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Vegan Pistachio Ombre Cake Recipe

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4.1 from 38 reviews

This Vegan Pistachio Ombre Cake is a stunning layered dessert featuring a delicate pistachio-infused batter with a beautiful gradient of green hues, topped with creamy vegan pistachio buttercream frosting. Perfect for special occasions or as a show-stopping treat, this cake combines the nutty flavor of pistachios with a moist, fluffy texture, all made without any animal products.

Ingredients

Cake Batter

  • 3/4 cup soy milk (unsweetened)
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
  • 3/4 cup sunflower seed oil (or other neutral vegetable oil)
  • 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract (or pistachio extract)
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned into the cup, not packed; divided: 1 1/2 cups + 1/4 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup Setton Farms Raw Pistachio Kernels
  • 1 small bottle vegan liquid green food dye

Frosting

  • 6 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 cups dairy-free butter (not margarine, softened at room temperature at least 1 hour before making the frosting)
  • 1/4 cup Setton Farms Raw Pistachio Kernels
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or pistachio extract, optional)
  • 5 tablespoons dairy-free cream cheese
  • Vegan liquid green food dye

Instructions

  1. Prepare Vegan Buttermilk: In a mixing bowl, combine soy milk with apple cider vinegar and mix well to create vegan buttermilk. This acidified milk helps the cake rise and adds tenderness.
  2. Mix Wet Ingredients: Add sunflower seed oil, vanilla extract, granulated sugar, and sea salt to the vegan buttermilk mixture. Stir to combine smoothly.
  3. Sift and Add Dry Ingredients: Sift 1 1/2 cups of the all-purpose flour, then add it along with baking powder and baking soda into the wet mixture. Stir until fully incorporated.
  4. Process Pistachios: Using a blender or food processor, process half of the raw pistachios until crumbly. Add the other half and pulse until you have a mix of very crumbly and chunky pistachios. Set aside this pistachio mix.
  5. Divide Batter and Add Color: Split the batter evenly into three bowls. Add to the first bowl (top layer) 2 1/2 tablespoons flour and 3 tablespoons pistachio mix. To the second (middle layer), add 1 1/2 tablespoons flour, 4 tablespoons pistachio mix, and 5-10 drops green food dye. To the third (bottom layer), add 5 tablespoons pistachio mix and about 15 drops green food dye (adjust for desired darkness). Mix each thoroughly to achieve shades of green from light (top) to dark (bottom).
  6. Prepare Cake Pans and Bake: Preheat oven to 350ºF (175ºC). Line three 7-inch cake pans with parchment paper or grease them. Pour each batter layer into its pan and bake slightly below the middle oven rack for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool the layers for at least 30-35 minutes; optionally wrap with plastic and freeze briefly to chill before frosting.
  7. Make Pistachio Flour for Frosting: In a food processor or blender, finely grind 1/4 cup pistachios into a flour-like texture. Sift to separate the finest flour, setting aside any larger chunks for cake decoration between layers.
  8. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer, cream the softened vegan butter until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar and pistachio flour, mixing continuously to incorporate without lumps.
  9. Add Cream Cheese and Flavor: Mix in dairy-free cream cheese and vanilla or pistachio extract until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
  10. Divide and Color Frosting: Remove about two-thirds of the frosting and set aside. To the remaining one-third, add a few drops of green food dye to achieve a very light green color and mix thoroughly.
  11. Assemble Cake Layers: Once cake layers are fully cooled, begin stacking. Spread the light green frosting between each cake layer and then apply a thin crumb coat around the entire cake. Reserve any leftover light green frosting for piping.
  12. Pipe Ombre Buttercream Roses: Fill a piping bag with undyed frosting and pipe buttercream roses or desired decorations on the top (lightest) section of the cake.
  13. Mix and Color More Frosting: If you have leftover light green frosting, mix it with the set-aside frosting and deepen the green color with additional drops of green food dye as needed for the middle sections.
  14. Pipe Middle Layer: Using this medium green frosting in a piping bag, pipe roses or decorations covering the middle section, leaving space for the final darker layer at the bottom.
  15. Final Dark Green Layer: Color the remaining frosting to a dark green by adding more food dye and pipe to cover the bottom section of the cake until fully decorated in an ombre gradient.
  16. Serve: Once decorated, serve and enjoy this moist, flavorful vegan pistachio ombre cake.

Notes

  • Use unsweetened soy milk and apple cider vinegar to create the vegan buttermilk substitute.
  • For best results, ensure the cake layers are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting.
  • You can adjust the intensity of the green color by adding food dye gradually.
  • Set aside bigger pistachio chunks for added texture and visual appeal between the cake layers.
  • Softening the vegan butter at room temperature for at least an hour improves frosting consistency.
  • This cake keeps well refrigerated for up to 3 days and is best served at room temperature.

Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/vegan-pistachio-ombre-cake-recipe/