I made this cake for my friend’s baby shower and it was a hit! This cake has layers of pistachio chiffon, filled with pistachio whipped cream and raspberry compote, coated in a raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream, and covered entirely in fresh raspberries. It’s stunning to look at and even better to eat. The combination of pistachio and raspberry is the perfect flavor pairing, nutty and tart.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Pistachio chiffon — light, airy, and fragrant with real pistachio paste
• The two-cream filling system — pistachio whipped cream for the filling layer and raspberry Swiss meringue buttercream for the exterior so every component pulls its weight
• Raspberry compote — jammy, tart, and nestled in the center of each layer so you get a hit of bright raspberry in every slice
• Swiss meringue buttercream — silky, not too sweet, and the perfect base for freeze-dried raspberry powder
• Fresh raspberries all over the outside — visually stunning and they add a fresh fruit element that makes the whole cake feel alive

Pistachio Raspberry Cake Ingredients

RASPBERRY COMPOTE

• 400 g frozen raspberries
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 10 g lemon juice

PISTACHIO CHIFFON CAKE — EGG YOLK BATTER

• 3 egg yolks
• ¼ tsp salt
• 50 g granulated sugar
• 50 g whole milk
• 25 g vegetable oil
• 35 g 100% unsweetened pistachio paste
• ½ to 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 75 g cake flour

PISTACHIO CHIFFON CAKE — MERINGUE

• 3 egg whites
• 75 g granulated sugar, added 1 tablespoon at a time

PISTACHIO WHIPPED CREAM

• 500 g heavy cream, cold
• 60 g granulated sugar
• 55 g 100% unsweetened pistachio paste
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

RASPBERRY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

• 89 g egg whites
• 137 g granulated sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 310 g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups freeze-dried raspberries, blended into a fine powder

ASSEMBLY

• Fresh raspberries, washed and completely dried
• Chamomile flowers, optional for garnish

The Pistachio Paste

Use 100% unsweetened pistachio paste not pistachio spread or pistachio cream with added sugar. The ratios of sugar for this recipe are based on unsweetened pure pistachio paste! It goes into the egg yolk batter and gets whisked smooth before the flour goes in, and it goes directly into the cold heavy cream for the whipped filling. The color it gives both components, a subtle natural green, is beautiful without any artificial coloring.

The Pistachio Chiffon

Chiffon cakes are all about the meringue, the stiff whipped egg whites folded into the yolk batter are what make the texture so incredibly light and airy. The technique here is the same as my Pandan Coconut Cake: build the meringue to soft peaks only, fold in three additions with the first one whisked in to lighten the batter, and use a spatula for the final additions. Don’t line the sides of the pan! The batter needs to grip the sides to rise properly. And flip immediately when it comes out of the oven, chiffon cannot support its own weight while warm and will collapse if left right-side up.

The Raspberry Compote

Frozen raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice are simmered down until thick, glossy, and jammy. The lemon juice brightens the flavor and keeps it from tasting flat or too sweet. Let it cool completely before using, warm compote will melt your whipped cream filling and make assembly a nightmare. If you’re short on time a good quality store-bought raspberry preserve works perfectly here as a substitute.

The Pistachio Whipped Cream

This is the filling cream, lighter and more delicate than buttercream, it pairs with the airy chiffon without weighing it down. The pistachio paste whisks straight into the cold heavy cream along with sugar and vanilla and they whip together into a medium-soft peak cream that’s nutty, lightly sweet, and deeply fragrant. Keep it cold until you’re ready to use it!

The Raspberry Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Swiss meringue buttercream is made by first heating egg whites and sugar together over a double boiler until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F (this temperature pasteurizes the egg whites and dissolves every grain of sugar so your final buttercream is perfectly smooth with no graininess). Once it hits temperature you whip it to stiff glossy peaks and let it cool to roughly 70-75°F before adding the butter. If the meringue is still warm the butter will melt instead of emulsify and you’ll end up with a soup. The freeze-dried raspberry powder goes in at the very end on the paddle attachment. The raspberries are blended completely fine and folded in until you have an evenly colored, intensely raspberry flavored buttercream.

