Pistachio, Cardamom, and Raspberry Financier Cake

4.0

(3)

3 Reviews

Browned butter, pistachios, raspberries and cardamom make this snacking cake a sweet and nutty dessert.

Hetal Vasavada

Updated on July 20, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Pistachio, Cardamom, and Raspberry Financier Cake — Photo:
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Christine Keely

Active Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 55 mins

Servings:

10 to 12 servings

This cake is a modern twist on the classic French pastry, the financier, which is traditionally made as small almond cakes baked in rectangular molds to resemble gold bars. Heta Vasavada takes the original concept and makes it her own by swapping out almond meal for ground pistachios, and baking the cake in a single round pan. To give the cake a boost of nutty flavor, the butter is browned before it's added to the batter, and the cake is scented with cardamom to add a warm, fragrant aroma. Fresh raspberries are scattered throughout the batter that adds a tart sweetness to balance out the richness of the otherwise buttery cake. The result is a mildly sweet snacking cake that's bursting with flavor, with the browned butter and pistachios working together to create a delicious dessert.

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Ingredients

Cooking spray
7 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 1/2 ounces)
1 cup unsalted shelled raw pistachios
3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/8 ounces)
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 large egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh raspberries (about 6 ounces)
Powdered sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat an 8-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, and line pan bottom with parchment paper.
Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium. Cook, stirring often, until butter begins to brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Immediately remove from heat, and transfer to a small heatproof bowl. Set aside.
Process pistachios in a blender until nuts are a fine powder, 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer pistachio powder to a medium bowl. Add sugar, flour, cardamom, and salt; whisk to combine. Add egg whites and vanilla; stir using a spatula until a thick paste forms. Drizzle in brown butter, slowly stirring until butter is incorporated. Let batter rest at room temperature 30 minutes.
Spread batter in prepared cake pan in an even layer. Arrange raspberries in concentric circles in batter. Bake in preheated oven until edges and top of cake are golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out moist but clean, 24 to 28 minutes. Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan, transfer to a cake plate, and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Dust cake with powdered sugar, and serve at room temperature.