Lemon-Frosted Pistachio Cake for Dessert
Cakes & Cookies · David Scott Allen · Dessert · Provencal Recipes · TasteOver the years, we have hosted and attended many dinner parties. Usually, it’s a delightful occasion to visit with friends over a meal. Occasionally there is a theme like a milestone birthday or anniversary or a holiday. However, a dinner party based around the song “I never promised you a rose garden” well, that was a first. The task? To bringing a course for the meal that related to our interpretation of the song.
My contribution was this delicious Lemon-Frosted Pistachio Cake, a recipe by food writer and chef Nigel Slater.

Lemon-Frosted Pistachio Cake
The recipe for this delicious dessert is from The New York Times and is the creation of British chef Nigel Slater.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz butter
- 1 cup (125 g) + 1 tbsp superfine sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup (125 g) pistachios unsalted, finely ground
- 1 cup (125 g) blanched almonds finely ground
- 1 orange for juice and finely grated zest
- 1 tsp rose water
- 1/2 cup (62 g) + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (125 g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- pistachios shelled, whole, unsalted, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line the bottom of an 8-inch nonstick cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together the butter and superfine sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then add the ground pistachios and almonds.
- Add the orange juice, orange zest and rosewater, and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour; do not overmix.
- Scoop the mixture into the cake pan, and bake until the top is firm and a light golden brown, about 40 minutes.
- Lightly cover the top of the cake with foil and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, about 10 minutes more.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for several minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.
- When the cake is cool, mix the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl, and pour over the cake.
- While the frosting is still soft, sprinkle with the whole shelled pistachios. Allow the icing to set for 30 minutes before serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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4 Comments
The cake I want for my birthday
That cake would be delicious for your birthday, or any other reasonable excuse! Enjoy.
Or for no good reason at all! I’m making it this Sunday because it is Sunday.
Exactly, no excuse needed to make and eat cake. Have a great day!