Made from scratch with real pistachio and almond flavors, this rustic-chic layered pistachio cake is full of flavor, and enhanced with silky cream cheese frosting. Garnish with fresh berries, pistachios, and flowers for a truly remarkable dessert that’s perfect for spring.
The pink flowers pictured on the finished cake are called kalanchoe.
As nut flavors go, pistachio is one of the most subtle. In fact, did you know that pistachio ice cream gets most of its flavor from almond extract? The almond extract works to enhance the pistachio flavor, and I’m using this concept in today’s cake. I’m often asked how to change my pistachio cupcakes into a layer cake, so this is the perfect opportunity to show off those delicately nutty flavors again.
Tell Me About This Pistachio Cake
- Texture: The combination of real pistachios + almond extract results in a soft, buttery pistachio cake. Cake flour and egg whites keep the texture light and delicate.
- Flavor: This pistachio cake is made without any artificial flavors. The natural flavors of pistachio, almond, butter, and vanilla really shine through in each bite.
- Ease: This pistachio cake with cream cheese frosting is “nearly naked,” so no expert-level cake decorating skills are required. It looks gorgeous garnished simply with fresh berries, crushed pistachios, and some flowers, if you’re feeling extra springy.
One reader, Kathy, says: “Absolutely divine!!! Made this for my daughter’s bday and everyone loved it. The ground pistachios gave it a perfect light green tint. The texture was great-light cake with some bite from the pistachios. Not too sweet, either, which I prefer. This is a GREAT RECIPE.”
The full recipe is below, but first I’m going to share some of the main things I’ve learned while testing this recipe.
How to Get Real Pistachio Flavor Into Cake
We’ll grind shelled pistachios and then mix the pistachio crumbs into the cake batter for the best quality, real pistachio flavor. I know what you’re thinking: chunks of hard nuts in a cake? Don’t worry! The pistachios are ground into a soft and creamy crumb, which adds pure pistachio flavor without a chunky texture. I recommend using a food processor for this step. Just be careful not to overdo it and make pistachio butter!
The cake batter may resemble spicy brown mustard, but it smells fantastic. The ground pistachios tint the cake a light spring green. I also add a drop of green food coloring to deepen the color, but that’s completely optional.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why
I used my favorite white cake recipe as a starting point for this cake.
- Pistachios: Instead of using artificial pistachio flavor, grind shelled pistachios to add to the cake batter. I usually use unsalted raw pistachios for this cake recipe, but you can use raw or roasted pistachios, salted or unsalted, whichever you prefer. I recommend buying them already shelled, to save time.
- Almond + vanilla extract: Use pure vanilla and almond extracts for truly outstanding flavor. Almond extract enhances the pistachio flavor, so don’t leave it out.
- Cake flour: Cake flour is almost 30 times finer than all-purpose flour and provides the structure for this pistachio cake. We use slightly less cake flour in this recipe than in a white cake because of the pistachio crumbs, but the result is equally delicate and delicious.
- Egg whites: Using only egg whites ensures a light crumb that isn’t weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. Lighter confections such as marshmallows and angel food cake require only egg whites. Same rule applies here.
What Frosting Goes Well With Pistachio Cake?
I like pairing this sweet and nutty cake with smooth and tangy cream cheese frosting (scaled up to cover the cake!). But there’s no shortage of delicious options that would complement this cake! You could easily replace the cream cheese frosting with:
- Vanilla Buttercream
- Salted Caramel Frosting
- Strawberry Buttercream
- Lemon Buttercream
- Chocolate Buttercream
You could also use this pistachio cake recipe as the base for my fresh berry cream cake!
Decorating Inspiration
To frost and decorate this pistachio cake, I use a good amount of frosting inside and on top of the cake, and minimal frosting around the sides. This frosting style is called a naked cake, which exposes the gorgeous cake layers and reveals the deliciousness to come!
- For smooth sides, use a bench scraper (you can follow this vanilla naked cake video for a little guidance). I also recommend a cake turntable to make cake decorating even easier. Or simply just swipe the frosting on—this pistachio cake is so delicious no one will care what it looks like! I have a detailed post on how to assemble and decorate a layer cake, which would also be a helpful guide!
More Baking Recipes You Will Love!
