Servings
Font
Back
Pistachio Cake
5 from 72 votes

Pistachio Cake

This pistachio cake features finely ground toasted pistachios incorporated into a batter enriched with yogurt, butter, and oil, combined with flour, leavening agents, and sugar. The optional addition of green food coloring accentuates the nutty flavor visually. Topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting, the cake has a moist texture and a delicate nutty taste. The recipe uses typical baking techniques with careful attention to nut powder consistency and batter temperature to ensure proper rise and crumb.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Cooling (pistachios and cake
1 hr 15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 10 - 12
Calories: 317 kcal
Course: Cake, Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 125g/ 4.4oz (just shy 1 cup) pistachio kernels unsalted (Note 1
Dry ingredients for batter:
  • 1 cup plain flour (all-purpose flour)
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder (check yours still still good if it's old)
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda (bi-carb soda) (Note 2)
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt or cooking salt
Wet:
  • 3/4 cup yogurt , plain, full-fat, at room temperature (Note 3)
  • 60g/ 4 tbsp butter melted and slightly cooled, unsalted
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil canola, vegetable, cottonseed etc, plain
  • 3/4 cup caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg 50-55g/2oz), at room temperature, large
Colouring (optional)
  • 4 drops green food coloring optional (Note 4
Cream cheese whip:
  • 100g/ 3.5oz cream cheese , at room temperature (block best, tub ok)
  • 3/4 cup thickened cream (heavy cream) or whipping cream (Note 5)
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar (superfine sugar)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp lemon juice (optional)
  • Pinch of salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160° fan-forced). Grease and line a 20 cm / 8" round cake pan with baking paper (parchment paper).
Pistachio powder:
  1. Toast - Spread the pistachios on a tray. Bake for 12 minutes, shaking once halfway, or until the pistachios smell nutty and are crisp (eat to check!). Fully cool on the tray (~15 minutes).
  2. Blitz - Measure out 3/4 cup pistachios (save the rest for decorating). Blitz into a powder using pulses, taking care not to turn it into a paste. I use a NutriBullet (2 x 2 sec bursts). Spice grinder or small food processor would also work. Some larger pistachio bits are fine, but aim for 98% powder. (Note 6)
Cake:
  1. Break up clumps - Put the pistachio powder in a large bowl with the flour. Briefly whisk to combine then use your fingers to rub pistachio powder clumps into a powder. No need to be meticulous here, just get the larger ones.
  2. Dry - Add the remaining Dry ingredients then whisk to combine.
  3. Wet - Put all the Wet ingredients in a separate bowl and whisk until combined.
  4. Combine wet & dry - Pour the Wet into the Dry ingredients bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix until the flour is almost mixed in.
  5. Colour it! Add the food colouring. Then finish mixing the batter until mostly lump free (small lumps will dissolve when baked).
  6. Scrape the batter into the pan and spread out it out (no need to be meticulous, the surface will smooth out in the oven).
  7. Bake for 40 minutes, turning the pan at 30 minutes so the surface browns evenly, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out without batter on it.
  8. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. (~1 hour)
  9. Chop the reserved pistachios (mix of finely chopped and larger chunks).
  10. Spread the cake with the Cream Cheese Whip (steps below). Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Cut and eat!
Cream cheese whip:
  1. Beat the cream cheese for a good 2 minutes on medium high until it's really light and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed. Do not shortcut this step, else you may end up with cream cheese lumps!
  2. Whip - Add the remaining ingredients then beat until the cream is softly whipped and spreadable, about 1 minute on medium high.

Notes

  • Use unsalted shelled pistachios for this cake; if using ones in shells, reduce toasting time and adjust amounts accordingly.
  • Ensure yogurt is at room temperature to aid batter rise; sour cream can substitute if loosened well.
  • To avoid pistachio powder turning into paste, pulse briefly and shake the blender between bursts.
  • Storage in the refrigerator for up to 4 days keeps the cream topping stable and preserves flavor.
  • Swapping baking soda for extra baking powder alters rise and dome shape slightly but is acceptable.

Nutrition Information

Calories 317cal (16%) Carbohydrates 28g (9%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 8g (40%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g (18%) Monounsaturated Fat 9g (45%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 49mg (16%) Sodium 92mg (4%) Potassium 208mg (4%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 18g (36%) Vitamin A 476IU (10%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 66mg (7%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 - 12

Amount Per Serving

Calories 317

% Daily Value*

Calories 317cal 16%
Carbohydrates 28g 9%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 9g 45%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 49mg 16%
Sodium 92mg 4%
Potassium 208mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 18g 36%
Vitamin A 476IU 10%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 66mg 7%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.