Get ready to fall in love with the most amazing pistachio cake ever! Imagine biting into a cake that’s super moist, bursting with nutty pistachio flavor, and topped with creamy frosting and crunchy pistachio bits—it’s a pistachio lover’s dream come true!
This easy recipe takes pistachios to a whole new level. First, we finely grind pistachios and mix them into the cake batter for that incredible nutty taste. After baking, we poke the cake with holes and fill them with a luscious pistachio cream. Then, it’s topped with creamy cream cheese frosting and swirls of more pistachio cream. Trust me, the flavor is out of this world! Plus, it has a natural light green color that’s perfect for celebrating St. Patrick’s Day!
Why will you adore this pistachio cake?
- It’s bursting with real pistachio flavor, not artificial additives. We use ground pistachios instead of pistachio pudding mix for that authentic taste.
- The cake is incredibly soft and moist, thanks to the ground pistachios and buttermilk. One bite and you’ll be hooked!
- Each mouthful is a heavenly combination of creamy pistachio goodness and velvety cream cheese frosting.
- It’s all homemade, from scratch! No shortcuts here—we’re making everything from scratch for the ultimate homemade taste!
Got questions? Let’s answer them!
- Wondering how to store this cake? Simply pop leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days.
- Not sure which pistachios to use? I recommend roasted and salted pistachios for the best flavor.
- Want that classic pistachio pudding taste? Add a hint of almond extract to the batter for that authentic flavor.
Here are some tips for baking success:
- Always measure your flour properly to avoid using too much. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife, or use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
- Ensure all your wet ingredients are at room temperature for the best texture.
Ready to bake up a pistachio masterpiece? Let’s do it!
Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
For the Pistachio Cake:
- 1 cup pistachios deshelled
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 3 eggs at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk at room temperature
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 6 oz cream cheese cold
- 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
For the Pistachio Cream:
- ½ cup pistachios deshelled
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
For the Pistachio Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×9 pan with non-stick spray and line it with parchment paper.
- Grind the pistachios in a food processor until finely ground.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter and granulated white sugar until fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla, mixing until pale and smooth.
- Alternate adding buttermilk and dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until combined.
- Fold in ground pistachios.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 38-44 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Beat butter in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.
- Add cream cheese and beat until fluffy.
- Sift in powdered sugar and mix until combined and fluffy.
For the Pistachio Cream:
- Grind pistachios in a food processor until they turn into pistachio butter.
- Whisk together pistachio butter and sweetened condensed milk.
- Beat heavy cream until firm peaks form, then fold into pistachio mixture.
Assembling the Cake:
- Once cooled, turn the cake out onto a serving plate. Poke holes in the top of the cake.
- Pipe pistachio cream into the holes.
- Frost the top of the cake with cream cheese frosting, swirling in pistachio cream.
- Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, then serve and enjoy!