- Pistachio Shortbread
- White Cake
- Pistachio Cupcakes
- Lemon Pistachio Loaf
- Lemon Blueberry Cake
- Coconut Cake
Pistachio Cake
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Make this pistachio cake with real pistachio and almond extract flavors. This “naked cake” is finished with silky cream cheese frosting. Read the recipe notes before beginning. The pink flowers pictured on the finished cake are called kalanchoe.
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (260g) unsalted pistachios (out of shells)
- 2 and 1/3 cups (275g) cake flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 5 large egg whites, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream, at room temperature*
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, at room temperature*
- optional: 1 tiny drop green food coloring*
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 ounces (452g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt, to taste
- optional: garnishes such as berries and leftover pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the cake: Pulse the pistachios in a food processor until ground up into very fine crumbs. See photo above for a visual.
- Pour 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) of pistachio crumbs in a large bowl. (Reserve the remaining pistachio crumbs for garnish.) Whisk in the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Beat in the egg whites on high speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients, then start the mixer on low speed. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the milk (and the green food coloring, if using) and mix just until combined. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick.
- Divide batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Bake for 21–23 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on medium-high speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 3 minutes until completely combined and creamy. Add more confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin, a little milk if frosting is too thick, or an extra pinch of salt if frosting is too sweet. Frosting should be soft, but not runny.
- Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife or cake leveler, layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Place 1 cake layer on your cake turntable, cake stand, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer, more frosting, and then top with the 3rd layer. Spread remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Decorate the sides and top of the cake with the remaining pistachios. Refrigerate cake for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake hold its shape when cutting.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared, then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let it sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. Frosted cake or unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before decorating/serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Food Processor | 8-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cake Turntable | Straight Icing Spatula | Bench Scraper | Marble Cake Stand or Serving Platter | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Pistachios: I usually use unsalted raw pistachios. However, the cake is still sweet even if you use salted pistachios. Salted actually adds extra flavor! You can use roasted or raw (not roasted), whichever you prefer.
- Full-Fat Ingredients: Whole milk and full-fat sour cream are strongly recommended for the best taste and texture. A full-fat plain yogurt would work instead, though the cake may not be as light. Same goes with a lower-fat milk.
- Food Coloring: While the pistachio crumbs tint the batter light green, I added 1 *very teeny* drop of green gel food coloring to help brighten the green color. This is completely optional!
- Room-Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. For more information, read my post about the importance of roo-temperature ingredients.
- 9-Inch Pans: You can divide this batter between two 9-inch cake pans. The bake time is closer to 30 minutes, same oven temperature. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- 9×13-inch Pan: This batter fits nicely in a 9×13-inch pan. The bake time is closer to 38 minutes, same oven temperature. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- Bundt Pan: This cake batter will fit in a 10- to 12-cup Bundt pan, but I’m unsure of the exact bake time. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
- Here are my pistachio cupcakes.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Hi Sally! Can I make this cake two days before hand and refrigerate until then? Or is one night in the fridge best?
Hi Ellie, you can store the cake covered in the fridge for 2 days, yes. Take it out and let it sit at room temperature for an hour or two before serving to let it soften up.
Can I use an egg substitute like chia seed or flax seeds mixed with water? I have a friend who has an egg allergy.
Hi Dee, we haven’t tested the recipe with an egg substitute, so are unsure of the results. If you give it a try, please let us know how it goes!
Hi Sally,
I was wondering if I could substitute buttermilk instead of whole milk for this. What do you think?
Thanks
Hi Naomi, you can replace the whole milk and sour cream with buttermilk. Use 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml).
How much cream cheese frosting do I make? Do I 1.5 or double it for this recipe?
Hi Kalli, see recipe Notes: My recipe for cream cheese frosting will be enough to decorate your cake like I did in these photos. Minimal on the edges with more frosting inside and on top of the cake. Do you want more frosting? If so, make the amount of cream cheese frosting included in my carrot cake recipe.
Can I use all purpose flour?
Hi Skylar, cake flour is key for this cake’s soft texture. If you don’t have any, you can use this DIY cake flour substitute.
