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
I made this cake this weekend and it was fabulous. I don’t have a lot of experience baking layer cakes, but this one came out perfectly. I used the recipe for the strawberry buttercream to frost it. It both looked lovely and tasted delicious – so moist.
Hi Sally,
Lovely recipe and I’m thinking of making it myself for the 60th birthday of my mother and we are going to be 16 guests in total. How do I adapt the needed ingredients?
Hi Lina, this cake yields 12 generous slices as written. You can always cut smaller pieces, or, our Cake Pan Sizes & Conversions guide can help you scale up the recipe if you’d like a larger cake. Happy baking!
Hi Sally, I made the cake and it tasted absolutely amazing ❤️
I have a question though, I reduced the recipe to ¾ in order to fit my 3 8inch pans. That leaves me with 195g of pistachios. But when I measured 1¼ cups (¾ of what you have mentioned), it was just around 135g.
That seemed a lot less, why are two measurements for pista and ground pista?
If possible can you please mention the flour or ground pista ratio?
Sorry for such a complicated comment
Hi Sri, To make things easier, you do not have to change the recipe to use 8 inch pans! Use the recipe as written. The only difference will be that your layers will be slightly thicker so they may take an extra minute in the oven.
Whole pistachios and ground pistachios will have a different weight because you can fit a lot more ground pistachios than whole in a cup. We weighed the whole pistachios and then ground them.
Hi Sally!
Is there a way to substitute ground pistachios with a pistachio butter paste?
I have some on hand but unsure if it will change the texture of the cake!
Thank you!
Hi Marina, we haven’t tested this recipe with pistachio paste so can’t say for sure. You can try adding about 1/2 cup to the batter and leaving out the ground/chopped pistachios. Let us know how it goes!
Amazing recipe! I’ve made it before and my parents absolutely loved it! Can’t wait to make more! One question though, I am trying to make an acid reflux-friendly version, so what ingredients would you go about using instead of the ones that can’t be used? I would use an already acid reflux-friendly recipe, but this one is so good and I would love to find a way to use it! Thank you, get back to me when you can! 🙂
Hi Bella, we aren’t familiar with acid reflux-friendly baking so haven’t tested any ingredient substitutes. Let us know what you try!
Delicious!
I was impressed of myself to able to pull this recipe successfully!
Thank you!
I did bake the cake in 7″ round pan (2 rounds of baking) so it did took longer to bake 50-60mins but the result was perfect ! Super moist cake.
Will absolutely do this again!
Sally – is there a way to make this gluten and dairy free? I can use butter but not the milk and sour cream because of the whey, casein and lactose. Can I up the butter portion to increase the fat but then use plant based milk and cream instead? And replace the flour with a gluten free mix?
Hi Mel, we haven’t tested a dairy-free and gluten-free version of this cake, so we’re unsure of the results. But, your suggestions for substitutions sound like a good place to start. Simply use the same amount as called for in the recipe (no need to up the butter). If you give it a try, we’d love to know how it works for you!
Will this recipe work with 3, 8-inch round pans or will I need to adjust the measurements?
Hi Aria, You can use 8 inch pans with no changes to the recipe. The bake time may be a minute or two longer because your layers will be thicker, so keep an eye on them while baking.
Thank you so much!
Hi!
I really liked the flavor but it’s really sweet. If I were to reduce the amount of sugar in the cake batter, how much can I reduce it??
Hi Sophie, we’re so glad you enjoyed the flavor of this cake! We don’t recommend changing the amount of sugar in the cake itself. Sugar is responsible for the moisture and texture of baked goods so if you do try to change the amount, expect the texture of the cake to change.
Hello Sally,
The recipe seems amazing, but I have a question. I like using canola oil in cakes because I get a fluffier and moist texture. I’ve seen many recipes of yours using canola as well.
Could I substitute half the butter with canola oil in this recipe?
Thank you,
Zoe
Hi Zoe! We don’t recommend oil. You’ll need butter for creaming with the sugar. Let us know if you give it a try!
My whole family loved this cake! I will definitely make it again. Thank you for the recipe.
This recipe was absolutely fabulous, and easy to follow (I achieved perfect results as a 13 year old who loves to bake). I used it to make a Ramadan themed cake. I halved the mixture and baked two thin 12” layers and then later cut them into crescent shapes. The cake was wonderfully moist and full of flavour as well as not being overly sweet. I topped it with Sally’s vanilla buttercream as where I live, block cream cheese is not available. Finally, I was wondering if maybe around a 1/4 of the pistachios could be substituted for ground almonds as where I live pistachios are very expensive. Thank u so much Sally for such well tested recipes as well as many more! ❤️
Hi Leena! We’re so happy to hear that you enjoyed this Pistachio cake, yours sounds beautiful. We don’t see why you couldn’t replace some of the ground pistachios with ground almonds in the future. Thank you for making this one!
This was delicious! Made it for my second pandemic birthday with the lemon cream cheese buttercream and decorated with leftover chopped pistachios and strawberries. Forgot to flour the cake tin, which caused some issues, but still looks and tastes great. I’ll have to make it again sometime when I can actually share it with people.
Hi! I have made this cake 5+ times. Its delicious i get alot of compliments. I just find that the cake is dry. What do you recommend for this? I follow all the ingredients listed except I use 6% fat yogurt instead of sour cream. I do not think this is was causing it to be dry. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi Rose, most often, dry cakes are the result of over baking. For next time, you can try taking the cake out a minute or two earlier (use a toothpick to test for doneness). It could also be that there is too much flour in your batter — are you using the spoon and level method to measure? We also share more tips for preventing dry and dense cakes here that may be helpful for next time. Hope this helps and thanks so much for making this recipe, Rose!
