Pistachio Cake

Directions

1. Make the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prep two 8” round cake pans (*see note below).
2. Place pistachios in a food processor and pulse until evenly chopped into very small pieces, about 45 to 60 seconds.
3. Combine the chopped pistachios in a bowl with the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
4. In another bowl, combine the milk, yogurt, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until everything is well incorporated.
5. Pour half of the batter into each prepared pan and spread in an even layer to the pans’ edges. Bake at 350 degrees until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the cakes, and invert them out of the pans and onto cooling racks. Allow cakes to cool completely before frosting.
6. While cakes cool, make the raspberry filling: Combine raspberries, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until raspberries soften and break down completely, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow raspberry mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.
7. Combine the raspberry mixture and mascarpone in a large bowl, whisking together until well mixed. Chill mixture in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
8. Make the ganache: Heat cream in a small saucepan until just steaming, but not boiling. Remove from heat and add the chocolate, whisking constantly until a smooth, glossy consistency is achieved.
9. Assemble the cake: Place a cooling rack on a baking sheet, and place one of the cakes on top. Spread the raspberry filling evenly over the cake, then place the other cake on top. Slowly pour chocolate ganache onto the top of the cake - ganache will coat top and run down to coat sides of cake as well, with excess dripping off onto the baking sheet below. Once cake is coated in ganache, garnish with chopped pistachios and transfer to a refrigerator to cool and allow ganache to set for at least 30 minutes before serving.
10. Note on pan prep: In situations where I absolutely need to get cakes out of their pans in one piece, I find that having a well greased pan makes a huge difference. I’ve had great success using the following method: Trace the bottom of the pan on a sheet of parchment paper, and cut it out - you’ll have a circle that will fit perfectly into the bottom of your pan. Grease the whole pan (bottom and sides) with cooking spray or butter, then lay the parchment paper on the bottom. Next, add a bit of flour to the pan, and turning the pan on its side and moving it around, allow the flour to coat the sides of the pan completely, tapping out any excess. Now your pan is ready to go, and you should have minimal trouble getting your cake out in one piece.