Hello, I had a question about the nut quantities. What weight of ground nuts are intended to be in the cake batter? The measurements offered are a little bit confusing, the 260g for 2 cups of shelled pistachios is consistent, but 1 1/2 cups of ground nuts should only be about 140-150g; is the intention to use a volumetric 1 1/2 cups in the recipe, or 260g regardless of the volume? I don’t see how grinding 260g nuts is going to result in as little as 1 1/2 cups of ground pistachios, and the difference seems like a lot more than you would want for garnish, which the recipe mentions. Thanks for your time
Hi Evan, thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. We just re-tested it, and have updated the recipe to clarify. We measure 1 cup ground pistachios as 120g, so going in the batter is 1 and 1/2 cups (180g). You’ll have about 1/3 cup (80g) remaining to use as garnish on top of the cake. If you’d rather not have as much for garnish, you can reduce the amount of pistachios you start with to 180g. Hope this helps!
Could you use 8 inch cake pans instead?
Hi Lindsey, you can use the recipe as written for three 8 inch cakes, the bake time will be a little longer for thicker cakes.
Can this pistachio cake be baked in a rectangular pan?
Hi Lynne, You can bake this cake as a single layer in a 9×13 pan. Simply pour the batter into a greased and lightly floured 9×13 pan and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Same temperature.
Making this cake for the first time and sure hope it works out. Curious as about the recipe calling for 2 cups pistachios but only 1.5 cup used in the batter. Maybe I missed it but is there a reason for not using the entire 2 cups? Thank you.
Hi Mary, set aside the rest of the pistachios for garnish!
I went out on a limb and tried this recipe for my husband’s birthday. He absolutely loved it! I flavoured the cream cheese icing with cardamon powder and rose essence to complement the pistachio flavour and it worked really well. Thanks for creating such a unique and delicious recipe, Sally!
I have made this cake a half dozen times now. It is the one cake that my daughter requests for her birthday cake. It’s delicious and a show stopper. I make an Italian buttercream with a touch of almond for the icing rather than the cream cheese icing, but it’s bound to be delicious either way!
This is such a perfect recipe. It’s a winner every time I bake it. Thank you for such an easy and rich recipe
I wanted to bake this pistachio cake for my Birthday this time and I was wondering if I can use this base recipe and add some fresh raspberries in the batter. Do you think it should be okay?
Thank you
Could I substitute butter for oil so the cake isn’t as dense when kept in the fridge?
Hi Josephine, we don’t recommend substituting liquid oil in recipes that call for butter, because it will throw off all the other ingredients. The best thing to do after the cake has been in the refrigerator is to bring it out and let it sit at room temperature for a while (I usually allow at least half an hour) before serving it, to give it time to soften up.
I’m relatively new to baking and just made this recipe. While the cake was delicious, the recipe did not yield the necessary volume of batter for a 3 layer cake. In my efforts to go back and figure out my mistake, I learned that stand mixers should not be used to cream butter in amounts less than 1 cup, otherwise the butter will just end up stuck to the sides of the bowl. To save other people from making the same mistake, I humbly request that you edit this recipe to not encourage the use of a stand mixer.
Hi Joseph, you may need to adjust your stand mixer or use a different attachment like this one https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/stand-mixers/accessories/p.tilt-head-flex-edge-beater.kfe5t.html?region_id=LDC822&productcategory=parts_and_accessories&frt=21&gQT=1
Hi, I baked this cake, it came out great, didn’t have a food processor- but it was extremely sweet for my liking. Can I reduce the sugar to 1 cup instead? How would that effect the cake?
Hi Nemesis, sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
I made this and it was absolutely delicious in flavor. Incredibly easy to come together as well. It was a nice change from your classic vanilla or chocolate cake recipes.
Sally – mine did come out slightly denser/a tad bit on the drier side. Thankfully the cream cheese frosting created a great balance. Is this cake a tad on the denser/drier side (due to cake flour or other ingredient) or did I do something wrong? I did sub sour cream for full fat Greek yogurt.
I always come back for your recipes and will def make this one again! Thanks!
Hi Maha, We are glad you enjoyed the cake! A dense, dry cake can be caused by many factors, like over-baking, over-measuring the flour, over mixing, etc. You can check out this post on preventing a dry or dense cake for next time if you decide to give it another go. Thank you for giving it a try!
Thanks for your reply. I did keep it in until the 25 min mark due to using three 8 inch pans rather than 9 inch pans. How long would you recommend I keep it in instead? Thank you again.
Hi Maha, your cakes may have baked faster. Always keep an eye on them in the oven and use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Can I use pistachio paste instead?
Hi Nicole, We haven’t tested this recipe with pistachio paste/spread. You can try adding about 1/2 cup to the batter and leaving out the ground/chopped pistachios. Let us know if you try it!
