Simple Pistachio Cake (with cream cheese frosting)

January 14, 2025

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This pistachio cake recipe is fluffy, moist and made in a sheet pan. Topped with a cream cheese frosting, it’s fast and straightforward to embellish. Stuffed with pistachio taste with no instantaneous pudding wanted! That is the very best pistachio cake and it’s sure to develop into a household favourite.

Over time if there’s one taste I’ve actually gotten into baking it’s undoubtedly pistachio. It’s one among my husband’s favourite flavors so I’ve been on a mission to bake extra pistachio desserts over time. Like these pistachio raspberry thumbprint cookies, this pistachio bread or this no bake pistachio cheesecake.

And so I knew one of many subsequent desserts I needed to make was a pistachio cake. This cake is made with actual pistachios, and for the last word pistachio taste I used almond extract. Almond extract is the key to giving the pistachio taste within the cake a lift.

I baked this cake in a 9×13 baking pan for ease, however you might simply bake this cake right into a layer cake in order for you. However I simply love the benefit of a sheet cake! The cake batter begins with my white cake recipe and makes use of floor pistachios within the dry substances.

As soon as it’s baked and cooled I frosted with my favourite cream cheese frosting. This do-it-yourself pistachio cake is an efficient motive to interrupt out your sheet pan and get baking!

Why This Recipe Works

No pudding combine wanted! Many pistachio muffins use an instantaneous pistachio pudding combine however this cake is made with actual pistachios for a real nutty taste.
Nice make forward dessert. You may make this cake the day earlier than and frost earlier than serving.
Fantastic for the vacations. Make this throughout Christmas or St. Patrick’s day for the pistachio lover in your life.

Substances Wanted

Cake flour – Cake flour has a decrease protein content material than common all-purpose flour so it yields a young, gentle cake. Learn my full tutorial on make cake flour.
Baking powder
Baking soda
Salt
Pistachios – I used roasted, salted pistachios however unsalted pistachios additionally work. I used my meals processor to grind pistachios to a tremendous texture.
Butter – I used unsalted butter that was softened to room temperature. If you happen to use salted butter, scale back the salt.
Granulated sugar
Egg whites – Use room temperature egg whites in order that they mix simply into the cake batter. Separate your eggs whereas chilly (they’ll separate simpler) after which allow them to come to room temperature. Right here is my full tutorial on separate eggs.
Vanilla extract
Almond extract
Bitter cream – I used full-fat bitter cream. Make certain it’s at room temperature.
Milk – I used entire milk. Make certain it’s at room temperature
Cream cheese – Use softened cream cheese. I like to recommend full fats, block type cream cheese for the very best texture. Learn my full tutorial on carry cream cheese to room temperature quick.
Powdered sugar – If you happen to don’t have any make your personal do-it-yourself powdered sugar.

How To Make Pistachio Cake

Make the cake:

Prep oven and pans. Place rack within the heart oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C). Put together a 9×13 baking pan by spraying with nonstick cooking spray (or you’ll be able to line with parchment paper).

Mix dry substances. Sift collectively cake flour, baking powder, and baking soda.

Add salt and floor pistachios and whisk collectively. Put aside.

ground pistachios stirred into flour mixture

Cream butter and sugar. In a stand mixer bowl with paddle attachment, (or you should utilize your hand mixer) cream butter and sugar collectively on medium velocity till gentle and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl midway by way of mixing. The combination needs to be pale yellow.

Add extracts and eggs. With mixer on low velocity, add within the vanilla and almond extract. With the mixer operating, slowly add within the egg whites mixing to mix. Scrape down the bowl as wanted.

extracts and egg whites stirred into cake batter

Alternate the dry substances and sourcream/milk. In a small bowl, stir collectively the milk and bitter cream. Alternate including the dry substances and milk/sourcream, starting and ending with the dry substances. Combine on medium velocity between additions till integrated.

dry ingredients alternately mixed into cake batter with sour cream

Bake muffins. Pour batter into the ready pan.

pistachio cake batter poured into cake pan

Bake for 35-45 minutes till cake is agency and is derived again when gently touched within the heart and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear. Cool muffins within the pan utterly on a wire cooling rack earlier than turning out of the pan. As soon as utterly cooled, assemble and frost.

