Chocolate and pistachio layer cake

This mammoth cake I created for my friend Sarah’s wedding.  It’s nine inches wide and made of three layers of cake, which altogether sat about a foot tall.  Covered with dark chocolate ganache over a layer of chocolate buttercream, inside it is made from alternating, striped layers of chocolate fudge cake and pistachio madeira cake, sandwiched together with pistachio buttercream.  It’s then decorated with ground pistachios and fresh figs and berries.  This post includes the recipe and method for each element. 

For two 9 inch chocolate fudge cakes

Ingredients

600g unsalted butter

600g dark chocolate

2 ½ tbsp instant coffee granules

1.125kg caster sugar

375ml water

10 eggs

100ml vegetable oil

250ml sour cream

325g self-raising flour

300g plain flour

150g cocoa powder

1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease and line two 9 inch round cake tins.
2. Start by melting the butter, chocolate, coffee, sugar and water in a large, heavy-based saucepan. Once melted, set aside to cool.
3. In a jug, beat together the eggs, oil and sour cream.
4. Once the chocolate mixture is lukewarm, add the egg mixture a tablespoonful at a time, stirring well after each addition until completely combined.
5. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.
6. Pour the chocolate mixture into well and mix until thoroughly combined.
7. Pour the batter into the lined tins and bake for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cakes comes out clean.
8. Leave the cakes to cool completely in the tin.

For one 9 inch pistachio madeira cake

Ingredients

3 oz pistachios

12 oz butter

12 oz caster sugar

Few drops pistachio essence

6 eggs

12 oz self-raising flour

3 oz plain flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and grease and line a 9 inch round cake tin.  
2. Start by toasting the pistachios in the oven for 5 minutes. 
3. Place the toasted nuts in a food processor and blitz until as fine as you can get them.
4. In a large mixing bowl cream the butter, sugar and pistachio essence together until pale and fluffy.
5. Measure out the flours and set aside.
6. Add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time, followed by a large spoonful of flour between each egg.  Beat well after each addition.
7. Sift in the remaining flour, baking powder, ground pistachios and salt and beat until well combined.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared cake tins and bake for about 45 - 60 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Leave in the tins to cool completely.

For the pistachio buttercream

Ingredients

3 oz toasted pistachios

8 oz icing sugar
6 oz butter, softened

Method

1. To make the buttercream, put the pistachios and icing sugar into a food processor and blitz until it is as fine as you can get it.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter until smooth and lighter in colour.
3. Sift in the nutty sugar and whisk well for 5 minutes until lightened and fluffy.
4. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

For the chocolate buttercream

Ingredients

8 oz butter, softened

12 oz icing sugar

4 oz cocoa powder

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the butter until smooth and lighter in colour.
2. Sift in the icing sugar and cocoa and beat well for 5 minutes until smooth.
3. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

For the chocolate ganache

Ingredients

600g dark chocolate

600ml double cream

Method 

1. Place the chocolate into a medium bowl. 
2. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring just to the boil.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, leave to sit for 2 minutes, then gently beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.

To assemble and decorate

Ingredients

Ground pistachios

Fresh figs

Redcurrants, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries

Method

1. Once the cakes have all cooled completely, turn each out onto a flat surface and carefully slice each in half horizontally. Set aside one chocolate cake half – you will only need three chocolate layers and two pistachio layers.
2. Place a chocolate cake layer on a 9 inch round cake board on a cake stand. 
3. Cover with quarter of the pistachio buttercream and smooth with a palette knife.
4. Repeat with alternating layers of pistachio and chocolate cake, sandwiching each cake layer with a quarter of the buttercream.
5. Once all five layers of cake have been stacked, coat the top and sides of the assembled cake with the chocolate buttercream.
6. Place the cake in the fridge to set for an hour.
7. Once the buttercream crumb coat has set, use half the cooled ganache to coat the top and sides of the cake, using a palette knife to try to make it as smooth and even as possible. 
8. Return the cake to the fridge for another hour or until the ganache layer has firmed up.
9. Finally, repeat with another layer of the remaining ganache, this time taking extra care to smooth is as perfectly as possible.
10. Sprinkle the top of the cake with ground pistachios, and decorate with fresh fruit.