Aunt Sassy Cake, Or Pistachio Layer Cake With Honey Buttercream
Medically reviewed by Christiana George Updated Date: June 8, 2023
The search for the perfect wedding cake continues. Today I introduce to you, Aunt Sassy, the pluckiest pistachio cake you’ll ever meet, flavored with real pistachios (as opposed to pistachio extract, which a recipe my sister found called for) that impart the barest of green to four dreamy layers of cake. She’s wearing her Sunday’s finest, a lush buttercream laced with glossy honey (that I sort of butchered because I lack cake decorating skills. Sorry Aunt Sassy.)
In truth, the cake is not as forwardly pistachio-tasting as you might think. What it really reminds me of is a nut bread, dense yet moist, and textured in that whole-grainy way. This may, in part, be due to the fact that I hand-ground, using a mortar and pestle, the pistachios, an imprecise process that yielded not the fine grain that the recipe called for, but something a little coarser, more similar to sand. But no matter. I liked it, a lot. Chris did too, and I gave him all the cake tops to take to work so I wouldn’t end up snacking on them throughout the day.
But the true gem was the honey buttercream. It was superb, absolutely superb! It was wistfully velvety with the slight aftertaste of honey (meaning, not too sweet) and a lightness kind of sort of like whipped cream. I found ample excuses to conduct multiple taste tests: while scraping down the bowl, while filling the cake, while frosting the crumb layer (which I liberally applied for that very purpose), while cleaning out the bowl that I used to hold the crumb-filled frosting. And all the while, my brain kept saying ‘no, no, no, put down the spatula, Linda!’ because, being the sensible organ that it is, you can’t get past it the fact that the frosting is made almost completely of butter(!).
Other thoughts. It reminded me of a Swiss meringue buttercream, but did not turn stale-buttery or yellow over time. This is valuable information. Also, it’s egg-less. Actually, this is where I wish I could talk food history, because the method of making this frosting seems quite unusual. At its base, it’s a mixture of sugar, milk/cream, and flour that’s cooked over a low heat until it thickens. Is flour a common frosting ingredient? What is its history? Is it an old-fashioned Southern technique? That would excite me greatly.
Finally, regarding the cake as a whole, I’m thinking a three-layer cake, two of pistachio, one of chocolate, with this very buttercream frosting might be just the ticket.
PISTACHIO LAYER CAKE WITH HONEY BUTTERCREAM
Adapted from Baked Explorations, via Oprah
Makes 1 six-inch 4-layer cake
Note: The original recipe called for vegetable shortening, which I decided not to use, because anything with the word ‘shortening’ in it sounds highly suspect to me. If you do decide to use it, replace half of the butter (1/2 cup) with 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening.
Ingredients:
For the pistachio cake:
1 cup shelled pistachios
2-1/2 cups cake flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1-3/4 cups sugar, divided
1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1-1/2 cups ice water
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
For the frosting:
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, and cut into small pieces
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 Tbsp good honey
Directions:
For the cake:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter four 6″ cake pans (or however many you have, but you’ll have to work in batches). Line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper, dust the pans with flour and knock out the excess.
In a food processor, pulse the pistachios into a coarse grind, remove 2 Tbsp, and set them aside in a medium bowl. Process remaining pistachios just until finely ground to a powder. Sift cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into the same bowl with the 2 Tbsp chopped pistachios. Stir in pistachio powder.
In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat butter on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add 1-1/2 cups sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy, 4 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, and with mixer on low speed, beat in eggs one at a time until well blended. Beat in the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cold water, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat until blended, scraping bowl; then beat batter 15 more seconds. Scrape into a large bowl.
With a clean bowl and using the whisk attachment, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until foamy. With mixer on medium-high speed, add remaining 1/4 cup sugar and beat just until soft peaks form, taking care not to over beat. (For some reason, I did this by hand. It took some serious arm power, and I’m not sure I attained the foaminess that the recipe called for. Use your mixer if you can.). Gently fold whites into batter just until no white streaks remain.
Divide batter between prepared pans (or about an inch into each pan) and spread evenly. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of cakes comes out clean. Transfer pans to wire racks and let cool 20 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks, remove parchment paper, flip them over, and let cool completely.
