Light and fluffy, this pistachio cake is just the right amount of nutty and sweet. It’s rich, creamy, and everything you want in a cake.
I’d never made a layer cake before this one—well, I’d never made one without crying over how sad and misshapen it is while looking at the extremely aesthetic ones on Pinterest. There really is a first for everything!
Layer cakes are hard. At least for me, because I (sadly) have no patience and if the cake is done why can’t I just plop frosting on it and eat it already??? But this cake? It’s super easy to make and the additional 15 minutes it takes to ice the cake is SO worth the wait.
So, let’s get baking!
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round baking pans and line bottoms with parchment, set aside.
In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until it resembles a fine crumb. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the ground pistachios, cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
Don’t have cake flour? That’s okay, you can make your own at home! Sift together 1¾ cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup cornstarch about five times and voila! Cake flour!
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined.
With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture—beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until there are no remaining streaks and the batter is just combined.
In a small bowl, beat together the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Then with a rubber spatula, carefully fold the egg whites into the cake batter until just incorporated— be careful not to over mix.
This next step is optional, but it’s fun and only takes an additional minute so you might as well! Divide the batter evenly into three bowls and add varying amounts of food coloring to reach different shades of green, stir well with a spoon. Now you have an ombre cake!
Granted, I didn’t add enough food coloring and all 3 layers turned out close to the same shade 😞
Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for around 20-25 minutes or when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and allow to cool for around 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack and let cool completely.
While the layers are cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the confectioners sugar and beat until incorporated.
To assemble the cake, place the first cake layer on a cake stand and spread about a ¼ cup of frosting on top. Repeat with the other layers and then use the remaining frosting to cover the sides. If you want to give it a little extra glam, pat (unsalted) pistachio crumbs onto the side of the cake.
And you’re done! Delicious, easy, and gorgeous! Enjoy with a cup of tea!
Pistachio Dream Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1¾ cups unsalted pistachios
- 2⅓ cups cake flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 1 cup milk
- 4 large egg whites
- ¾ tsp salt
- green food coloring optional
For the Frosting
- 12 oz cream cheese
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 4¾ cups confectioners sugar
- pistachio crumbs optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch round baking pans and line bottoms with parchment, set aside.
- In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until it resembles fine crumbs. In a mixing bowl whisk together the ground pistachios, cake flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract until combined.
- With the mixer on low, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture—beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat until there are no remaining streaks and the batter is just combined.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Then with a rubber spatula, carefully fold the egg whites into the cake batter until just incorporated— be careful not to over mix.
- Optional: Divide the batter evenly into three bowls and add varying amounts of food coloring to reach different shades of green, stir well with a spoon. Now you have an ombre cake!
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for around 20-25 minutes or when a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and allow to cool for around 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto the rack and let cool completely.
- While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Reduce speed to low and slowly add in the confectioners sugar and beat until incorporated.
- To assemble the cake, place the first cake layer on a cake stand and spread about a ¼ cup of frosting on top. Repeat with the other layers and then use the remaining frosting to cover the sides. Gently pat on the pistachio crumbs onto the side of the cake (if using).
