Pistachio and Raspberry Cake

Step 1

Start by pre-heating your oven to 180c/350f. Also grease and line two 8 inch cake tins, leave these aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, add the softened butter, oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract. Beat these together on high speed for 5 minutes, or if you are making this by hand just aggressively whisk for as long as you can.

Step 3

Add 2 of the eggs into this, whisk these in. Then whisk in the remaining 2 eggs.

Step 4

Add the self raising flour and milk, whisk just until you get a smooth batter.

Step 5

Pour this into your prepared cake tins, then bake in your pre-heated oven for around 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Step 6

Whiles your cake layers are baking, make the sweet milk.

Step 7

In a pot, add the milk, sugar and vanilla. Place this onto medium heat.

Step 8

You want to heat this just until the mixture is warm and the sugar has dissolved. You don't need the milk to come to a boil, you just want it to be warm. You can also do this in your microwave.

Step 9

Leave this aside.

Step 10

Once your cake layers have baked and are still warm, pour the milk over them.

Step 11

Leave the cake layers to soak the milk and cool completely.

Step 12

Meanwhile make your buttercream and then mix the freeze dried raspberry powder into it. Start by just adding a tablespoon or 2 of the powder, then taste it and add more if you want a stronger raspberry flavour.

Step 13

Leave this aside until you're ready to use it.

Step 14

Once the cake layers have completely cooled and the buttercream has been made, you can start putting the cake together.

Step 15

Place one of your cake layers down onto a cake board, spread a layer of the buttercream on top of this, then pipe a border of the buttercream around the edge of the cake.

Step 16

Add a layer of the pistachio spread in the middle of this. I recommend melting your pistachio spread in your microwave for a few seconds before using it. You don't want it to be too runny, you just want it to be a little more soft and spreadable so don't heat it for too long.

Step 17

Add the second layer of cake on top.

Step 18

Leave this in your fridge for about 20 minutes, this will make it easier to decorate.

Step 19

Now decorate the cake however you want. I just covered it in the raspberry buttercream, added chopped pistachios to the sides, then piped buttercream swirls on top and added fresh raspberries on top of the swirls.

Step 20

After you have decorated the cake, you can cut into it and enjoy!