So, you want to create a perfectly balanced lemon and chocolate cake? It might seem tricky, since chocolate and lemon have such different flavor notes. But there are ways of making it work. This lemon sheet cake with pistachios and chocolate recipe is one way of making it. For this cake, we combine the lemon and chocolate flavors by making two separate cakes, one lemon and one chocolate, and then layering them on top of each other. The pistachios add a nice crunch to the otherwise soft cake. And the recipe also details how to make a chocolate ganache, since that is a good addition to a layered cake like this one.
Essentially, this recipe shows you how to combine the zesty and citric lemon flavor with the deep and indulgent chocolate flavor. The thing to remember about this cake is that it’s not about compromising either flavor. We have to play into the contrast so that each flavor speaks boldly -- but also in unity. Each bite will feel tart, and sweetness and this recipe teaches you exactly how to achieve that balance. So, here’s how you go about it:
Ingredients:
For the lemon cake layer:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Zest of 1 large lemon
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
For the chocolate cake layer:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 60g dark chocolate (Bournville or similar), melted and slightly cooled
For the ganache (Optional):
- 100 g dark chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the topping:
- Chopped pistachios
- Optionally, any other nuts you might prefer
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 175C or 350F.
- Grease two cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Set it aside.
- In a bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. You can sift in the flour to ensure there are no lumps in the batter later. Give these ingredients a good mix. Set it aside.
- In another bowl, add the butter and sugar. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. This should take about 5 minutes. Then beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add one, beat it until it’s thoroughly incorporated, then add the next egg and so on. Then stir in the lemon zest, juice, vanilla, and Greek yogurt and mix well.
- Now gently fold in the dry ingredients. First add a spoonful of the dry ingredients, mix them in until thoroughly incorporated, then add another spoonful and so on. In this way, mix in all the ingredients. The batter should be thick and pale in color. Set it aside.
- In another bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Give it a good mix and set aside.
- In a new bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer. The mixture should be light and airy. Then add the eggs to the mix, one at a time, making sure that they are properly incorporated. Next, add the vanilla. Now stir in the melted dark chocolate. You can melt the chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler -- either method works.
- Now it’s time to add the dry ingredients to the bowl. Add them one spoon at a time, mixing that much in completely, then adding more. Then add the buttermilk and give it a good mix. The batter will be dark and soft.
- Pour each batter into its own pan and bake for about 30 minutes. You’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool completely before removing them from the pans.
- While the cakes cool, make the ganache. In a small pan, heat the cream until just simmering. Turn off the heat and pour this cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for a minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in the lemon zest for a refreshing kick.
- Place the lemon cake layer on the serving plate. Then spread a thin layer of ganache, and then gently place the chocolate cake on top. Pour more ganache over the top, letting it drip a little down the sides.
- Top with the sliced pistachios. Optionally, decorate with candied lemon slices, chocolate curls, or edible flowers as well.
- Slice and serve.