VN:R_U [1.6.8_931]
Rating: 3.6/10 (15 votes cast)

This is an easy cake to make, it has three buttermilk layers–top and bottom with cocoa mixture, the center layer has pistachio nuts and is assembled with whipped cream and frosted with chocolate icing, decorated with more pistachio nuts.

Egg Free Cocoa-Pistachio Layer Cake

Ingredients

  • CAKE LAYERS:
    1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
    1/2 cup boiling water
    1 3/4 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/8 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup butter, softened
    2 cups granulated sugar
    **1 heaping tablespoon baking powder; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 tablespoon warm water; 3 tablespoons pureed fruit
    Substitution for 2 eggs
    1 teapoon vanilla extract
    1 1/3 cups buttermilk
    1/2 cup finely chopped pistachio nuts
    1 cup heavy cream

    FROSTING
    1/3 cup light cream
    1/3 cup butter
    2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
    2 2/3 cups sifted powdered sugar
    1 teapoon light corn syrup
    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    1/4 cup coarsely chopped pistachio nuts

Instructions

    CAKE

  1. Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°
  2. Mix cocoa with boiling water, cool completely
  3. Grease and flour three 8×1 1/2″ cake pans.
  4. Sift flour, baking powder, soda and salt.
  5. Whip heavy cream until stiff; refrigerate
  7. 1. In mixer bowl combine butter, sugar, eggs or egg substites and vanilla.
  8. Beat on hi speed till fluffy, about 4 minutes
  10. 2. At low speed blend in
  11. flour mixture in fourths, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with flour mixture, beat until smooth.
  13. 3. Measure 1 2/3 cups batter into small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped nuts; pour into prepared pan.
  15. 4. Add cocoa mixture to
  16. remaining batter; mix until smooth; divide evenly between other pans.
  18. 5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes.
  19. Cool 10 minutes on rack;
  20. remove from pans; cool completely.
  22. FROSTING
  23. 1. Heat cream in saucepan until bubbles form; remove from heat
  25. 2. Add hot cream to butter, cocoa, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar; corn syrup
  26. and vanilla.
  27. Beat frosting till smooth
  29. 3. Add remaining powdered sugar; beating till
  30. smooth and thick enough to spread
  32. TO ASSEMBLE CAKE
  33. Place one chocolate layer on cake plate, right side down; spread w/half the whipped cream.
  34. Place the nut cake layer on next; spread w/rest of whipped cream.
  35. Top w/ remaining chocolate layer, right side up.
  36. Spread frosting on side and top; garnish top edge of cake with the coarsely chopped nuts.
  37. Refrigerate.