White Chocolate Easter Cake W/strawberries

FROSTING
1 1/4 c Half and half
3/4 c Unsalted pistachio nuts
1/2 c Sugar
4 lg Egg yolks
2 tb All purpose flour
1 ts Vanilla extract
1 c Unsalted butter; room temp
7 oz Package marzipan
2 tb Powdered sugar; plus 1/4 cup
1 1/2 c Whipping cream; chilled

This pull-out-all-stops dessert layers a white chocolate pistachio
cake with strawberries and a do-ahead pistachio butter-cream. For the
finishing touches, whipped cream is piped up the sides, and a
marzipan top is crowned with fresh strawberries.

To make cake: Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour two
9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high-sides. Bring half and
half to simmer in small saucepan. Remove from heat. Add chocolate and
vanilla and stir until smooth; cool to room temperature. Finely grind
pistachios with flour and baking powder in processor. Using electric
mixer, beat butter and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add
yolks 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in flour
mixture alternately with white chocolate mixture in 2 additions each.
Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft
peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, beating until
stiff but not dry. Fold whites into batter in 2 additions. Divide
batter between prepared pans. Bake cakes until tester inserted into
center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Cut around
pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn out cakes onto racks; cool
completely. Hull and slice 2 baskets strawberries. Place 1 cake layer
on platter. Spread 1 cup buttercream over. Arrange enough berry
slices over to cover. Spread 1 cup buttercream over. Arrange another
layer of sliced berries over to cover. Spread thin layer of
buttercream over second cake layer and place cake, buttercream side
down, atop berries. Press gently to adhere. Spread remaining
buttercream over top and sides of cake. Chill cake until buttercream
is firm, about 1 hour. Knead marzipan in medium bowl to soften. Shape
marzipan into disk. Dust work surface with 2 tablespoons powdered
sugar. Roll out marzipan disk on powdered sugar to 9 1/2-round. Place
on cake; press to adhere to top and gently press overhang onto sides
of cake. Beat whipping cream and remaining 1/4 cup powdered sugar in
large bowl to firm peaks. Transfer to large pastry bag fitted with
medium star tip. Pipe cream in side-by-side columns up sides of cake.
Pipe border of rosettes around top edge of cake. Refrigerate cake
until cold, at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover
with cake dome and keep refrigerated. Let stand at room temperature
30 minutes before continuing.) Arrange remaining whole strawberries
in center of cake.

To make frosting: Bring half and half and pistachios to boil in heavy
small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour. Whisk
sugar, yolks and flour in medium bowl to blend. Bring half and half
mixture to simmer; gradually whisk into yolk mixture. Return to same
saucepan; stir over medium heat until mixture bubbles thickly, about
5 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Transfer to processor; blend until nuts
are very finely chopped. Transfer pistachio pastry cream to bowl.
Cover and cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Using electric
mixer, beat unsalted butter in large bowl until fluffy. Add pastry
cream by 1/4 cupfuls, beating well after each addition. (Can be
prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room
temperature before using.)