Pistachio Birthday Cake

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 cup ground raw pistachios
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter, soften at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 6 oz non-fat greek yogurt
• 1/2 tsp lemon zest
• 4 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp almond extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease cake pans, set aside.
2. Sift and combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. With mixer on low, add butter and light brown sugar. Beat until completely incorporated.
4. Raise the speed to medium and beat until mixture appears pale.
5. Lower the mixer speed to add beaten eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of bowl well and only mixing long enough until incorporated.
6. Add non fat greek yogurt, lemon zest, lemon juice and almond extract. Mix gently just enough to incorporate all ingredients.
7. With the mixer on low, add dry ingredients in 2 to 3 increments and mixing long enough to blend after each addition.
8. Divide batter among 2 prepared 9 inch pans.
9. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10. Allow layers to cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely.
11. While cake cools, prepare frosting. Add heavy cream in the mixer and whip on high until almost stiff.
12. Add softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, almond extract and lemon juice. Beat until cream holds peak.
13. Once cake layers are completely cooled, frost in between layers and on the top tier. Sprinkle crushed pistachios generously on each layer.