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Lemon Pistachio Cake

Lemon Pistachio Cake

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Description

This buttery, moist lemon pistachio cake is easy to make and super delicious! The ground pistachio flour gives this loaf cake a wonderfully warm, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the bright, tangy lemon zest. It’s perfect for a low-fuss dessert or an afternoon snack!

Ingredients

Units Scale

FOR THE CAKE:

  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 4 eggs at room temperature
  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups finely ground pistachios (5 ounces/140 grams)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

FOR THE TOPPING:

  • 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons milk, nut milk or your choice or water
  • 1/4 cup pistachios

Instructions

  1. PREP: Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan with butter or spray baking oil and then line with parchment paper and grease again. Set aside.
  2. CREAM SUGAR AND BUTTER: Mix together the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer fitter fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment. You can also use a hand-held mixer. Beat until the mixture is light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
  3. ADD IN THE EGGS: Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl if needed.
  4. MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, ground pistachios, and baking powder. Add to the sugar and butter mixture slowly and mix until combined.
  5. ADD THE WET INGREDIENTS: Next, mix in the Greek yogurt, almond extract, and lemon zest. Stir until just combined. The batter will be thick.
  6. BAKE: Add the batter to the prepared baking pan and cook until the cake is set and starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, about 50-60 minutes. If the top of the cake starts to get too brown, tent it loosely with foil.
  7. LET COOL: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire cooling rack until it reaches room temperature before removing it from the pan and frosting.
  8. MAKE THE GLAZE: While the cake is cooling, make the glaze by mixing together the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and milk. The glaze should be thick but pourable.
  9. GLAZE AND SERVE: Once the cake has cooled, you can drizzle with the lemon glaze and decorate as desired. I used pistachios and some lemon zest. 
  10. STORING: You can store any leftover pistachio cake in an airtight container (or wrap) at room temperature for up to two days.

Notes

MAKE YOUR CAKE GREEN: Even though pistachios are green, this cake is not. It’s actually more of a light mustard yellow color. If you’d like to make your cake green (for St. Patrick’s Day?), just add a tiny drop of green food coloring to the batter. 

SALTED OR UNSALTED PISTACHIOS?: I used shelled roasted and salted pistachios in this cake. It turned out great! You can also use raw and/or unsalted pistachios. 

  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake

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Find it online: https://www.growingupcali.com/2021/03/pistachio-cake/