Gluten-Free Pistachio Cake with Seasonal Fruit and Cream

At Bastyr University, we believe in the power of whole foods to nourish and delight. This month, we're excited to feature a delicious recipe from our talented Bastyr Chef, Tanya Emerick. Tanya is renowned for her innovative approach to baking, using natural sweeteners and wholesome ingredients to create treats that are both healthful and indulgent.

In this spirit, Tanya shares her Gluten-Free Pistachio Cake with Seasonal Fruit and Cream. This delightful cake combines the rich, nutty flavor of pistachios with the vibrant freshness of seasonal fruits, all topped with a luscious cream. As Tanya emphasizes, "In most of our baked goods at Bastyr University, we use whole foods as a natural sweetener instead of refined sugar."

We invite you to try this recipe at home and experience the delicious difference that whole foods can make in your baking. Enjoy!

PISTACHIO CAKE

Unsalted butter or plant-based butter for the pan
2 1/4 cups (270 g) pistachios (unsalted)
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (55 g) potato starch
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 medium pear (112 g) pear (unpeeled), cored and chopped (about 2/3 cup).  
1 1/2 cups (214 g) dates, pitted and chopped
6 tbsp (81 g) plant-based butter or unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 eggs at room temp or vegan egg replacer 
1 tsp vanilla bean paste 
1 tsp ground cinnamon.

Whipped cream (or coconut cream) vegan option with seasonal fruit such as strawberries for serving.

Step 1

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan.

Step 2

In a food processor, grind the pistachios to a fine powder (without turning them into a paste). We shift the pistachios several times and process the larger pieces that don’t fit through the shifter.  Put pistachio powder, potato starch, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Add the pears and dates to the food processor and puree until they form a smooth paste, about 2 minutes (scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary).  

If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a spice grinder to pulse the pistachios to a fine powder. For the pears and dates you can process in a blender.

Step 3

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter or vegan butter (we use earth balance plant-based butter) until it is light and creamy. 

Add the eggs or egg replacer to the butter. Add the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, pistachio powder, potato starch, vanilla, and cinnamon and beat on medium speed until all the dry ingredients are moistened. Add the pear-date puree and beat again until just incorporated.

Step 4

Scrape the batter into the cake pan and smooth the top.

Step 5

Bake until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes, depending on your oven.

Step 6

Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes, then tap out of the pan and serve the cake warm or cooled, topped with whipped cream and fresh seasonal fruit.