Make the frosting:

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the butter till clean about 1 to 2 minutes. Beat within the cream cheese till clean and mixed, on medium-high velocity till nicely mixed and clean, about 2-3 minutes.

Progressively beat within the confectioners’ sugar till completely integrated, improve the velocity after which beat till clean.

Combine within the vanilla extract. Add in a pinch of salt.

Frost the cake:

As soon as the cake is totally cooled, use an offset spatula and frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting into a good layer. I like to embellish with further crushed pistachios!

Retailer coated within the fridge for as much as 4 days. I wish to let soften at room temperature for Half-hour earlier than serving.

Recipe Suggestions

Don’t mix pistachios too lengthy. If you happen to’re grinding the pistachios down, don’t do it an excessive amount of or you’ll find yourself with pistachio butter!
You need your eggs to be room temperature earlier than you start. If you happen to add chilly eggs to the creamed butter combination it’ll trigger your butter to grab up and create a damaged or curdled-looking batter. I place my eggs in a bowl of heat water (not sizzling water!) for 10 minutes earlier than I exploit them. Simply wipe them clear earlier than cracking.
Be sure you are measuring your flour appropriately. An excessive amount of flour might end in a dry cake. Measuring with a scale is greatest but when measuring utilizing cups, then you should definitely spoon the flour into your cup after which stage it off. Don’t scoop immediately from the bag or pack it down into the cup, which might yield 25% extra flour than meant.
Line or grease the pan nicely. It will assist with the cake releasing so you’ll be able to minimize into particular person slices simply. I wish to line with parchment paper for straightforward cleanup.

slice of pistachio cake with a spoon slicing into it

Recipe Variations

Use a unique frosting – You may at all times use a chocolate frosting, swiss meringue buttercream, or common vanilla frosting. You could possibly additionally pair with my lemon frosting. Pistachio and lemon go splendidly collectively!
Bake in a unique pan – You may bake this right into a two layer cake or a bundt pan as a substitute. Baking occasions will range. For a layer cake, divide the batter between two cake pans (9-inch or 8-inch). Cake layers will take about 25-Half-hour. A bundt cake recipe will take about 50-60 minutes. Or you’ll be able to bake as cupcakes. Cupcakes will make about 24 cupcakes and bake for 18-22 minutes.
Add lemon zest – You could possibly at all times add a pair teaspoons lemon zest to the cake batter in order for you for a enjoyable taste twist. Or attempt including a unique zest, like orange zest!
Beautify with recent berries for a simple, fairly presentation. Raspberries go nice with pistachios!
Inexperienced meals coloring – Optionally available to offer the cake extra of a vibrant inexperienced coloration. You solely want a pair drops of inexperienced meals coloring.

Storage Directions

You may make this pistachio sheet cake the day earlier than. Let the cake cool utterly then cowl nicely in plastic wrap and preserve at room temperature. Then the day of you, make the cream cheese frosting and unfold over the cake.

I like to recommend storing the cake, coated in an hermetic container, within the fridge for as much as 4 days due to the frosting. Or retailer at room temperature for as much as 2 days. For longer storage, I like to recommend freezing any cake leftovers. I like to chop the cake into slices. Then wrap every slice in plastic wrap and retailer in a plastic bag. You may thaw in a single day, or extra shortly at room temperature earlier than serving.

slice of pistachio cake with a bite missing

Recipe FAQs

How do I do know when the cake is finished?

Make certain to check with a toothpick within the heart of the cake. The toothpick ought to have a couple of moist crumbs, however no moist batter. I additionally contact the highest of the cake. The cake ought to spring again when touched.

What sort of pistachios ought to I exploit?

You need to use unsalted, uncooked pistachios or roasted salted pistachios. I like to recommend shopping for them shelled to avoid wasting time. And grind them all the way down to a tremendous texture so that you don’t get chunks of pistachios within the cake batter. Simply watch out and don’t grind all the way down to a pistachio paste.

Extra Recipes To Strive

If you happen to’re craving extra cake, you should definitely attempt my Chantilly cake (it’s higher than Complete Meals!). Made with recent berries and a mascarpone frosting, it’s to die for!

I additionally love making an excellent bundt cake, like my Sock It To Me cake, strawberry pound cake, or peach cobbler pound cake. All are nice muffins to make in the summertime time!