🎂 Kunafa Pistachio Layer Cake

This showpiece dessert alternates layers of golden, crisp kunafa pastry with soft sponge cake and a luscious pistachio cream filling. It’s drenched in fragrant sugar syrup and finished with a shower of crushed pistachios. Perfect for Eid tables, weddings, or whenever you want to impress guests.

🌿 Core Ingredients (Serves 12)
Kunafa Layers
Kataifi (shredded phyllo) pastry – 400 g (14 oz), thawed if frozen

Unsalted butter – 200 g (7 oz), melted

Sponge Cake Layers
Eggs – 4 large, at room temperature

Granulated sugar – 120 g (½ cup + 2 tbsp)

Cake flour – 120 g (1 cup), sifted

Baking powder – 1 tsp

Milk – 60 ml (¼ cup), warmed

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Pistachio Cream Filling
Shelled pistachios – 150 g (1¼ cups), unsalted

Milk – 500 ml (2 cups)

Cornstarch – 40 g (⅓ cup)

Granulated sugar – 100 g (½ cup)

Whipping cream – 250 ml (1 cup), chilled

Vanilla extract – 1 tsp

Optional: 1–2 tsp rosewater or orange blossom water

Fragrant Sugar Syrup
Granulated sugar – 250 g (1¼ cups)

Water – 200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp)

Lemon juice – 1 tsp

Rosewater or orange blossom water – 1 tsp (optional)

Garnish
Crushed pistachios – 50–70 g (½ cup)

Edible gold leaf or dried rose petals (optional)

🧑‍🍳 Method
1. Make the Syrup

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan, bring to a boil.

Add lemon juice, simmer 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened.

Remove from heat, stir in rosewater/orange blossom water if using. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare the Kunafa Layers

Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F.

Gently loosen kataifi strands, mix with melted butter until evenly coated.

Divide into two 23 cm (9-inch) cake pans, pressing lightly to form even discs.

Bake 20–25 minutes until golden brown.

While hot, drizzle each with 2–3 tbsp cooled syrup. Cool completely.

3. Bake the Sponge Cake

Grease and line two 23 cm (9-inch) pans.

Beat eggs, sugar, and vanilla until thick and pale (about 5–7 min).

Sift flour and baking powder over mixture, fold gently.

Fold in warm milk just until combined.

Bake 18–20 min until springy to the touch. Cool fully.

4. Make the Pistachio Cream

Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground.

In a saucepan, whisk