Cake rounds can now be covered in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge overnight.
For the frosting:
In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk sugar and flour until well blended. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 10 minutes. (This is where the quality of your pan comes through. Using a sub-standard saucepan like I did? Keep the heat on low and stir constantly.) Reduce heat to low and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes.
Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer. With the paddle attachment, beat the mixture on high speed until it cools completely, about 10 minutes. On medium speed, beat in the butter. It’ll gradually start incorporating into the mix and look more and more like frosting; it takes about 5 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high until the frosting is fluffy and smooth, about 1 minute. Beat in honey and vanilla until incorporated. Taste for the honey and add more if necessary.
The frosting can now be refrigerated, covered, but before you use it, let it come to room temperature and mix it until it regains its fluffiness.
Assembling the cake:
I found that there was just enough frosting to frost the entire cake. Use about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of frosting in between layers.
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Can You Eat Chapstick? Exploring Safety and Risks
Chapsticks are unknowingly one of the most used products in our daily life. They are mostly used in winter but it is also used throughout the year.
However, most of the time we lick or eat the layers of chapsticks from our lips. We do it intentionally or unintentionally.
But now the main question is, can you eat Chapstick?
No, you can not eat chapsticks. Chapsticks are not edible. So, it’s better not to eat chapsticks. But still, a little amount of chapstick won’t hurt. Most lip products, such as chapsticks, lipsticks, and lip balms are non-toxic. But if you just eat a good amount of chapstick then your health might be at risk.
To know more about chapsticks you’ve to stick with us. And you’ll get your answer to every confusion in detail.
Just stay with us and get to know more!
Can You Eat Chapsticks? Yes or No?
The answer to this question is No. You can’t eat chapsticks. Chapsticks are for external uses only. Chapsticks are not meant for food. But still, we sometimes swallow them.
Now you might think, how much chapstick does a person eat?
On average, a person eats 24mg of chapstick a day. This means a person eats 1/16 pounds of chapstick a year.
Chapsticks are usually made of harmless substances. But it’s better not to eat chapsticks as food. Because after all, those are chemicals. If you eat chapsticks then you might face some health issues and difficulties.
Related Article: Can You Eat Coral? Exploring Edibility, Risks, and Environmental Impact
Basic Ingredients of Chapsticks
The basic ingredients of chapsticks from every brand are pretty the same. Now, you might wonder what is chapstick made of. Chapsticks are made of mineral oil, vitamins, and so on.
Different ingredients work for different features. The basic ingredients as per features are,
Feature 1: Soften Lips
Chapsticks have the feature of making your lips softer than ever. To soften your lips, some specific ingredients are used. Those are,
- Mineral oil
- Beeswax
- Aloe
- Vitamin E
- Petroleum
- Lanolin
Feature 2: Naturally Pink Lips
Chapsticks with SPF in them are very helpful. SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor. They protect lips from heat and sun. Also protects lips to get darker.
Feature 3: Fix Sore Lips
Chapsticks hell with sore lips a lot. Sometimes our lips get inflamed and intoxicated. These cause sore lips. Sore lips are usually handled with,
- Salicylic acid
- Camphor
All these features prove that most chapsticks don’t contain harmful elements. But it’s’ better not to eat chapstick as they contain a lot of chemical substances.
What Are Some Harmful Ingredients Use In Chapsticks
As you already know that chapsticks do not carry any poisonous elements. But sometimes chapsticks contain a few harmful ingredients. Most of the time, flavored chapsticks contain harmful substances.
Now, you might think, can you eat flavored chapsticks? It is not recommended to eat flavored chapsticks. As artificial flavors can cause allergic reactions.
You definitely need to know about those harmful ingredients and their side effects. Those are,
Ingredient 1: Propolis
Propolis can be harmful to you. It is safe to use a little amount of Propolis. But it is dangerous to consume it.
If you consume Propolis you might see some side effects. These are
- Allergic reactions to skin
- Irritation on the skin and in the stomach
- Ulcer
Ingredient 2: Menthol
Menthol is very commonly used among us. It is widely used in skincare products. Sometimes menthol is also used for runny nose and cough.
