Pistachio cake with cream cheese frosting...

I had guest come over for lunch this past Friday and knew I had to make something extra special for dessert the day before since I had a 4 course meal to prepare the day of. This cake turned out "Perfect" just like I hoped it would. The flavors reminded me of my favorite Baskin Robbins pistachio icecream, topped with sweet cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with pistachio powder, it was sweet heaven if I may say so myself. The cake itself was my attempt at a 3 tier wedding cake, the results were flawless I just wish I would have had more time to take a picture of the cake itself and not just a leftover slice, but just know that it was that good. The frosting is "semi" homemade but pairs perfectly with this light green aromatic cake. When buying almond extract make sure to buy "pure" almond extract or almond extract "oil" I find the immitation has an unpleasant chemical aftertaste to it.


Ingredients
2 cups self rising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup fine sugar
1 cup pistachio flour (recipe follows)
3 extra large eggs
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract oil

Directions
In a large nonstick pan heat approximately 2 cups of peeled pistachion until they're lightly toasted and the aromas become niticible. Allow them to cool for approximately 20 minutes, process the pistachios into a fine meal/powder and sift to remove any lumps. Measure 1 cup of the pistachio meal and set the leftovers aside for later use.

Preheat your oven to 350* F. Butter and flour three 8inch cake pans or a large cake pan of your choice.In a large bowl sift the flour, pistachio meal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a seperate bowl whisk the eggs, extracts, and sugar until they become light and pale in color. Slowly stream in the oil and whisk to combine. In a seperate bowl whisk the yogurt and milk until creamy and free of any yogurt lumps. Set aside.

Gently mix the dry ingredients alternately with the yogurt mixture into the egg mix in 3 seperate additions starting and ending with the flour. Evenly pour the batter into the prepared pan/pans and bake for approximately 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpic inserted in the center comes out clean. If you're using a large pan add at least 7 to 10  minutes baking time. Cool the cakes in the pans for 10 minutes before removing. Cool on a cooling rack completely before frosting.


Creamcheese pistachio frosting

Ingredients
200 grams cream cheese (room temperature)
1 vanilla frosting jar (I used Duncan hines, Vanilla frosting)
1/4 cup of your reserved pistachio meal
2 tablespoons powder sugar (sifted)
1/4 teapoon almond extract oil

Directions
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, whisk the creamcheese until it becomes creamy and lump free. Add the entire can of frosting and whisk to combine. Add the almond extract and powder sugar and whisk to combine, at this point taste the frosting for sweetness if you find it still a bit too cheesy add more sifted powder sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. Frost the cooled cakes and refrigerate until the frosting is firm to the touch.