Another year

Time flies, and I really can't believe it's been another year. To think about how much has changed since the last time I made myself a birthday cake is pretty exciting - worked for almost a year at the most amazing restaurant (with the greatest coworkers ever), graduated from college, moved to a new city with this super awesome and very attractive barista, started my graduate program... and those are just the big ones! But at the risk of sounding very young, turning 22 is pretty anticlimactic and the only thing big change will be fewer "Awww, really? You're a baby!" comments and pats on the head from pretty much everyone who learns my age. I'm just grateful for another year surrounded by the people who make my life so much better, and have given me more love and support than I could have ever asked for.

But let's not get too nostalgic - there are things to bake and cakes to eat! I'd been thinking about my 22nd birthday cake for a while, and I was a bit more ambitious with the design than I have ever been before. I was very pleasantly surprised with the result, and would probably rank this as my favorite cake I've ever (gasp) made. The layers of white cake flavored with pistachio are light and fresh, and when refrigerated with layers of pastry cream in between take on an even more moist and tender crumb with a hint of vanilla flavor. The hardened ganache spread on top and dripped down the sides not only gives it extra decadence and effortless "cool" factor, but is a great complementary texture to the cake. If you want, you can make these into beautiful little cupcakes as well - just dollop cream on top and drizzle with ganache and you're ready to go!

I also made pastry cream (the custard-y filling in eclairs) for the first time for this recipe, and it's definitely not as intimidating as it seems. As long as you're hovering over the stove and don't let anything get too hot/boil/curdle, this recipe works very well! Make sure you make the pastry cream the day before you assemble the cake, as it needs time to completely set up.

Quick tip: If you don't have a long, sharp serrated knife, it's going to be hard to cut your cake layers in half without messing one up. Either do your best and make do with uneven layers (like me) or use two/three cake pans and make thicker cake layers. Because one of mine got split on the edge, it splayed out a bit when I stacked them. I remedied this by tightly wrapping plastic wrap around the finished product to hold it in place until it got cold enough to hold together itself. 

Pistachio and Vanilla Cream Layer Cake

Here's the rundown...

1. Make vanilla pastry cream, chill overnight 

2. Bake two 8" round pistachio cakes, let cool completely

3. Slice each cake round in half width-wise to make four thin round layers

4. Layer cake rounds with about 1/2" thick layers of pastry cream, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set

5. Make dark chocolate ganache and drizzle over top of cake, refrigerate until you serve

6. Swoon

Vanilla Pastry Cream

from Baked Explorations

3 C half and half

6 egg yolks (reserve 3 egg whites for cake batter!)

1/2 C granulated sugar

3 Tbsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions: In a medium sized saucepan, bring half and half to a simmer. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and salt in another bowl, until the mixture is pale (about 1 minute). Whisk half of the heated half and half into the egg mixture, then pour the egg mixture back into the sauce pan with the remaining half and half. Continue to cook over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes, whisking constantly. The cream is done when the mixture thickens and starts to boil a little (when some bubbles pop to the surface). Remove from heat and pour into a heat-safe bowl, then press a layer of plastic wrap onto the surface of the cream (to prevent a skin from forming). Refrigerate overnight or at least for a few hours.

Pistachio Cake

(aka Aunt Sassy Cake) from Baked Explorations

1 1/3 C shelled pistachios

2 1/2 C cake flour3/4 C all-purpose flour

If you don't have cake flour, add 2 3/4 C all-purpose flour and 5 Tbsp cornstarch 

1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 C granulated sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 egg
3 egg whites, at room temperature
1 1/2 C ice cold water
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar (or 1/4 tsp white vinegar if your cupboard is bare)

Directions: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and prepare 8" round cake pans with parchment or nonstick spray, and line cupcake tins with liners if desired. In a food processor, pulse pistachios until coarsely chopped. Reserve about 1/4 C of these for decorating, then continue pulsing until finely ground (but not powdery). Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt together and then combine with pistachios. 

Beat butter on med-high speed until light and creamy (about 3 min), then add sugar and cream the mixture until fluffy. Add the whole egg and beat to combine. Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the ice water (start and end with flour). Beat on low-medium between each addition, just to combine.

This recipe also makes beautiful cupcakes!

In another bowl (totally dry and clean!), beat egg whites and cream of tartar (or vinegar) at high speed until soft peaks form.

Gently fold egg whites into batter, being careful to maintain the air in the mixture.

Divide batter into pans or cupcake tins, and bake until the top of the cake springs back to the touch. The cupcakes take about 20 minutes, and the 8" cakes take about 30, but check them every few minutes or so after 15 minutes because you don't want to overbake! 

Let cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack before turning them out to cool completely. Trim the top of cake rounds with a long, sharp serrated knife. so they are level and not domed. Cut the layers in half by width if you'd like. 

Dark Chocolate Ganache

4 oz dark chocolate (I use Trader Joe's 72%)

1/3 C butter, at room temperature and cut into cubes

Directions: Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over medium-high heat. Stir until melted and smooth, making sure that no water gets in the mixture (it will curdle!)

Pour melted mixture over top of assembled and refrigerated cake, using a spatula to spread it over the top of the cake, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with reserved chopped pistachios and refrigerate until serving!