Name: One slice is never enough of this Raspberry and Pistachio Cream Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8-10
Ingredients: 150g butter, softened; 1 cup caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 3 eggs; 1½ cups frozen raspberries; 2 cups plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 cup buttermilk; ¼ cup raspberry jam; Chopped pistachios, fresh raspberries, to decorate; PISTACHIO CREAM; 300ml tub thickened cream; ¼ cup pistachio spread

When tasked with the responsibility of making a cake for our dad’s birthday, my sister and I didn’t want to do it by halves. We didn’t want to bake just any unoriginal cake suggested by Google’s algorithm.

We wanted it to be something special… something glorious for the patriarch of the household. Which is why we made our own.

One of dad’s favourite flavours is pistachio, so this was the obvious starting point.

Pistachio has been notably paired with raspberry time and again, and for good reason: you can’t beat that creamy nuttiness and tarty combo.

All it took was building from the foundations with a basic vanilla cake recipe and adapting and improvising from there. It was as simple as the addition of the ever-versatile, ever-accessible and ever-delicious frozen raspberries into the batter.

And we emerged rather victorious: a two-tiered raspberry cake spectacular, elevated by crushed pistachios and gorgeous pistachio cream. But nothing this good is ever perfect: the flavours were incredible, but the cake itself was too dense. Albeit the birthday boy/man was certainly satisfied and impressed, as were the rest of us.

Lara Carlucci pic for Raspberry and Pistachio Cream Cake test — New Idea’s Editorial Assistant Lara Carlucci wanted to get this recipe right, so she did lots of testing. *(Credit: Lara Carlucci)*

My muse and inspiration, recipe developer Jane, made her own tweaks for shoot day, altering the recipe for a more satisfying cake-eating experience, also thinking to slather the middle with raspberry jam and topping with fresh raspberries.

Jane also taught me something that I’ll pass on: tossing the frozen raspberries in flour before adding them to the batter prevents them from sinking when baking. I’m never forgetting this when pulling up this recipe.

Jane Ash Raspberry and Pistachio Cream Cake — New Idea’s Food Editor, Jane Ash, also did plenty of baking! *(Credit: Jane Ash)*

This generously portioned cake was passed around the New Idea team for tasting, and boy did it disappear fast. An email thread of satisfaction ensued.

Ingredients

150g butter, softened

1 cup caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 eggs

1½ cups frozen raspberries

2 cups plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cup raspberry jam

Chopped pistachios, fresh raspberries, to decorate

PISTACHIO CREAM

300ml tub thickened cream

¼ cup pistachio spread

Method

Step 1

Grease 2 x 20cm round cake pans. Line base and sides of pans with baking paper.

Step 2

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in small bowl of electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined. Transfer to a large bowl.

Step 3

Gently toss raspberries in a medium bowl with 1 tbsp of the flour to lightly coat.

Step 4

Sift remaining flour with baking powder and soda. Stir sifted flour and buttermilk into butter mixture in two batches, until smooth and combined. Gently stir in raspberries. Divide mixture evenly between prepared pans.

Step 5

Cook in 170°C (fan-forced) preheated oven for 30-35 mins until cakes are golden and cooked when tested with a skewer. Stand in pans for 10 mins. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

Step 6

PISTACHIO CREAM: Beat cream and spread in small bowl of an electric mixer until firm peaks form.

Step 7

To assemble, place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with jam. Spoon over half the pistachio cream. Top with other cake layer. Gently spread the remaining pistachio cream over top. Decorate with pistachios and fresh raspberries.

Jane Ash Food Editor

Jane’s love of food began at a young age and led to her studying home economics at TAFE before embarking on a career in food media and TAFE hospitality teaching that has spanned over 30 years. Today, as a Food Editor across New Idea, New Idea Food and Woman’s Day, she’s all for sharing fresh, delicious and achievable recipe ideas, plus the tricks of the trade so everyone can experience the joy of cooking. Attaining a certificate in Nutrition and Diet from Beck Health & Nutrition, Jane has a sound knowledge of the role a wholesome diet plays in overall health and wellbeing, and a growing interest in developing recipes for those on special diets. A believer in everything in moderation, her love of food extends to sweet treats too, especially cakes and desserts, of which she’s developed hundreds while working in numerous leading magazine test kitchens. She knows she’s in the right job when she finds herself still dreaming up new creations to share and inspire others.

Lara Carlucci Editorial Assistant

Lara is an Editorial Assistant to Managing Food Editor Karen Buckley for New Idea, New Idea Food, Woman’s Day, Take 5, and That’s Life, and an Assistant and Writer for Diabetic Living. With a Bachelor of Media (Communications & Journalism), a Bachelor of Arts, and a Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences (Honours), she’s always nurtured a passion and love for writing in whatever form it takes, wanting to share stories that matter. Food is her second love: shaped by her Italian heritage, and the countless large family gatherings that are always comprised of wholesome, generous meals prepared by loved ones. If not around the banquet table, she’ll take every opportunity to sample Sydney’s endless supply of cuisines – having visited over 70 food joints in the last year alone!