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!
Print
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
This was amazing!!! I just made it for a dinner with friends and it was a huge hit. They even took extras home 🙂 one of the best cakes I’ve ever made. Will definitely make it again. Some of my edits – made the same amount of batter but baked in 2, 9 inch cake rounds (fit and cooked to perfection) and reduced the sugar to 250g in the cake and only 100g for the buttercream (it was the perfect amount of sweetness). Thanks so much for the recipe
I made this cake this weekend in a 13×9 pan, regular organic flour, icing was butter, vanilla and almond flavors, heavy cream, icing sugar sprinkled with more nuts. Excellent!! I think the buttermilk and oil helped to make it very moist and tangy as well.
Dear Sally,
Is it possible to use almond essence instead of extract? I cannot find extract.
Hi Kripa, you can use almond essence instead. Since it’s not quite as concentrated as extract, you may want to use just a bit more.
Hi I use Philadelphia cream cheese as I don’t have access to any other sort of cream cheese but it turns out super watery. What ratio of Philadelphia to icing sugar should I use?
Hi Hana, Philadelphia block style cream cheese should work well for cream cheese frosting. Are you using the kind from the tub? That has too much water in it and is not suitable for cream cheese frosting, unfortunately.
Hi yes I use the tub ones as we can’t get the block cream cheese in the UK. What would you suggest as an alternative?
Hi Hana, Yes, we know this is an issue and it’s very frustrating! Look for a soft white cheese with around 33% fat content. Not sure how easy it is to get where you are, but in some parts of Europe you can find Philadelphia cream cheese in the tub. Some readers have reported that they strain off excess liquid from the tub type of cream cheese before using. If you try it, please let us know how it turns out!
Hi Sally, this looks delicious and I am planning on making it tomorrow. I am planning on filling it with dark chocolate ganache, orange curd and a vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream which covers the outside as well. Do you think the cake itself will be strong enough to hold all of the fillings and keep its stability? Thank you in advance! xx
Hi Imogen, We’d use a thin layer of buttercream on the top of the cake layer and a dam of buttercream around the edges before adding the curd between the layers. This will help prevent it from oozing out the edges when stacked and sliced. Let us know how it goes!
Hello, thank you for replying! It worked perfectly. The sponge was delicious and held everything very well. I swapped the almond extract for orange as someone had a nut allergy and that was delicious too!
Hi! can I use pistachio butter (pure) instead of crushed pistachios? Please reply, I wanna bake it soon!
Hi Hum, it would take some testing to add pistachio butter to this recipe, but we would love to hear what you try! Starting with just a few tablespoons would be a good place to start. You don’t want to add too much additional liquid to the cake—it’s already a pretty soft cake.
This cake is amazing.
So lightf fluffy and flavoursome.
Love the pistachio flavour with the tangy frosting.
I’ve made this cake at least 6 or 7 times and it’s turned out great each time. I just realized, though, that I’ve been using the full 260 grams of pistachios in the batter, rather than the amount specified in the recipe. Just curious—have I been way off, and would the results be noticeably different if I followed the recipe as written? Thanks!
Hi Navi, has the cake seemed dry at all? You only need to use 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) of the pistachios in the batter. You’ll likely find the crumb a bit softer and more moist with this change. Glad you still enjoyed it!
I’m planning on making this cake for a party! Because I’m trying to squeeze the baking into a hectic schedule, I’m considering baking the cake two days before the party, and then icing/assembling it the day of. What would be the best way to store the cakes after I bake them? Would it be better to keep them out inside a cake stand at room temp or to refrigerate them?
Hi Lily, it would be best to wrap the layers tightly and keep at room temperature until ready to frost on the day of serving.
Can I use salted roasted pistachios and avoid added salt?
Hi Tashi, you can use salted pistachios without any changes, or slightly reduce the salt – whatever suits your tastes!
As great as it looks! I followed the recipe exactly and wow what a fantastic flavor! It is a dangerous combination of light texture but filling due to all the pistachios. I probably shouldn’t have had that second piece! Perfection!
Should I make 1.5 times the recipe if I want to bake it in three 9-inch pans? I’d like to get a tallish three-layer cake with more servings.
Hi Rosemary, yes, that’s exactly what we would recommend.
Can I use pistachio emulsion in place of almond extract?
Hi Kris, you can use a touch of pistachio extract or emulsion if you can find it! We wouldn’t replace all of the vanilla with it, perhaps use only 1 teaspoon. Keep the almond extract in the batter.
Could I make this as a Bundt cake, with a lemon frosting?
Hi Becca, certainly! See the recipe Notes for Bundt cake instructions. Let us know how it turns out!
