Baklava Cake

This baklava cake has caramelized layers of classic baklava with walnuts and pistachios, topped with moist pistachio cake that gets drizzled with honey syrup, and smothered with a fluffy honey mascarpone frosting.

The distinct layers all bake into a crispy, buttery phyllo pastry crust to hold everything together. Each component has a unique texture and flavor that all compliment each other perfectly when paired together.

This honey baklava cake idea emerged after making this baklava cheesecake from Buttermilk by Sam. I loved the baklava layers at the bottom and wanted to recreate that base into the ultimate cake version, with classic flavors and surprising textures in every bite.

If you love baked goods with nuts, try this Pistachio Babka, Coconut Pecan Cookies, Pecan Upside Down Cake, Maple Bourbon Pecan Pie, Dark Chocolate Almond Cookies, and Classic Thumbprint Cookies.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Flavors - buttery, caramelized, cinnamon nuts in the baklava, lightly sweet pistachio cake, floral honey syrup, and light, fresh mascarpone whipped cream sweetened with honey.

Texture and layers - a crunchy and chewy base layer holds an ultra-moist tender cake and the top is like a refreshing cloud of frosting!

Showstopper - with the distinct layers and colors on this pistachio cake, guests will be wowed when they put a piece of this cake on their plate! It would be the ultimate upscale birthday cake for someone who doesn't like overly sweet desserts.

What is Baklava?

This Middle eastern dessert is a layered pastry made with layers of phyllo, butter, nuts, sugar, and spices.

Various regions and countries have their own takes on baklava, but have generally similar flavors and assembly processes.

Types of Baklava

Some versions of baklava are made just with walnut, some just with pistachio, and some with mix of both.

Turkish baklava traditionally has fewer nuts, more syrup, and is a sweeter version.

Greek baklava uses a combination of nuts in between phyllo dough layers.

Persian and middle eastern baklava (especially in Lebanon and Egypt) tend to add a rose or orange blossom extract to the sugar syrup for additional flavor.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter. This gets used in room temperature form for the pistachio cake, and melted form to brush onto the phyllo to create the baklava layers.
• Nuts. Both walnuts and pistachios are used in this recipe. Look for unsalted, shelled, raw pistachios. These will have the best color.
• Sugars. Brown sugar goes into the baklava layer, granulated sugar in the pistachio cake, and powdered sugar in the honey mascarpone frosting.
• Buttermilk. This ingredient ensures a moist, flavorful cake. Greek yogurt or sour cream can also be used.
• Phyllo dough. You can find this in the frozen section of the grocery store. Be sure to follow the instructions on how to thaw the dough, which should be done a day before you make the recipe.
• Honey. This floral sugar is used in the honey syrup and also to sweeten the mascarpone frosting.
• Mascarpone. I find the texture of BelGioioso to create the most fluffy texture. This ingredient needs to stay cold.
• Heavy whipping cream. Added at the end of the mixing process to make the frosting extra fluffy. This should have at least 36% milk fat.

See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

• Use solely walnuts in baklava layer rather than a mix of walnuts and pistachios.
• Substitute sour cream or greek yogurt (full fat versions) for buttermilk.
• Add orange blossom extract or rose extract to the honey syrup for extra flavor, which is common in certain variations of baklava.
• Use a 10-inch springform pan and check for doneness 10 minutes earlier.

Baklava Layer

One: Toast the nuts, cool, then process the nuts and sugar together.

Two: Arrange one layer at a time of phyllo dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan, then brush the entire piece of dough with butter.

Repeat in a spiral pattern with 10 sheets of dough (buttering each).

Three: Add half of the nut and sugar mixture and spread it evenly across the phyllo.

Four: Add 5 more pieces of phyllo dough, brushing butter on each, until then nuts are covered.

Hot tip! It's OK for the tops of the phyllo to fold over the edges of the pan. They can just be broken off after the cake is baked.

Five: Add the second half of the nut and sugar mixture, spreading evenly.

Six: Add the final 5 pieces of phyllo (one a time, brushing butter on each) until the nuts are covered again. Set aside.

Pistachio Cake Layer

One: Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Two: Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until fluffy.

Three: Pour in the buttermilk and mix on low to incorporate. It will look curdled at this point.

Four: Add the dry ingredients and mix until the batter is just combined.

Five: Pour in the finely chopped pistachios and fold them into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Six: Add the pistachio cake batter into the phyllo-lined cake pan, and spread evenly to meet the edges. Bake the cake.

Assembly

One: While the cake bakes, heat the honey, sugar, and water until completely melted and set aside.

Two: As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour ¾ of the honey syrup in between the edges of the cake and phyllo so it falls down into the baklava layers.

Brush the final ¼ of the mixture onto the top of the cake. Cool the cake completely.

Three: Whip together the mascarpone, powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla, then add the heavy cream and beat until fluffy.

Four: Remove crispy phyllo overhangs from the pan, then unlatch the pan to remove the cake to a platter.

Spread the mascarpone frosting on top of the cake, and top with extra honey and chopped pistachios.

