (PREVENT FOAMING), YELLOW 5, BLUE 1, YELLOW 6, ARTIFICIAL COLOR, BHA AS A PRESERVATIVE. *AMOUNT IN DRY MIX.