But too much usage of menthol is not safe. Even menthol is not good for consumption either. Too much menthol might cause,
- Menthols can cause irritation on the skin
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Pulmonary disease
- Menthols can get people into addiction easily
Ingredient 3: Dyes
Dyes in chapsticks can be very harmful to you. Dyes have metal salts in them. Metal saults carry toxins. And with these dyes, the toxins are carried directly to your health.
Dyes can cause,
- Irritation on the skin
- Upset stomach
- Vomiting
Ingredient 4: Scents
A lot of chapsticks have artificial fragrances or scents in them. These artificial scents make the chapsticks smell good and flavorful.
But these artificial scents can be very harmful. They can cause,
- Irritation on skin
- Allergic reaction
- Upsetting stomach
- Stomachache
Chapsticks are mainly harmful to these few ingredients. So, it is definitely not recommended for you to consume chapsticks. But if you do consume, in a very small portion then there’s nothing to worry about.
Related Article: Can You Eat Eel Skin? Exploring the Delicacy and Health Benefits
How to Choose Perfect Chapsticks For Yourself
There are a lot of brands of chapsticks out there. But it’s up to you which one you’ll use. So, this question definitely hovers on your mind what should be in a lip balm?
Definitely avoid menthol, dyes, and artificial fragrances in chapsticks.
To choose a perfect chapstick for yourself, you’ve to keep a few things in mind. Those are,
Tip 1: Avoid Alchohol, Menthol, Camphor, or Phenol
These elements are not safe for your lips or skin. They might give you an immediate cooling sensation. But afterward, you’ll feel an itch or allergic reactions from these.
Tip 2: Choose Moisturizer For Lips
Chapsticks including glycerine, mineral oil, and aloe helps to moisture lips. Vitamin E and beeswax are a perfect combo for sensitive lips.
Tip 3: Avoid Artificial Fragrances
Chapsticks with artificial fragrances cause so much damage to the skin. These can cause serious allergic reactions and irritation.
Tip 4: Choose SPF Added Chapsticks
Always choose your chapsticks with SPF 15 or more. It is very important as SPF will protect your lips from sun rays. Your lips won’t turn darker with this element.
So, you can follow these tips before buying chapsticks. Also, you can follow our recommendation below.
| O’Keeffe’s Lip Repair SPF 35 Lip Balm Stick | Check Price Here |
| Sun Bum SPF 30 Sunscreen Lip Balm | Check Price Here |
What To Do If Kids Eat Chapsticks
Some of us have kids at home and it’s hard to control them. Kids are generally very curious. So, whenever they see someone using chapsticks, they apply these too.
Now, sometimes kids just directly eat chapsticks. Though chapsticks don’t have those harmful elements, it’s not safe to eat chapsticks either. If kids eat chapsticks, there are a few things you can keep in mind,
- Give your kids a few sips of water
- Wait for other unusual symptoms
- The unusual symptoms can be: Vomiting, mild diarrhea, or stomachache
- If the symptoms show up then contact emergency medical lines
So, look out for your kids and be careful. Keep your skincare products out of their reach.
Related Article: Can You Eat Rock Bass? Things to Know About Rock Bass
FAQs
Can You Die From Swallowing Chapstick?
No. You won’t die from swallowing chapsticks. Chapsticks are not foods, but even if they are accidentally consumed, they won’t do any harm. This is because they will be in extremely small quantities. And the body will eliminate them.
Can You Drink With Lip Balm On?
Yes, you can drink with your lip balm on. Vaseline and lip balms are not particularly fatally harmful. But refrain from drinking after using them. Please properly brush your lips before eating too. Lip balms are used to keep skin from drying out as a result of bad weather.
Are Burt’s Bees ChapStick toxic?
No, Burt’s Bees chapstick is not toxic. You may use Burt’s Bees lip balms while pregnant. Because they are all-natural and don’t contain any harmful components. If you are allergic to essential oils, choose an unscented lip balm. Or one without possibly irritating menthol.
Conclusion
Hope you got your answer to can you eat chapstick?
You can eat chapsticks but not in a bulk amount. Also, it is not recommended to eat chapsticks.
Also, be aware of the harmful elements in your chapsticks. Please try to select the better chapstick for you. We’ve mentioned a few tips on how you can choose the perfect chapstick. We hope that you’ll find them useful.
Have a great day! And take care of your skin and lips.
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