Baklava Cake

5 from 5 votes

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.

Prep Time45

Cook Time1

Cool time3

Total Time4 45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Greek

Servings:

Calories: 572kcal

Author: Callan Wenner

Equipment

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

Ingredients

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

US Customary - Metric

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 (if unfrosted), and covered in the fridge for an additional 3-4 days (once frosted). Allow the cake or slices to come to room temperature before enjoying (don't let it sit out for more than 2-3 hours with the frosting on).

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.

Nutrition