My older sister got married this year, and as the Matron of Honor, I knew I needed to create a fabulous bachelorette weekend for her. As I brainstormed through ideas, I came across some ideas for “The Last Disco.” My sister has been in an off-Broadway version of Mama Mia three times, so the idea morphed and “Mama Mia it’s Her Last Disco” became the perfect theme for her bachelorette.
So, I began to get all the disco decorations order and researched all the Greek food. Greek isn’t in my usual wheelhouse, but after cooking it for the weekend, it’s going to be in a regular rotation.
While I was researching, I came across a Pistachio Lemon cake, but it wasn’t gluten-free or dairy-free/vegan. I struggled even to find a gluten-free version that I could modify. And all recipes called for sour cream in the recipe, which is a difficult thing to find dairy-free.
I needed a cake that would combine these two iconic flavors, creating a cake that is rich with a depth of flavor.
I brainstormed, thinking of creating it with coconut cream, dairy-free yogurt, or vegan cream cheese. I was in the vegan dairy section at Whole Foods, when I came across Kithill’s Plant-Based Greek Style Yogurt. I thought this could be the best option to add in that tag flavor the sour cream would add.
I then began to recipe test this, to get create the perfect gluten-free/vegan cake that would fulfill all of your Mediterranean dessert dreams.
For gluten-free flour, I used the Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour. I know they are Vegan and Non- GMO along with being Gluten Free. They are one of the best 1 to 1 replacements. To keep the cake from becoming dense, sifting the flour is key.
This recipe requires pistachio flour. My suggestion is to purchase the pistachio meats, roasted and salted. Aldi’s or Trader Joe’s both have great options for this. I then take my pistachios and grind them up in an old coffee grinder we have. I think you could also do this in a blender or a food processor, but add just a tiny handful at a time. You want to grind it into a fine flour. Be careful not to overgrind. The nuts can quickly stick together and make pistachio butter.
This recipe creates two 6-inch cakes. If you double it, you can have three 8-inch cakes. I haven’t tried this yet, but you could easily replace the applesauce for 3 eggs if you don’t need it vegan. It will definitely make the cakes rise more.
The buttercream frosting is a riff off my regular buttercream, still using the Organic Vegetable Shortening at the “butter”. I would make a double batch for 8 inch, or if you plan on decorating a lot. I do want to note that not all confectioner sugars are vegan. I do know that Whole Foods’ 365 brand is vegan, so that is always a go-to for me.
Once the cake is baked and fully cooled, I freeze it to lock in moisture and to help with a crumb coat. Use the buttercream to assemble the cake and crumb coat. Once decorated how you want, sprinkle some crushed pistachio on top or around the edge of the cake.
Gluten-Free Vegan Pistachio Lemon Cake
Equipment
- Stand Mixer Optional
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/2. cup gluten-free 1 to 1 baking flour
- 1/2 cup Pistachio flour (see notes)
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup applesauce unsweetened organic
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted vegan butter Earth Balance
- 1/2 cup Dairy-free Greek Yogut Kit Hill
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Zest 1 large lemon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Lemon Pistachio Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cup powdered sugar confectioners
- 1 cup organic vegetable shortening
- 1/4 cup pistachio flour
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice plus more if needed
- Zest 1 Large lemon
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
- Grease cake pans with coconut oil. Put some on a paper towel and rub the paper towel around the pans. Be sure to get the sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, shift gluten-free flourinto bowl with Pistachio flour baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of the stand mixer, add the sugarand lemon zest. Use clean hands or a fork to massage/incorporate the zest intothe sugar. This helps to release the natural oils from the lemon zest, making amore aromatic, flavorful cake.
- Add the vegan butter to the bowl with thelemon-infused sugar. Using the paddle attachement or a hand mixer, cream the butterwith the sugar until fluffy and thick in appearance. 2- 3 minutes.
- Mix the dairy-free greek yogurt and vanilla extractinto the mixture. Next add the applesauce one ¼ cup at a time. Stop to scrapthe sides of the bowl.
- With the stand mixer on low, slowly pour in half of the dry batter.
- Pour the lemon juice in and mix the batter.
- Once mixed in pour in the remainder of the dry ingredients.
- When all the ingredients are mixed in, dividethe batter into two 6 inch pans.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Pistachio Lemon Buttercream
- Sift powdered sugar into a bowl and set aside.
- In stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachmentcream the vegetable shortening with the lemon zest until fluffy in appearance. About3-4 minutes.
- Reduce the speed on the mixer to low and slowlyadd in the powdered sugar. (see notes). Stop to scrap the sides of the bowl as youadd in the sugar slowly.
- Once the sugar is fully mixed in add in thepistachio flour. Mix until fluffy. 3-4 minutes.
- Set the mixer to medium and add in the lemon juice.If the frosting is too lick add in more lemon juice.
- If the frosting is too loose, add more powdered sugar. ¼ cup at a time.
Notes
- For the pistachio flour use a small grinder like a coffee grinder. Only grind a small amount of a time.
- When zesting the lemon, make sure you only zest the yellow part of the lemon. The white pith underneath is bitter, so you don’t want to zest that.
One response to “Gluten-free Vegan Pistachio Lemon Cake”
[…] If you know me, you know I love pistachio, and last year I created a Pistachio Lemon cake recipe in honor of my sister’s Mama Mia themed bachelorette. Here is a linked to the recipe if you want to try that Gluten-free Vegan Pistachio Lemon Cake […]