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Home » Cakes

Pistachio Cake (made from scratch with ground pistachios)

Published: Feb 7, 2019 Last updated on June 29, 2023 Author: Sabine / This post may contain affiliate links

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This easy Pistachio Cake recipe from scratch requires just a few minutes of hands-on preparation time and 10 ingredients. Made from scratch with freshly ground pistachios, without artificial colors or cake mix. By the way, have you tried my pistachio cookies yet?

sliced pistachio cake with chocolate, berries, and pistachios on top
Jump to:
  • Photo instructions
  • Notes on frosting
  • Expert tips for success
  • Which pistachios did you use for the cake?
  • Storage
  • Freezing instructions
  • More easy cake recipes to try
  • Recipe

Photo instructions

Place pistachios in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer the ground pistachios to a bowl and mix together with flour, baking powder, and salt.

Ground pistachio, flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl

Mix butter and sugar until fluffy, pale, and creamy — about 2 minutes.

Mixed butter and sugar

Add one egg at a time and mix until combined before you add the next egg.

Mixing progress: adding third egg to the batter

Add sour cream and vanilla and stir to combine.

Mixing progress: adding sour cream and vanilla to the pistachio cake batter

Alternately add dry ingredients and milk. Start and end with dry ingredients.

adding dry ingredients to wet in mixing bowl
adding milk to the pistachio cake batter in bowl

The batter is very thin.

the pistachio cake batter in bowl

Transfer to a parchment paper layered 9" baking pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

pistachio cake batter in springform pan

Notes on frosting

I usually serve this cake with an orange-pistachio syrup that I drizzle over just before serving (you can find the recipe in the recipe card at the end of this post). Keep the syrup in a saucepan and reheat when needed.

When I'm in the mood for chocolate, I like to serve this cake with a few dollops of chocolate cream cheese frosting on top. I use the frosting from my Banana Chocolate Cake and only make half of the recipe.

Cut Pistachio Cake

Expert tips for success

  • Take care that you don't grind the pistachios for too long. Otherwise, you will end up with a paste.
  • You can also use an 8" (20cm) pan; you will need to adjust the baking time to about 10 minutes longer.
  • I recommend making the cake a day before serving. The flavor develops overnight, making it a delicious make-ahead cake.

Which pistachios did you use for the cake?

I use green peeled pistachio kernels grade A from Iran. They have a dark green color because they are harvested before they are fully ripened and therefore don't turn yellow. That's why my cake is so intensely green in color without using food coloring. 

The color, appearance, and taste of this cake will depend greatly on the type of pistachio you use. Pistachios can vary in taste, color, and size. Depending on where you live, you will have just a few different types of pistachios available, or maybe only one. I'm currently living in the UK and have pistachios available from Iran and the US.

Storage

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. I recommend adding toppings just before serving.

Freezing instructions

Let the cake cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in freezer bags. It freezes well for up to 1 month. To thaw, unwrap, and let sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours. Then drizzle the syrup on top as desired.

Bitten Pistachio Cake

More easy cake recipes to try

If you love easy cake recipes, then you've come to the right place. I'm sure you will love these recipes as well!

  • Raspberry Cake
  • Applesauce Cake
  • Pumpkin Cake
  • Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake
  • Banoffee Cake
  • Texas Sheet Cake
  • Air Fryer Vanilla Cake

Recipe

sliced pistachio cake with chocolate, berries, and pistachios on top

Pistachio Cake Recipe From Scratch (with ground pistachios)

4.96 from 45 votes
Author Also The Crumbs Please
Calories: 291kcal
Servings: 12 servings
Prep 15 minutes minutes
Cook 25 minutes minutes
Total 40 minutes minutes
Print Pin Rate
This easy Pistachio Cake recipe from scratch requires just a few minutes of hands-on preparation time and 10 ingredients. Made from scratch with freshly ground pistachios, without artificial colors or cake mix.

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 cup pistachios, shelled, unsalted
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¾ cup granulated white sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 vanilla beans* (or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract)
  • ½ cup milk

OPTIONAL: orange pistachio syrup

  • â…“ cup pistachios, roasted, shelled, salted
  • ¼ cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 large orange - zest and juice

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Line the bottom and the sides of a 9" (23cm) springform pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Place pistachios in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Don't grind too long. Otherwise, it turns into a paste. Transfer to a bowl and add flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl with a stand or handheld mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until creamy for about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 egg at the time and mix until incorporated. Add sour cream and vanilla* and stir to combine. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. 
  • Transfer to the prepared baking pan and bake for about 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to let cool completely.
  • Orange pistachio syrup (OPTIONAL): In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, cook pistachios, sugar, orange juice, and orange zest until sugar is completely dissolved and syrup coats the back of a spoon, about 3-4 minutes.
  • Pour syrup over cooled cake slices just before serving. Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days. Reheat leftover syrup to liquefy again, if necessary.

Notes

*First, cut off the straight end of the vanilla bean. Then place the tip of your knife below the curled end and cut the vanilla bean through the middle of the bean lengthwise with a sharp knife. Although you don't need to cut it all the way through, it's ok when you do so. Then open the vanilla bean and scrape out the flavorful seeds with the back of your knife. Just use the seeds.

Video

You can find the video in the post above. If you don't see a video, please check your browser settings.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 6gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 71mgSodium: 123mgPotassium: 269mgFiber: 2gSugar: 20gVitamin A: 420IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword How to make Pistachio Cake, Pistachio Cake Recipe
Did you make this recipe?Leave a feedback and rate this recipe!
« Lemon Cheesecake (with decoration suggestions)
Homemade Glazed Doughnuts »

About Sabine

Sabine is a professional baker, cookbook author, and award-winning food photographer.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gretchen Shine

    August 13, 2023 at 9:04 pm

    5 stars
    This cake is delicious! Made it for a pistachio fanatic and it was a big luncheon success. I made a raspberry couli to dollop on top, even tho there was an orange glaze to the cake. Will make again!

    Reply
  2. Arifa

    June 27, 2023 at 6:41 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious! I ended up substituting the sour cream with Coconut Butter and made these into cupcakes with raspberry buttercream. The pistachio flavor comes through and i will definitely be making these again!
    Thanks for this recipe

    Reply
  3. Kathleen

    March 26, 2023 at 10:25 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! Mine wasn’t quite as vibrantly green, which I understood from the comments of the author, but it was really nice. Not too sweet, just perfect. I topped with a simple syrup using Grand Mariner, whipped cream, and a sprinkling of pistachios. Next time I will try adding some orange zest to the batter and a bit over the whipped cream.

    Reply
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