I made this recipe for Easter 2021. FANTASTIC CAKE! So delicious! I did not have cream cheese so I made a whipped ricotta cheese-lime zest frosting, which was very light and fresh and mild, and complimented the cake really well. The whole family loved it! Will definitely be making this cake again!
This cake was divine! The cake was so soft and airy and so so delicious. I baked it in a 9×13 pan and it came out perfect. You could smell the pistachios as soon as you took it out of the oven. I will definitely be making this again. I’ve only made it once and it’s already one of my favourite things to bake! Thank you, Sally!
Hi! Could I use boxed egg whites instead of fresh ones for this cake?
Hi Sue! You can use carton egg whites if needed. The carton should give instructions for replacement quantities.
My layers didn’t rise much, any idea why? My baking powder and soda are not expired, everything was at room temperature, and I don’t think I overmixed. The only sub I made was using almond milk instead of whole milk (I hate buying a whole thing for one recipe :P). It’s my first time baking in a new oven, so maybe the temp is off? I think it’ll still taste good though!
Hi Liz, We are glad you enjoyed the taste of this cake! For the lightest, fluffiest texture make sure you are using cake flour and only egg whites. Each layer of this cake isn’t super tall but if the cake was dense you might find this post helpful to troubleshoot: How to Prevent a Dry or Dense Cake
Hi Sally
Just baked this cake today for my birthday. It was a beautiful crumb and very tasty. The frosting was a little too soft for our Aussie heat and humidity even with extra powdered sugar. I think I might need to tweak the ratio of butter to cream cheese next time and there definitely will be a next time for this beauty. Thanks for the recipes.
Hi sally, Thank you for this Pistachio cake recipe. I really love it. When I tried baking, it turned out well just a little bit of sweetness maybe i have to lessen the sugar and my friends liked it so much. By the way, Is it possible to substitute the sour cream into a heavy/whipping cream?
Thanks! God bless you…
Hi Lou, we’re so glad you enjoyed this cake! We don’t recommend subbing the sour cream with heavy/whipping cream. A full-fat plain yogurt would work instead of the sour cream, though the cake may not be as light.
Hi, is there a way that I can make this an eggless version?
Thanks!
Ravina
Hi Ravina! We haven’t tested any egg substitutes in this cake recipe. Let us know if you find one that works!
Can I cake this is a Bundt pan and just make a glaze?
Hi Natasha! This cake batter will fit in a 10-12 cup Bundt pan, but we’re unsure of the exact bake time. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.
Can you explain why you only use egg whites in this cake? Could I substitute 2 and 1/2 whole eggs?
Hi Jan! Only using egg whites ensures that the crumb is not weighed down by the fat in egg yolks. Lighter confections such as marshmallows and angel food cakes only require egg whites – same story here for a light and fluffy cake. We don’t suggest substituting whole eggs.
Hi Sally! I was wondering if it would be possible to add a dark chocolate ganache between layers? I am making this cake for my husband’s birthday (St. Patrick’s Day) and he loves dark chocolate with pistachio, but I wasn’t sure if the cake was sturdy enough to handle the ganache having never prepared it before. Thanks so much in advance for your input!
Hi Lindsey, you can absolutely use chocolate ganache between the layers in this cake — delicious choice!
Hi Sally, can I use an alternative flour if I can’t find cake flour? If so which? Will I need to make any adjustments ? In order to get a similar consistency ?
Hi Apatel, if you can’t get your hands on cake flour, use this homemade cake flour substitute. We suggest doing this 3x, then remove 2/3 cup since you need 2 and 1/3 cups in this recipe.
Oh dear! M just in the middle of making the cake and realised it’s a block of cream cheese I was to buy. I bought full fat philladephia spread – can I use that? I sent my husband to look for a block he couldn’t find it. If I can’t use philladephia spread to make the frosting what alternative can I do? In terms of a frosting?
Help me 🙁
Hi Apatel! Any chance you are outside of the US? For cream cheese frosting you need full fat block style cream cheese which we have heard from other readers is different than the cream cheese spread sold outside of the states. Some non US readers have used mascarpone in its place. A simple vanilla buttercream would also be perfect on this cake instead!
I was able to get away with using 2 cups AP flour and 1/3 cup corn starch. Excellent cake!!!
I made this cake today, I think it is one of the top five best cakes I’ve ever tasted. It is AMAZING.
Excellent cake, not too sweet and nice consistency.
Hi Sally, This cake recipe looks awesome and I want to make it for St. Patrick’s Day. Can I bake this in 2 9″ pans instead of 3 as that’s all I have? Thanks!
Hi Pam, you can bake thicker layers in two pans, although it will take a few minutes longer to bake through. Or, you can simply leave the leftover cake batter covered lightly at room temperature while your two pans are baking. Wait for those to cool, then use one of the pans to bake the final layer. Happy baking!
Made this cake for St. Patrick’s Day party. Everyone raved about it! I left out the green food coloring, but the cake had a nice subtle green coloring because of the pistachios. It was moist, delicious, and beautiful to look at! Thank you again, Sally, for another terrific recipe. You are my “go to girl” for baking!!
I loved this recipe! I made it for my sister’s birthday and the cake turned our spectacular – so moist and flavourful! Everyone loved it! This is definitely a keeper!
I made this cake two days ago for my anniversary (basically I needed an excuse for baking a cake :D) It came out perfect! I love all your recipes Sally! I followed the recipe exactly and used salted roasted pistachios and it worked out perfectly. The only rookie mistake I made was to not put liners in the cake tin and the sponges stuck and broke. I patiently put them back together and glued them with the frosting and my husband didn’t even realize it 😀 Note to self – always line the cake tin 😀