Brown Butter Pistachio Cake with Candied Pistachio Topping
Author: 
Recipe type: Dessert
Makes: 1 10-inch round cake; Serves 10
 
This brown butter pistachio cake is so moist and flavorful that no one will miss the buttercream!
Ingredients
For the cake:
  • 120g (~1 cup minus 1 teaspoon shelled pistachios) salted shelled pistachios, ground in food processor to fine meal (about 1 minute)
  • 100g (~1¼ cups) almonds meal
  • 40g (~1/3 cup) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 250g (1 cup / 2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and chilled for an hour*
  • 250g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 205g (~4 large) eggs, whisked
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (~one large lemon)
  • 5 milliliters (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
For the candied pistachio topping
  • 127g (~1 cup) salted shelled pistachios
  • 210g (~1/2 cup) granulated sugar
  • 30 milliliters (2 tablespoons) water
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; Grease and flour 1 10-inch round pan and line bottom with parchment paper
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together ground pistachios, almond meal and flour; set aside
  3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together browned butter and sugar on medium high speed until light and fluffy
  4. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula; add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla; mix on medium speed until combined
  5. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in pistachio mixture; do not overmix
  6. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and place in center of oven; bake for 35-40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean from center
  7. Place cake on wire wrack to cool for 10 minutes
  8. Once cake has partially cooled, run a knife around the edge cake for easier removal; carefully turn pan upside down to remove cake;  set aside and make topping
  9. Make the Candied Pistachio Topping
  10. Place sugar and water in a heavy duty medium saucepan over medium-high heat; stir until mixture comes to a boil and then continue to stir for a few minutes or until it becomes a thick syrupy consistency; remove from heat and stir in pistachios
  11. Spread evenly over center of cake
  12. Slice and serve
Notes
Slightly adapted from Baker by Nature
Candied Pistachio Topping Adapted from My Kitchen Stories
*To brown the butter, heat it in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly; when butter turns to an amber/light brown color, remove from heat immediately.  You should be able to smell the deeper more caramel flavor of the butter
Store leftovers covered in a cool dry spot for up to four days for best results
Recipe by Keep It Sweet Desserts at http://www.keepitsweetdesserts.com/brown-butter-pistachio-cake-with-candied-pistachio-topping/