Ultimate Bakery-Style Pistachio Cake

 

Pistachio Cake 

This recipe yields a moist, tender cake with a natural nutty flavor and a beautiful pale green hue. It uses real pistachios rather than just extracts for an authentic taste.

🛒 Ingredients

For the Pistachio Cake

Pistachios: 1 ½ cups (shelled, unsalted, toasted)

Cake Flour: 2 ½ cups (spooned and leveled)

Baking Powder: 2 ½ tsp

Salt: ½ tsp

Unsalted Butter: 1 cup (2 sticks), softened to room temperature

Granulated Sugar: 1 ¾ cups

Large Eggs: 4, room temperature

Vanilla Extract: 2 tsp

Almond Extract: ½ tsp (enhances the pistachio flavor)

Full-fat Sour Cream: ½ cup, room temperature

Whole Milk: 1 cup, room temperature

For the Pistachio Buttercream

Unsalted Butter: 1 ½ cups (3 sticks), softened

Pistachio Butter/Paste: ½ cup (sweetened or unsweetened)

Confectioners' Sugar: 5–6 cups, sifted

Heavy Cream: 3–4 tbsp

Salt: A pinch

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the Pistachios

Pulse the 1 ½ cups of toasted pistachios in a food processor until they reach a fine, sandy texture.

Note: Be careful not to over-process, or you will end up with pistachio butter.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the ground pistachios, cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).

4. Add Wet Ingredients

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Mix in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and sour cream.

5. Combine

Turn the mixer to low speed. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.

Mix just until combined; do not overmix.

6. Bake

Pour the batter into two or three greased and floured 8-inch round cake pans.

Bake at $350^{\circ}F$ ($175^{\circ}C$) for 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans before frosting.

7. Make the Frosting

Beat the butter and pistachio paste together until smooth.

Gradually add confectioners' sugar, heavy cream, and salt.

Beat on high for 2 minutes until the frosting is whipped and airy.

💡 Pro Tips

Natural Color: If you want a more vibrant green, add a tiny drop of leaf green gel food coloring to the batter.

The "Soak": For an extra moist cake, brush the layers with a simple syrup flavored with a drop of rosewater or orange blossom water.

Topping: Garnish the finished cake with chopped roasted pistachios or freeze-dried raspberries for a beautiful color contrast.