Spumoni Cake

Pistachio, chocolate, and cherry. 

The three typical spumoni flavors come out in this cake. Neapolitan, named after Naples, comes in the lineage of spumoni and often has strawberry in place of cherry and vanilla in place of pistachio. This Whole Foods Market version strikes a compromise with a strawberry layer in the cake and cherries on top.  And as a part of my month-long holiday partnership with @wholefoodssantacruz, I want to dive deep into the history of the base pistachio layer. 

The pistachio is one of the oldest flowering nut trees. It is native to Central Asia and the Middle East, and recent archeological evidence suggests that humans were enjoying them as early as 7,000 B.C.

And some would say that the Persian pistachio is the most coveted of all the types. Perhaps this is why it smiles. In fact, one ancient name of the pistachio is "Persia" itself. One legend goes that the Queen of Sheba recognized its perfection, so she decreed that it would be an exclusively royal food. 

And though the Queen went nuts for the pistachio, botanically speaking, it is a seed!

Photos by The Curated Feast