Expert Tips

• Keep the stack of phyllo dough covered with a damp paper towel and work with one sheet at a time.
• Butter each piece of phyllo generously. All butter will be used.
• It's ok for the phyllo to hang over the edges of the pan. The pieces can be broken off after baking.
• Use raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios for best color in the pistachio cake.
• Allow the cake to cool completely prior to adding the frosting, otherwise it will melt.
• Use a serrated knife to cut the cake, as you'll need to make a sawing motion at the bottom to get through the baklava layers.

Storage

Store the cake at room temperature for one day, then covered in the fridge for an additional 3 days.

Allow the cake or slices to come to room temperature before enjoying.

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📖Recipe

Baklava Cake

Callan Wenner

This baklava cake has caramelized layers of classic baklava with walnuts and pistachios, topped with moist pistachio cake that gets drizzled with honey syrup, and smothered with a fluffy honey mascarpone frosting.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Cool time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 45 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Greek

Servings 16

Calories 572 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  9" springform pan
• ▢
  Pastry brush
• ▢
  Stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment (or hand mixer)
• ▢
  Food processor or blender

U.S. Cups vs MetricUse the metric toggle to convert the measurements

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Baklava Layer

• ▢ ¾ cup raw pistachios
• ▢ ¾ cup walnuts
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
• ▢ 20 sheets Phyllo dough
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter melted

Pistachio Cake

• ▢ ½ cup raw pistachios
• ▢ 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature
• ▢ ½ tablespoon vanilla
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk oom temperature

Honey Syrup

• ▢ ¼ cup honey
• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup water
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon orange blossom extract or rose extract optional

Honey Mascarpone Frosting

• ▢ 8 oz mascarpone cheese cold
• ▢ ¼ cup powdered sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup honey
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold

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Instructions

 

Baklava Layer

• Toast the pistachios and walnuts in a large pan over medium heat, stirring frequently, until fragrant and very slightly golden. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  ¾ cup raw pistachios, ¾ cup walnuts
• Coarsely chop the pistachios, walnuts, cinnamon and salt in a food processor until broken down. Transfer to a bowl and mix together with the brown sugar.
  1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ cup light brown sugar
• Remove the phyllo dough from the package and lay them on a flat surface covered with a damp paper towel.
  20 sheets Phyllo dough
• Line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper, then brush some melted butter along the bottom and sides of the pan.
  1 cup unsalted butter
• Place the first sheet of phyllo dough into the prepared pan so it raises up the side to the top. Brush with butter. Add the next sheet overlapping the first slightly and raising up the side again and brush with butter. Repeat that with 9 more sheets of phyllo dough (totaling 10) in a spiral pattern so they all overlap and completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan.
• Spread half of the nut filling on top of the phyllo dough and then repeat the process using only 5 sheets of phyllo dough, buttering each sheet.
• Top with the other half of the nut filling and repeat the phyllo dough layers with 5 sheets again, buttering each sheet. Set aside.

Pistachio Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
  ½ cup raw pistachios
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  1¼ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Cream together on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
  6 tablespoons unsalted butter, ¾ cups granulated sugar
• Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
  1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, ½ tablespoon vanilla
• Add the buttermilk and mix on low speed, then spoon in the dry ingredients until the cake batter is combined.
  ½ cup buttermilk
• Fold in the ground pistachios by hand with a rubber spatula.
• Pour the batter on top of the baklava layers, then bake for 50-65 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean from the center of the cake with no wet batter.

Honey Syrup

• While the cake bakes, add the honey, sugar, and water to a small saucepan over medium heat and allow it to bubble up, stirring until the sugars have melted. Stir in the orange blossom or rose extract, if using. Set aside until the cake is done.
  ¼ cup honey, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup water, ¼ teaspoon orange blossom extract or rose extract
• As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, pour or spoon ¾ of the sugar syrup around the sides of the cake (getting both slightly on the cake and down the insides of the pan). Brush the remaining sugar syrup on the top of the cake.
• Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Honey Mascarpone Frosting

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), add the mascarpone, powdered sugar, honey and vanilla and whip on medium speed for 1 minute.
  8 oz mascarpone cheese, ¼ cup powdered sugar, ¼ cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla
• With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and whip until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  1 cup heavy whipping cream
• Note: overmixing can cause the frosting to curdle.

Assembly

• Break off any pieces of phyllo that go over the edge of the pan. Run an offset spatula or butter knife around the edges of the pan in between the phyllo and pan, then unlatch and transfer the cake to a serving platter.
• Spread and swoop the frosting over the completely cooled cake, then top with additional chopped pistachios and drizzled honey.

Video

Notes

Store the cake at room temperature for one day, then covered in the fridge for an additional 3-4 days. Allow the cake or slices to come to room temperature before enjoying.

Tips:

• • Keep the stack of phyllo dough covered with a damp paper towel and work with one sheet at a time.

• • It's ok for the phyllo to hang over the edges of the pan. The pieces can be broken off after baking.

• • Use raw, unsalted, shelled pistachios for the best color in the pistachio cake.

• • Allow the cake to cool completely prior to adding the frosting, otherwise, it will melt.

• • Use a serrated knife to cut the cake, as you'll need to make a sawing motion at the bottom to get through the baklava layers.

Show Nutritional Information Hide Nutritional Information

Calories: 572kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 8gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 217mgPotassium: 198mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gVitamin A: 982IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 81mgIron: 2mg

The provided nutritional information is an estimate per serving. Accuracy is not guaranteed.

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