February 26, 2021

Pistachio Rose Cake

Pistachio Rose Cake

The best word I can use to describe this Pistachio Rose cake is enchanting! It is so a vibrant and indulgent cake. This Moroccan inspired recipe has been on my list to bake forever and have waited a long time to get good quality pistachios. If you like to bake with nuts, this is a must-try recipe.

Recipe credit to my good friend Hajar whose recent bake inspired me to finally bake this.

Have made a few modifications to the recipe to make it gluten-free, but it turned out just as expected. Absolutely delicious. Tastes just as pretty as it looked and I can’t think of a better flavour pairing of rose. I like this slight spiciness, or rather the tingling sensation on the palate it creates.

I should warn you, a little goes a long way in this recipe. So, it may look like fewer nuts, but it is a dense cake and heavy.

I couldn’t think of a better cake than this for my birthday – so here I am baking for myself on my special day.

Here is how I made this Pistachio Rose Cake:

INGREDIENTS:

For the cake:

100g pistachios
50g almond flour or all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
112g butter, room temperature or oil
100g caster sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
Zest of 1 orange
1 tbsp rose water

For the glaze and garnish:

50g icing sugar, sifted
2tbsp milk/water
1tsp pink colour (optional)
1tsp rose water
Pomegranate seeds for garnish
Dried rose petals for garnish
Chopped pistachios, for garnish

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 175°C.
Grease a small cake pan with butter and cover with baking paper
In a food processor pulse the pistachios with the flour until finely ground. Do not over blend, else they release natural oils.
In a separate bowl, whisk the butter/oil with the sugar and orange zest, and rose water until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs one at a time until combined.
Fold the pistachio and almond flour mixture, baking powder and salt with a spatula until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake at 175°C in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a clean toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Serve as is or with glaze.
While the cake cools, prepare the glaze.
To the icing sugar add water/milk & rose water until you achieve a pourable glaze. Add colour or mash a few pomegranate seeds to release come colour.
Cover the cake with glaze with a spatula, and garnish with dried rose petals, pomegranate seeds and chopped pistachios.