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Chocolate and Pistachio Cake on a gold cake stand with chocolate ganache drips and chopped pistachios
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4.85 from 20 votes

Chocolate and Pistachio Cake

Two thick layers of chocolate sponge, sandwiched together with chocolate ganache and smothered in pistachio buttercream, topped off with ganache drips and chopped pistachio nuts!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Decorating time1 hour
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 933.33kcal

Ingredients

For the chocolate sponge cakes

  • 200 grams caster sugar
  • 200 grams butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 200 grams self raising flour
  • 50 grams cocoa powder
  • 75 millilitres black coffee freshly brewed

For the buttercream

  • 250 grams butter softened
  • 450 grams icing sugar
  • 100 grams pistachios finely ground

For the ganache

  • 100 millilitres double cream
  • 100 grams milk chocolate finely chopped
  • 100 grams dark chocolate finely chopped

To decorate

  • 75 grams chopped pistachios

Instructions

To bake the cake

  • Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 4 (160 C), and line two 6 inch cake tins with grease proof paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, sugar until soft and smooth.
  • Beat in the eggs until the mix is creamy in pale.
  • Sift the cocoa powder and flour into the bowl and fold through until fully incorporated.
  • Finally, stir through the coffee.
  • Pour the cake mix into the two tins and bake for 35-45 mins or until springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning out on to a cooling rack.

To decorate

  • Beat the softened butter until it becomes pale and creamy.
  • Add i the icing sugar and ground pistachios and beat gently until just incorporated and smooth and spreadable.
  • Spread a small amount on to a cake board or cake plate and place the first sponge layer on top.
  • Fill a piping bag with a round nozzle and pipe just around the outer rim of the sponge layer.
  • Heat the cream until almost simmering then stir in the chopped chocolate. 
  • Keep stirring until the chocolate has completely melted and its smooth and glossy. 
  • Allow the ganache to cool  stirring regularly until its spreadable. 
  • Spoon some of the ganache on top of your base layer of sponge cake up to the piped ring of buttercream.
  • Sprinkle half of the chopped pistachios over the ganache.
  • Place the second layer of sponge on top of the buttercream/ganache and press down gently.
  • Spoon a third of the buttercream on to the top of the cake then, using a large spatular, spread the buttercream until smooth on top, and gently ease it down the sides of the cake.
  • Once the whole cake is covered in one smooth layer, place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes.
  • Add a second layer of buttercream and make sure the edges are smooth.
  • If the ganache has become firm while you've been icing, gently reheat it, stirring frequently to make sure it stays smooth and glossy.
  • Using a teaspoon, spoon drips over the edge of the cake. 
  • Once you have created drips round the whole cake, spoon the ganache on top and gently ease right up to the edge of the cake until smooth.
  • To finish, sprinkle over the remaining chopped pistachios.

Nutrition

Calories: 933.33kcal | Carbohydrates: 98.19g | Protein: 11.21g | Fat: 58.76g | Saturated Fat: 31.94g | Trans Fat: 1.49g | Cholesterol: 185.15mg | Sodium: 359.78mg | Potassium: 426.55mg | Fiber: 5.58g | Sugar: 73.16g | Vitamin A: 1456.47IU | Vitamin C: 1.04mg | Calcium: 66.58mg | Iron: 3.42mg