Is it safe to decorate a cake with kalanchoe?
Hi Caren, we don’t recommend eating the flowers used as garnish. We had no problem eating this cake in the spots the flowers touched, but obviously you can just skip the florals! Use your best judgement.
This cake looks delicious! If I use raw pistachios in the recipe, do I need to remove the skin?
No need, Lee!
Hi Sally,
I followed the directions for your recipe and I must say, it came out so yummy, and rich, and I plan on making it again, this time, I will add the fruit and flowers for decoration.
Thank you so much for sharing your talent.
So glad you loved this cake, Trudee!
Hi Sally, question here: what is the point of mixing egg white with butter? Would it work better if the egg whites were beaten till stiff and melted butter added, like in a genoise recipe? Curious. thank you.
Hi Diana, whipping the egg whites separately gives cakes a lighter texture, but in our testing we find the cake is still plenty light without this added step. Feel free to give it a try though, if you wish! We hope you love the cake.
Hi, I plan on making this but curious if I could use all purpose flour?
Hi Starr! Here’s our homemade cake flour substitute!
I’m very excited to try this recipe! Was just wondering if I can substitute the cake flour with all purpose flour? Just because I don’t really use cake flour for most of my recipes and feel awkward buying one just to try this recipe…
Hi Dalia, we would use our homemade cake flour substitute!
Hello there. I have just plain raw unsalted pistachios – should I toast them first?
Hi Masa, we typically use unsalted raw pistachios (out of the shell). You can use roasted or unroasted, whichever you prefer. Hope the cake it a hit!
This is truly an amazingly good cake!!! If you are looking for a pistachio cake, look no further. This is the one! Thanks for this great recipe!
Your cake is beautiful but the Kalanchoe flowers used to decorate it are poisonous to humans, especially children and pets.
Hi Kristen, yes, we just use them for decoration. Let us know if you try the cake!
Amazing recipe!!! Echoing what everyone else has already said about it! Will be making again. I used 200g rather than 350g sugar. It was still quite sweet even without icing so I think that’s a safe adjustment for others who don’t like their cakes too sweet 🙂
Should I make any high altitude adjustments to this recipe? I’m at about 5000 feet. Thank you!
Hi Cat, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Is it possible to use egg replacer for this recipe? We have someone with an egg allergy in our home
We haven’t tested any egg substitutes, Sandra, but let us know if you do!
I made this for Easter and it was a hit! Followed recipe exactly as written and it turned out beautifully. I did weigh my pistachios and I had a lot left over. I even sprinkled some on top and still had a lot leftover. I would definitely make again though!
I made this cake for Easter yesterday, and it was incredible. It was one of the best desserts I’ve made. One of my foodie friends had 3 pieces, and the other big foodie at dinner said it was her favorite food that night. I have had multiple people text me today asking for the recipe.
I made two layers instead of three because I only had two pans, and I put in a little more batter than called for (tossed a little bit of extra batter) and checked it with a cake tester about every 2 minutes starting at the 20 minute mark.
Hi, I really appreciate this recipe, as I do all your recipes <3
My go-to for baking. I was just wondering if I could use mascarpone frosting as opposed to buttercream (I mean but are delicious, but I feel like for the occasion and the people I'd be serving this to they may prefer the slightly lighter and tangier mascarpone frosting), and whether I can possibly add raspberry jam between the layers as I'm interested in making a raspberry pistachio cake, and how these factors may impacts overall baking and outcome. Thank you so much!
Hi Noor, you can use an alternate frosting here. We have this raspberry cake filling, which also has tips on how to fill a cake.
Hi! This is my go to specialty cake for dinner parties!! We love it!!! My question is, this time I’m making mini cakes, and a small like 6” cake. Should I use the cake recipe to do this or switch to the cupcake recipe? Ingredients are the same but the amounts are different. I figure it’s better to go with cupcakes, but I’m worried it will screw with the moisture and taste of the cake! My husband is saying don’t change a thing cuz it’s perfect!! But he doesn’t understand the difference it could make making it into smaller cakes…. HELP!!
Hi Jen! Our pistachio cupcakes recipe makes the perfect amount for a three layer 6 inch cake.
I have 100% pistachio butter I would like to try in this recipe. Can you recommend amount to add, 3 tablespoons perhaps and in place of some of the crushed pistachios in the batter? I can’t wait to try it!
Hi Annette, it would take some testing to add pistachio butter to this recipe, but we would love to hear what you try! Starting with just a few tablespoons would be a good place to start. You don’t want to add too much additional liquid to the cake—it’s already a pretty soft cake.