Pistachio Cake

Moist, fluffy pistachio cake made with a yogurt batter base and topped with a pistachio butter glaze is an elegant, but easy dessert. Toasting and grinding the pistachios yourself adds a little work, but results in a deep, rich, roasted pistachio flavor that just can’t be beat. 

Being the baker in my friend group, I’m typically the first they call whenever a need for cake arises. I usually default to making my Yogurt Cake, but sometimes the occasion calls for something more luxurious. Pistachios, with their vibrant color and sweet, toasty flavor, feel to me like a treat. So, for a special occasion cake that’s still easy to make, I transformed my yogurt cake into a fancier pistachio cake. 

Pistachios have a creaminess that is amplified by the creamy yogurt, so I knew I was working with a smart base. After some testing and tweaks, I settled on this cake recipe. It’s rich with toasted pistachio flavor and incredibly moist and fluffy. With a pistachio butter glaze spread on top, it’s definitely fit for a celebration.

The key to coaxing the most flavor out of the pistachios is toasting them and grinding them into a fine pistachio flour. The flavor of toasted nuts diminishes over time, so the bags of pre-toasted pistachios at the store don’t have nearly as much flavor as the result you get from roasting them yourself.

Toasting and grinding the pistachios involves slightly more work than my stir-together yogurt cake, but it is still easy compared to most special occasion cakes. It’s definitely simple enough for a casual baking project, with or without a party to attend. 

Table of Contents

1. Ingredients for Pistachio Cake
1. For the Pistachio Cake:
2. For the Pistachio Butter Glaze:
2. How to Make Pistachio Cake
3. Ways to Make It Your Own
4. How to Color the Cake Green
5. What to Serve with Pistachio Cake
6. More Pistachio Treats
7. Pistachio Cake Recipe

Ingredients for Pistachio Cake

In addition to pistachios and pistachio butter, you’ll just need a few standard baking staples. I prefer to save time with pre-shelled pistachios, which also make them easier to snack on while you bake. Here’s what you’ll need.

For the Pistachio Cake:

• Pistachios: Look for raw, shelled, unsalted pistachios and toast them yourself for the best flavor. You can save some money by buying pistachios in the shell, but you’ll spend time shelling them yourself.
• All-purpose flour: Flour provides the structure for the cake. You can substitute your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, though the cake may be slightly denser.
• Baking powder and baking soda: These leavening agents help the cake rise for a fluffy, airy cake.
• Salt: Enhances the flavor of the pistachios.
• Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt adds richness and a tangy flavor. It reacts with the baking soda to create a better rise. You can substitute it with plain yogurt, kefir, or even plant-based yogurt if you’re dairy-free.
• Granulated sugar: Sugar sweetens the cake and adds tenderness.
• Eggs: Eggs add both structure and richness to the cake.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Olive oil adds richness and flavor. For this cake, I like a grassy, herbaceous olive oil, like Nocellara, but you could also use a mild and buttery Arbequina olive oil.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla has a sweet, floral, caramel flavor that complements the pistachios.

For the Pistachio Butter Glaze:

• Pistachio butter: It’s rich, creamy, and has an ultra-concentrated pistachio flavor. You can make your own pistachio butter or use store-bought. If you do buy it, choose a pistachio butter with a rich color that contains either only pistachios or pistachios and salt. Many products sold as pistachio butter or pistachio cream contain sugar, vegetable oils, and other ingredients not necessary for this recipe.
• Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar adds sweetness, and the sugar crystals help set the glaze.
• Water: Pistachio butter and sugar alone are too thick to glaze easily. Adding a couple of tablespoons of water thins the glaze, making it easier to pour and spread on the cake.

How to Make Pistachio Cake

You will need a food processor to grind the pistachios finely, but the batter mixes easily by hand, so there is no need for a mixer. Let the cake cool completely for about an hour before adding the glaze. Here are the steps:

• Toast the pistachios. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread 1/2 cup (60 grams) raw shelled pistachios in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Prepare the pan. While the pistachios are toasting, brush a high-sided 8-inch round cake pan or springform pan with olive oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and brush the parchment with a thin layer of olive oil and set aside.
• Grind the pistachios. Transfer the pistachios to a food processor. Measure 1 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of the sugar to the pistachios. Process until finely ground, about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the ground pistachios, 1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Mix the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup (170 grams) plain Greek yogurt, the remaining sugar, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until thoroughly combined.
• Make the batter. Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and use the whisk to stir gently just until no streaks of dry flour remain.
• Bake the cake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
• Cool the cake. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then, turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Make the Pistachio Butter Glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup (68 grams) pistachio butter, 3/4 cup (85 grams) powdered sugar, and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. The glaze should be thick but pourable. Add extra water, a teaspoon at a time, to thin to your preferred consistency.
• Glaze the cake. When the cake has cooled completely, transfer it to a cake stand or serving plate. Pour the glaze on top of the cake and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to coax the glaze to the edges. As it sets, the glaze will slowly drip down the sides of the cake, and the top of the glaze will level and become smooth. Sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios. For clean slices, let the glaze set for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

Ways to Make It Your Own

The sweet and buttery flavor of pistachio shines all on its own in this cake. But pistachio can also hit it off with other flavors. Here are some ideas for mixing it up:

• Add some spice: Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the cake batter or the glaze.
• Add an extract: Trade the vanilla extract for almond extract, or add 1 teaspoon of rose water or 1/2 teaspoon of orange blossom water to the cake batter.
• Brighten with citrus: Add the finely grated zest from an orange, lemon, or both to the cake batter.

How to Color the Cake Green

Pistachios are known for their striking avocado-green color. But when baking, the green of the pistachios will fade to a golden-brown hue. I don’t mind losing the color, as flavor is infinitely more important to me. But if you want to preserve the green color in the actual cake, you’ll need to dye the cake.

The most common fix is to add green food coloring. How much to add will depend on whether you use liquid or gel and traditional or natural dye food coloring. Start with a couple of drops at a time. It can very quickly turn from pale pistachio to an unnaturally deep green. The color will darken as it bakes. 

If, like me, you’re not a fan of food coloring, another option is to use green powders, like matcha, spirulina, or spinach powder. These will, however, add flavor to the cake, compromising or possibly overwhelming the flavor of the pistachios. Start with 1/2 teaspoon in the batter and adjust to your preference from there.

What to Serve with Pistachio Cake

While I’m usually a coffee enthusiast, I love how this pistachio cake pairs with black tea and mint in this Arabic tea with fresh mint. With a slice after dinner, I might serve it with a digestif of chilled limoncello.

If you skip the pistachio butter glaze, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. Then, add a dollop of lightly sweetened Greek yogurt and a handful of raspberries to each slice. 

In the summer, you could add a scoop of refreshing raspberry or strawberry frozen yogurt on the side.

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