My muse for this cake was absolutely Marie-Antoinette. Her adoration of all things pink, living in Versailles which was so opulent and in a time that was decadent and somewhat over the top in the face of the social downfall happening around her. She is of course known for the famous phrase ‘let them eat cake’, which she apparently did not say, but meaning the poor and starving in France could eat bread while she lived the high life. In that spirit this cake is eccentric with four 6-inch layers of unexpected pink Rose-flavored cake, filled with Pistachio Cream and sculpted Whipped Cream Frosting.
Two layers of cake may not have been enough for Marie-Antoinette, but may be plenty for your needs and if so halve the recipe. The pink coloring is optional; it may be turned down a notch or not used at all. I personally love natural vegetable food coloring however it would not have been able to deliver the ‘wow’ of this cake but could be used instead.
Prep Time 40 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
*Raw Pistachios can be difficult to find but are available in larger stores carrying bulk nuts such as Whole Foods. If the skins remain on the pistachios the color of the filling will be tinged a brownish color, more of an ripe avocado shade. To keep the pistachios bright green, the skins need to be removed by scraping them off or lightly toasting them in a 350 degree oven for about 5-10 minutes and rubbing them off with a kitchen towel. Be careful not to toast them to the point of browning which will change their flavor. Blanching is not recommended for this recipe as the pistachios loose their flavor.