Hi can I grind the pistachios ahead of time like probably 2 days ahead?
Definitely.
If I want to make these into cupcakes, how long should I bake them and at what temperature?
Hi Reg, you can use this recipe for about two dozen cupcakes, baking for about 19-22 minutes at the same oven temperature. Or, for a smaller yield, use our pistachio cupcakes recipe instead — same great taste and texture!
I loved this recipe! The cake came out beautifully. I was wondering what would happen if I used 1) more butter (2 vs. 1/2 sticks) and buttermilk instead of milk. I found the cake to be a teeny bit dry.
Hi Leslie, we’re glad you enjoyed it! You can replace the whole milk AND sour cream with buttermilk. Use 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml). We don’t recommend adding more butter. Here’s more about how to prevent dry and dense cakes.
I wanted to make Pistachio Tres Leches using this cake as the base, do you think it would work well. I want the cake to have pistachio flavour as well, so this cake seems like a really good idea. Maybe if I use whole eggs instead of just egg whites, that would make it little denser and not so light, so that it can absorb the milk mixture? Please guide me I really love your recipe
Hi MP, we haven’t tried a tres leches cake using this recipe before. You’re right, it is quite a light and delicate cake, so it may not be the sturdiest choice for the added milk. We don’t recommend using whole eggs here, as it may also require some tweaks to the other ingredients. It may be best to search for a pistachio cake recipe that’s specifically developed to use whole eggs and produce a tighter crumb. Let us know what you decide to try!
I was wondering if this could be done in 2x 6inch pan and how do I adjust the recipe?
Hi CBau, I think so, but you would have to make just 1/3 of the recipe. 2 6-inch round pans holds 8 cups batter, and 1 9-inch round pan holds 8 cups batter, and this recipe makes 3 9-inch layers. See cake pan sizes and conversions for more info. You could also use this pistachio cupcake recipe to make the right amount for a 3-layer 6-inch cake, if you have 3 6-inch pans.
Can I just use 2 9 inch rounds and bake a bit longer to make a 2 layer rather than 3? I don’t own 3 9 inch pans. If so, how much longer would the cook time be?
I have made this cake three times and it’s a new family favorite!! We absolutely love it!
I wanted to see though if I could use whole eggs vs just the whites? I feel so bad wasting yolks when eggs are so expensive! And if so what would the conversion be?
Thanks!
Hi Ticia, we’re so glad it’s a favorite! Only using egg whites ensures that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. We don’t suggest substituting whole eggs. Here are some recipes that call for egg yolks, if you’d like to browse.
This may seem like a silly question, but would this cake be good with a vanilla swiss buttercream? Or do you recommend something else for the frosting? I am making this for someone’s birthday and would like to be able to pipe some decorations!
Hi Claudie, absolutely! Vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream would both work great here.
Thank you! I’ve also been thinking about adding something between the layers. I had thought about either some pistachio paste or raspberry compote. Do you have any tips? I’m worried the raspberry compote would overwhelm the cake’s flavor.
Hi Claudie, either would be great! We have this raspberry cake filling, which also has tips on how to fill a cake.
Hi Sally, can the egg whites be substituted with cartoned liquid egg whites? Would that affect the flavor and texture?
Hi Aswini, you can use carton egg whites if needed. The carton should give instructions for replacement quantities.
Hi I just wanted to know if I can do this recipe in half easily please for a smaller cake
Hi Sadaf, yes, you can halve this recipe. Here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions.
Okay this is my first comment ever on a recipe but I have to! Seriously this cake is out of this world good. I made it for my own birthday instead of getting a cake because it’s better every time i make it! Such a hit even with my 3 year old!
I chanced upon this, read the great reviews and used the pistachio cupcakes version of recipe as advised to make a 6″ cake. Used a tad of rosewater coz I didn’t have almond essence, and frosted with cream cheese + whipped cream frosting.
IT WAS SOOOO DELICIOUS.
Moist, light, definitely tasted like pistachio (unlike what one reviewer said). I did add a hint of green food colouring and the cake was just so pretty to look at also.
This is now my new favourite cake. Will bake again and again! Thank you!
I may have missed it in the recipe, but how many tins do you split the batter into?
Hi Jessica, you’ll use three 9 inch cake pans here.
By any chance so you know how much batter I would need for a full size baking sheet pan (18″x26)?