Desserts
Pistachio Raspberry Cake
About the Pistachio Buttercream…
There are so many other types of buttercream. For this Pistachio Raspberry Cake, I have used an American-style buttercream which is probably the most well-known and one of the easiest. It is made using icing sugar, butter and, often, a splash of milk (that isn’t needed for this recipe as we use pistachio cream). It is very sweet (the ratio is normally 2:1 sugar) and can be flavoured in many different ways.
You could make this Pistachio Raspberry Cake using a different type of buttercream if you are confident with the method and how to add the pistachio cream to flavour accordingly.
More Types of Buttercream
Whilst Italian, Swiss and American buttercream are the most famous varieties, there are so many more. Below is a list of some of my favourites:
- Russian buttercream – also known as ‘condensed milk buttercream’. It is one of my favourites because it is just so unbelievably easy, takes less than 10 minutes to make and has the most delicious buttery, caramel flavour without being overly sweet. All you do is mix together softened butter with condensed milk and your choice of flavours (vanilla extract and a pinch of salt are my go-tos but you can make chocolate and fruit versions too).
- American buttercream – this is probably the most well-known buttercream and is made using icing sugar, butter and, often, a splash of milk. It is very sweet (the ratio is normally 2:1 sugar) and can be flavoured in many different ways.
- German buttercream – this is a really rich and decadent option which starts by making a crème pâtissière (with egg yolks, cream, cornflower, sugar, and vanilla extract). Then allow it to cool before whisking in butter. It tastes like a very light, buttery custard but is more complex to make.
- Italian buttercream – this is considered one of the most complex, but also most stable, buttercreams. It is made by drizzling hot sugar syrup into whisked egg whites, before gradually adding butter to form a buttercream. It has a pure white colour, gives a melt-in-the-mouth texture and has the most delicious sweet, slightly buttery, flavour.
- French buttercream – this is a luxurious buttercream made with whole eggs or egg yolks, butter and cooked sugar syrup (plus flavourings of your choice). It is similar to the Italian meringue-based buttercream in technique, but the egg yolks give it a richer flavour, more velvety texture and yellow-y colour.
