Golden Pistachio Mascarpone Cake
The light and airy sponge, enriched with finely ground pistachios, is paired with a velvety mascarpone and honey cream that melts in your mouth. Topped with crunchy pistachios and optional fresh strawberries, this cake is a beautiful balance of texture and taste—a true showstopper for any dessert table.
Equipment
- Kitchen scales
- food processor
- mixer
- 20-24 cm (8-9½") diameter cake tin
- oven
Ingredients
For the batter:
- 100 g pistachios roasted and salted (plus extra for decoration)
- 180 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 eggs
- 150 g sugar
- 200 ml milk
- 100 ml sunflower oil (vegetable oil)
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
For the cream and decoration:
- 200 g mascarpone cheese
- 30-50 g honey (adjust to taste)
- strawberries (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
For the batter:
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/356° F (no fan).
- Finely grind the pistachios in a food processor (for a Thermomix, use 4 seconds on Turbo). For a crunchier texture, grind them coarsely instead.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and ground pistachios.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until light and airy. Add the oil, milk, and vanilla essence, and mix until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix gently with a wooden spoon or planetary mixer blade until smooth.
- Line a round cake tin (20-24 cm / 8-9½ inch) with butter and pour in the batter.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180°C/356°F. After the first 30 minutes, cover the cake with parchment paper to prevent the surface from burning.
- Once baked, let the cake cool completely in the tin before transferring it to a serving plate.
For the cream and decoration:
- Blend the mascarpone cheese until smooth, then mix in the honey to taste.
- Spread the mascarpone cream evenly over the cooled cake.
- Decorate with chopped pistachios and optional strawberry slices.
Notes
- For a festive version, double the cream quantity, slice the cake in half horizontally, and add an extra layer of cream in the middle. Sprinkle with pistachios and strawberry slices for extra flavor and texture.
- If baking the cake in a taller tin (8 cm / 3 inches), note that baking time will be slightly longer.
- If you would like your cake to have a crunchier texture, you can grind the pistachios coarsely.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!