How To Make Pistachio Raspberry Cake

MAKE THE RASPBERRY COMPOTE

1. Cook the compote: In a small saucepan combine frozen raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes thick, glossy, and jammy, about 15-20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool completely before using. It will thicken further as it cools.

MAKE THE PISTACHIO CHIFFON CAKE

2. Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line only the bottom of two 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper, do not line the sides.
3. Make the yolk batter: Separate eggs into two large bowls. Whisk the egg yolks to break them up then add salt, sugar, milk, vegetable oil, pistachio paste, and vanilla extract and whisk until completely smooth. Sift in the cake flour and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
4. Make the meringue: Using a hand mixer on medium-low speed whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time while continuing to whisk. Once all sugar is incorporated increase speed slightly and whisk until soft peaks form. The meringue should be glossy and hold a peak that gently folds over. Do not over-whip.
5. Fold together: Add a small amount of meringue to the yolk batter and whisk gently to lighten. Add the remaining meringue in 2 additions using a spatula to fold gently until just combined with no streaks remaining.
6. Bake: Divide batter evenly between the two prepared pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Immediately flip upside down onto a wire rack the moment they come out of the oven. Cool completely.
7. Release and slice: Run a thin knife along the edge of each pan to release. Slice each layer horizontally into ½ inch thick sheets.

MAKE THE PISTACHIO WHIPPED CREAM

8. Whip: Combine cold heavy cream, sugar, pistachio paste, and vanilla extract in a chilled bowl. Whisk until medium-soft peaks form — it should hold its shape but still look smooth and silky. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

MAKE THE RASPBERRY SWISS MERINGUE BUTTERCREAM

9. Heat the egg whites: Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water — make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Whisk constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F. Rub a small amount between your fingers — it should feel completely smooth with no graininess.
10. Whip the meringue: Remove from heat and using a hand mixer or stand mixer whisk on medium-high speed until stiff glossy peaks form and the bowl feels cool to the touch, around 70-75°F. This takes around 8-10 minutes.
11. Add the butter: With the mixer running on medium speed add the softened butter in small pieces one at a time, waiting for each addition to incorporate before adding the next. The mixture may look curdled at some point — keep going, it will come together into a smooth silky buttercream. Add vanilla extract and mix until combined.
12. Add raspberry powder: Switch to the paddle attachment. Add the freeze-dried raspberry powder and mix on low until fully incorporated and the buttercream is evenly colored and intensely raspberry flavored. Taste and adjust.

ASSEMBLE

13. First layer: Place the first chiffon sheet on a cake board on a turntable. Pipe or spread a layer of pistachio whipped cream over the surface. Spoon raspberry compote into the center of the cream, keeping it away from the edges so it doesn’t spill when pressed down.
14. Continue layering: Repeat — chiffon layer, pistachio whipped cream, raspberry compote in the center — until all layers are stacked.
15. Set the filling: Refrigerate for a few minutes to let the whipped cream filling firm up slightly before coating the outside.
16. Crumb coat: Apply a thin layer of raspberry buttercream all over the outside of the cake to seal in any crumbs. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until set.
17. Coat the outside: Apply a generous final layer of raspberry buttercream to the exterior and smooth with an offset spatula until clean and even.
18. Cover with raspberries: Press fresh washed and completely dried raspberries all over the exterior of the cake in an even layer, covering the buttercream completely. Tuck in chamomile flowers if using.
19. Refrigerate: Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Remove from the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving so the chiffon softens slightly from cold.

Storage

Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The chiffon stays moist and the buttercream holds its shape well when kept cold. The fresh raspberries on the exterior will start to weep after about 24 hours — the cake tastes just as good, it just looks a little less pristine. For best presentation add the raspberries the day you plan to serve.

Remove from the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving to allow the buttercream to soften slightly.