Raspberry and Pistachio Cake

Jan 1, 2026

So are you ready to start the New Year with something magnificent? How about this cakey charmer? It’s a veritable beauty for both the eyes and the palate. 

My first ever encounter with raspberry and pistachio cake was just a month or so ago. A friend sent me a link to this very bonny sponge and asked if it were possible to make a minimal sugars, low carb version. I’m very grateful to him as I can confirm that it certainly is!…...and I have!  Even better news….. so can you too!

This really is a stand out cake. Definitely one to savour rather than snarf. This lovely sponge, with its subtle green hue, is so soft and satisfying. And the raspberry-lemony-creamy-vanilla-rey flavour combo is sheer heaven on a stick.

I’ve not used pistachios as a flour before. I used my blender to mill the nuts to the right consistency, but if you’ve not got a blender, no problem. A quick search on line shows me that it’s also possible to buy them ready ground. Basically, there’s nothing standing in your way. Get that pinny on!

SPONGE
150g ground pistachios
100 almond flour
5 tbsp sweetener*
5 eggs
100g melted butter
1 tsp lemon essence
2 tsp vanilla paste
1 ½ tsp baking powder
Pinch salt

ICING
200g cream cheese
80g melted butter
3 or 4 tsp milled sweetener*
1 tsp vanilla paste
3 tsp lemon essence

JAM - for both top and bottom layers.
150g frozen raspberries (defrosted)
3-4 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp milled sweetener (optional)*

Freeze dried raspberries for decoration (Optional) 

* Natural sweetener options could include xylitol, erythritol, allulose. I used erythritol for this recipe. See Alternative Sweeteners page for more info. Each will have slightly different levels of sweetness. Adjust to taste.

METHOD FOR SPONGE
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180C. 
Line 2 x 7 inch cake tins.
Melt the butter over a gentle heat.
In a bowl add the ground pistachios, almond flour, baking powder and salt and mix thoroughly.
In a separate bowl or food processor, mix the eggs, lemon and vanilla essences and sweetener.
Melt the butter over a low heat.
Once the butter has melted add to the wet ingredients. Blend together and turn out the batter equally between the 2 lined cake tins.
Cook for 25-35 minutes until a knife inserted at the centre of the cake comes out clean.
After 10 minutes in the cake tin, turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
Wait until the sponge is completely cool before adding the jam and the icing.

METHOD FOR THE ICING
Let the cream cheese come to room temperature.
Melt the butter on a gentle heat. Let it cool a little.
Add the butter to the cream cheese a little at a time mixing well.
Add the milled sweetener, lemon essence and vanilla paste and mix thoroughly.
Chill 10 minutes in the fridge.

METHOD FOR THE JAM
Cook the defrosted raspberries in a pan on a gentle heat stirring as the fruit breaks down and the juices are released.
Add the sweetener if you’re using any, and then the chia seeds slowly a bit at a time, allowing them to be absorbed fully by the fruit until you get a good spreadable jam consistency.
Allow the jam to cool thoroughly before putting it on the cake.

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Spread a fine layer of jam over the top of the cake.
Spread a more generous layer over the middle of the cake, taking the jam right to the sides of the sponge.
Spread the icing evenly between the top and the middle. Take the icing on the middle of the cake out fully to the sides.
Sprinkle some freeze dried raspberries on the top and store in the fridge.

As you're using fruit jam without any sugar to preserve the fruit, you will need to eat the cake within a few days.  So get your cake friends round and tuck in!