Apple & Pistachio Cake
A summery sensation, this light and moist cake is made for sharing.
How long will it take?
3 ½ hours
What’s the serving size?
Serves 10
What do I need?
For the cake
- 100 g shelled pistachio nuts
- 30 g rice flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 150 g ground almonds
- 6 eggs, separated
- 220 g caster sugar, divided
- 50 g apple, grated
- 50 g unsalted butter melted
For the filling
- 3 apples, peeled, roughly chopped
For the buttercream
- 4 egg whites, at room temperature
- 265 g caster sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 450 g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 80 mL water
- 50 g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped, to decorate
- Thyme sprigs, to decorate
How do I make it?
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Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 26-centimetre springform pan.
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Add pistachios to a food processor with rice flour and blitz until the pistachios are finely ground. Add baking powder and almonds and blitz to combine.
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Lightly beat egg yolks and set aside. Beat egg whites with half the caster sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer to soft peaks, then add remaining sugar and beat to firm peaks. Fold beaten egg whites and caster sugar into the pistachio and rice flour mixture, then fold through egg yolks and add to prepared springform pan. Cook for 50 minutes, or until cooked through.
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Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
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Meanwhile prepare filling by peeling, coring and roughly chopping apples. Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over high heat. When boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add apples. Cook, simmering, for 5-10 minutes or until the apples are tender but still holding their shape. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside to cool.
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Make buttercream by beating egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar together while slowly adding in 1/3 of the sugar until soft peaks form.
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Place remaining sugar and water into a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring, until the sugar melts and becomes clear in colour. Test the temperature of the sugar mixture and heat it until it is between 110C and 115C.
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When sugar is at the desired temperature gradually pour it into the egg mixture and beat until the mixture has cooled. With the mixer still running, add room temperature butter into the mix, slowly adding one piece at a time. Add salt and vanilla and beat until the butter is all added and the mixture has a silky consistency.
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To assemble the cake, cut cooled cake into three layers horizontally. Place first layer on a serving plate and top with some buttercream and half the apples. Add second layer of cake and repeat topping with buttercream and apples, then add final layer of cake. Cover sides and top with remaining buttercream and decorate the top with pistachio kernels and the sides with thyme sprigs.
