Description
This Vegan Pistachio Cake is a moist, flavorful dessert made with ground pistachios and a dairy-free buttercream frosting. It combines the nutty richness of pistachios with a light, fluffy texture, perfect for celebrations or as a delightful treat. With a blend of soy milk and apple cider vinegar creating a vegan buttermilk, this cake is completely plant-based and irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Cake
- 100 g raw shelled pistachios (with or without skins)
- 220 g granulated sugar (organic recommended if based in US)
- 250 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 280 ml soy milk
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 120 ml olive oil (or other neutral oil)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Frosting
- ½ batch pistachio buttercream (recipe for buttercream not included in this article)
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 175°C (347°F). Lightly grease the base and sides of three 6″ cake tins with oil. Line each base with a circle of parchment and the sides with parchment strips. To make the vegan buttermilk, combine the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a mixing jug, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Blend the nuts and sugar: Place pistachios and sugar into a food processor or blender and blitz until finely ground to create a pistachio sugar mixture.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the pistachio sugar mixture, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and sea salt. Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add olive oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the vegan buttermilk in the jug and whisk until well combined.
- Make the batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and fold together gently using a spatula. Mix just until no pockets of flour remain; avoid overmixing to keep the cake light.
- Bake: Divide the batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick in the center; it should come out almost clean with just a few crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Cool the cakes: Let the cakes cool in their tins for 15-20 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and remove parchment. Allow them to cool completely for at least an hour. Cakes can be refrigerated in an airtight container and chilled for a few hours or overnight for easier handling and decorating.
- Prepare frosting: Make a half batch of pistachio buttercream (or a full batch and freeze half). Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round nozzle or snip the end off a piping or ziplock bag when ready to decorate.
- Assembly: Secure the first cake layer on a cake turntable with a small amount of frosting. Pipe frosting on top of the first layer and spread evenly with an offset spatula or palette knife. Add the second layer and repeat. Top with the final cake layer and use remaining frosting to coat the sides and top. Smooth the surface with a cake scraper.
- Storage: Store the decorated cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or at room temperature for 1-2 days. Remove from fridge about an hour before serving to soften the cake and frosting.
Notes
- The pistachios can be used with or without skins, depending on preference.
- Using organic sugar is recommended if you are in the US for a cleaner ingredient profile.
- Chilling the cake layers before decorating makes assembling and frosting easier and results in neater layers.
- Pistachio buttercream recipe is not provided here; prepare ahead or source a vegan pistachio frosting recipe.
- Use neutral oil if olive oil flavor is undesired for a milder taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan, Western
