This soft and moist pistachio cake has rich, rustic cake layers packed with crunchy pistachios and frosted with creamy white chocolate frosting. It’s full of flavor and easy to assemble. A perfect cake for any occasion!
A generous amount of pistachios goes into each moist, delicious layer of this homemade pistachio cake. The flavor is unlike any other cake I’ve ever had, and there’s just the right amount of crunch. To let the flavor of the pistachios really shine, I paired this cake with a simple white chocolate buttercream. Think of it as the best supporting actor, with the pistachios being the star of the show.
Reasons to Love This Pistachio Cake Recipe
- Pistachios in every bite. I don’t bake with pistachios often, but they give so much unique, sweet and nutty flavor to the cake layers! Not to mention, irresistible crunch.
- Easy to assemble. You don’t need to be a baker or cake decorator to make and decorate a perfect pistachio cake. And that’s speaking from experience! This classic “naked cake” is beginner-friendly and looks beautiful on a dessert table.
- No fancy techniques. This “rustic chic” pistachio cake keeps it simple; you just need to frost the top of each layer, which still gives you plenty of creamy frosting in each bite. Of course, if you’re a big frosting fan, make extra and frost the sides as well.
What You’ll Need
Here are some notes on the ingredients you’ll need to make this pistachio cake and white chocolate buttercream frosting. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full list with recipe details.
For the Pistachio Cake
- All-purpose flour – If needed, read my primer on flours for some helpful baking basics. You’ll also want to ensure that you measure flour correctly using a kitchen scale or the spoon-and-sweep method.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt – Check the expiration dates on your leavening agents (powder and soda) to make sure that they’re fresh.
- Unsalted butter – Take the butter out of the fridge 20-30 minutes before you plan to start on the recipe to let it soften at room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs – Your eggs should also be room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream – Sour cream makes cakes super moist! If you don’t have sour cream, plain Greek yogurt makes a good substitute.
- Chopped pistachios – Buy shelled pistachios if you can find them and save yourself some time!
For the White Chocolate Frosting
- Unsalted butter – Like the butter for the cake, this will need to be softened beforehand.
- White chocolate – Spring for a good quality white chocolate (not naming names, but there are some brands that taste like wax!). Chocolate bars or baking chocolate is best.
- Confectioners’ sugar – Also known as powdered sugar.
- Vanilla extract – You can use a clear vanilla extract if you don’t want to darken the frosting. (Just remember that those are imitation vanilla extracts.)
How to Make Pistachio Cake
If you’ve never made a layer cake before, this is a great recipe to start with! This pistachio cake comes together in a few easy steps. You’ll find a visual overview here, and be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the printable instructions. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
Make the Cake Layers
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F, then grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter and sugar until they’re light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla, mixing well to incorporate each addition.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Reduce the mixer speed to low, then add the flour in three portions, alternating with two portions of sour cream. Once the ingredients are just combined, fold in the pistachios.
- Bake the cakes. Divide the batter between the prepared pans and use a spatula to smooth the tops. Bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool. Take the pistachio cake layers out of the oven and place the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the cakes from the pans and place them directly on the wire racks to finish cooling.
Assemble and Frost the Cake
- Make the frosting. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until it’s creamy. Pour in the melted white chocolate and beat until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, and continue to beat the mixture until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Assemble the cake. Place the first layer of the cake on a cake plate and spread half of the frosting over the top. Next, place the other cake layer onto the frosted layer. Spread the remaining frosting on top of the cake. If desired, garnish the cake with pistachios.
Tips for Success
- Don’t overmix the cake batter. As with most baked goods, don’t overmix the batter once you’ve added the flour. Too much mixing overdevelops the gluten and makes the finished cake dense and tough.
- About the color! You might be surprised that this cake isn’t green. You didn’t do anything wrong! Many pistachio-flavored desserts (like my pistachio pudding bars) include food coloring because pistachios aren’t green enough to add much color naturally. If you’d like a little color in your cake, add a drop or two of food coloring to the batter if you like.
- Let the layers cool completely. Otherwise, the warm cake will melt the buttercream.
- Invert the first cake layer. When stacking the cakes, place the first layer upside-down on your plate (see the photos in the How To section earlier). With the flat bottom facing upwards, it creates a smooth, even surface for frosting and stacking the second layer.
- Refrigerate before cutting. This will help keep your slices nice and clean, as opposed to collapsing in a heap on your plate.
Easy Variations
- Different frosting. Try pairing this cake with cream cheese frosting, vanilla buttercream, or chocolate buttercream.
- Decorate the sides. Frost the sides of the cake and press chopped pistachios into them.
- Toppings. Drizzle dulce de leche or caramel sauce over the cake before serving.
- Add a fruit filling. Spread raspberry coulis or blueberry compote over the frosting inside the cake for another layer of flavor.
How to Store Leftovers
- Refrigerate. You can store this pistachio cake in the refrigerator, either in an airtight container or tightly covered, for up to 5 days.
- Freeze. You can freeze any leftover pistachio cake if it’s too much for you to eat in 5 days! Place the cake in the freezer uncovered until the frosting freezes through, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. (This keeps the frosting from being ruined.) Let the cake thaw in the fridge before eating.
More Easy Layer Cakes
Get the Recipe:
Pistachio Cake
Yield
12 to 16 servings
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Total Time
1 hour
This soft and moist pistachio cake recipe is sweet and nutty, with just enough crunch! Frost this cake with creamy white chocolate frosting and garnish with extra pistachios.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 & 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (226g) sour cream
- 3/4 cup (80g) chopped pistachios, plus more for garnish
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 6 ounces (170g) white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup (55g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. You may also line the pans with parchment paper and grease the paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour in three portions, alternating with two portions of sour cream. Mix just until blended. Stir in the pistachios.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Spread evenly.
- Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes in the pans on wire racks for 15 minutes. Then, transfer the cakes from the pans to wire racks to cool completely.
To make the frosting:
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter until creamy. Add the melted white chocolate and beat until combined.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, and continue mixing until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Place one layer of the cooled cake on a cake plate. Spread half of the frosting over the top of the cake.
- Place the other cake layer on top of the frosted cake layer. Spread the remainder of the frosting on top of the cake. If desired, garnish the top of cake with pistachios.
Recommended Products
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This recipe was originally developed for Go Bold with Butter, where I am a paid contributor.
40 Comments on “Pistachio Cake with White Chocolate Frosting”
You see, that’s my idea of a cake; an adult’s cake! It’s beautiful, it sounds wonderful.
I LOVE pistachios! Yum!
Oh this is awesome! I made pistachio and white chocolate cookies today! We’re on the same page!!
Cake, pistachios, frosting? A trilogy of awesome! And it looks like the perfect ratio of frosting to cake…
What a nice looking cake.
I need to make a cake, it’s been a while.
Looks & sounds delicious. pistachios are healthy & need to be incorporated in baking more often. Thanks for recipe.
I’m not a huge layer cake person most of the time — I usually do unfussy cupcakes, upside down or bundt cakes. Special occasions are another story, and this cake is so worthy of a grand occasion. It’s beautiful and looks so delicious!
I love how buttery pistachios get when used in baking. I agree they aren’t used as often as they should be. Great looking recipe. Can’t wait to make one!!
This is really unique! I’ve been looking for a way to use up my pistachios and cake sounds like a great way! Will be trying this over the weekend.
We just finished off some home-made pistachio and white chocolate ice cream. I’ll have to try this out next time I have some white choc and pistachios hanging around!
I rare make layer cakes either, as my decorating skills are less than stellar, but this cake….oh my! Looks delicious!
I’m not a cake baker often either. I resort to cupcakes usually, but for some reason lately I’ve been making cakes and not cupcakes. I better make this one before that streak runs out. LOVE pistachios and white chocolate!
Twelve comments but no one baked the cake. Will I baked the cake and not only did it look good but it tasted even better.
well this cake is certainly worthy of your layer cake whims! I love all things pistachio and it sounds so perfect with white chocolate.
I’m planning to make this cake tomorrow. I could only find shelled raw pistachios. Should I toast them before chopping? Or just use as is.Â
Hi, Claudia. Either way is fine. Just go with your preference.
Mmmm, that cake looks awesome. I’ve never made anything with this particular flavor combo (white chocolate + pistachio) but now I must… I imagine it’s delish!
That is gorgeous–totally my kind of layer cake! And I agree about pistachios!
Will work if I make only one cake and then split it in half orizontally to add the frosting?
Hi, Lily. That should be just fine. You’ll just have a higher frosting to cake ratio!
Hi, Did you use skated or unsalted pistachios? Thanks.
I used unsalted pistachios.
Hi Jennifer,
Beautiful cake! I just baked one cake using half of the measurements. But either it did not rise or it’s just not tall enough to be called a ‘cake’. If you don’t have 2 9-inch cake pans lying around, could you make one with the original measurements and then cut it into two layers? Or could you bake the cakes one by one or would that not be possible because of the baking soda in the batter?
You can try baking in one pan and cutting the layers, but it may be tough to get it baked thoroughly in the center without overbaking the outside. I wouldn’t bake the batter at separate times because the baking soda will already be activated. You could make the cake as written in a 9″x 13″ pan.
Pistachio and white chocolate.. what a combination. I am new to this blog but this cake is amazing.
My colleagues bought a pistachio cake the other day but I can tell there is a pinch of cinnamon in it.
Do you think it would be ok to add some?
Thanks for the wonderful recipes.
Hala, that sounds great!
This was really simple to bake. I added at least a teaspoon of freshly ground cardamom—I just threw a bunch in—and the flavor was strong but complementary. Also, I used a coffee grinder to make the pistachios powdery (a food processor would make them buttery), so the cake was more green than chunky, and ground up extra pistachios to sprinkle over the top. It was a great birthday cake and would make a lovely and indulgent snack with tea.Â
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Molly!
Hi Jennifer! I’ve made this recipe and it came out perfect! Now I am curious if this can be used for cupcake recipe?
Thank you!!
I’m glad it was a success for you, Brittney! It should work as cupcakes. I’d guess you’d get about 24 standard cupcakes. Just reduce the baking time by about 10%.
Has anyone made this cake with almond extract instead of vanilla? I find that whenever I buy pistachio desserts, almond extract is the prominent flavor I enjoy about them. Wondering if it would substitute nicely 🙂Â
Hi, Kim. You can substitute almond extract if you like without changing anything else about the recipe.
Just made this cake, and now enjoying a piece with a cup of afternoon tea. Very glad I found the recipe. A big thumbs up.
I’m so glad you liked it, Carla!
This cake was wonderful! Easy, unique, and delicious. Thank you!Â
I’m so glad you liked it!
Hey I look forward to trying. Could you please suggest substitute for sour cream? And also what was the fat content of the sour cream used
I bake with full-fat sour cream. Greek yogurt or plain yogurt would likely be a good substitute. You could also try buttermilk or creme fraiche.
Is it going to work if I use less sugar? Like 2/3
Hi, Maya. I’ve not tried that, so I can’t speak to how the changes you asked about would affect the result. However, reducing sugar often leads to dry baked goods.