Pont-Aven Pistachio Cake

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (4 oz/113 g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• ⅔ cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon culinary-grade matcha (optional, for color)
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon fleur de sel or ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• ⅔ cup (about 90 g) pistachio flour
• 6 large egg whites, at room temperature and stirred to break them up
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons pistachio cream
• About ¾ cup (100 g) fresh raspberries
• About ½ cup (160 g) raspberry jam, for filling (optional)
• 5 ounces (142 g) high-quality white chocolate, chopped, for glaze (optional)
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil, for glaze (optional)
• A handful of fresh raspberries, for topping (optional)
• Confectioners’ sugar, for finishing

Instructions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch round cake pan at least 2 inches deep, line the bottom with parchment, and butter the paper.
2. Melt the butter gently in a small saucepan or microwave. Set it aside to cool until warm but still liquid.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, matcha if using, baking powder, salt, baking soda, granulated sugar, and pistachio flour. Break up any clumps of nut flour.
4. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites just until loose and lightly foamy; do not whip them to peaks. Whisk in the vanilla and pistachio cream until smooth.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the egg-white mixture in two additions, stirring gently with a flexible spatula. Gradually fold in the melted butter until the batter is glossy and evenly blended.
6. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan and scatter half of the raspberries over it. Cover with the remaining batter, smooth the top, and add the remaining berries, pressing them only slightly into the surface.
7. Bake for 35 to 42 minutes, until the cake is golden at the edges, springs back lightly in the center, and a tester inserted away from a berry comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
8. For the optional filling, slice the cooled cake horizontally with a serrated knife. Spread the bottom layer with raspberry jam, leaving a small border, then replace the top layer.
9. For the optional glaze, melt the white chocolate gently and stir in the neutral oil. Pour over the cake and spread toward the edges. Decorate with fresh raspberries and let the glaze set; otherwise simply dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar.