Pistachio Cake
Updated Jan 15, 2026
A simple pistachio cake made with real pistachios blended into a paste, mixed into the batter, and topped with cream cheese frosting.
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My Pistachio Cake is So Good!
Every once in a while, I create a new cake recipe that I become utterly obsessed with. I’ll make it anytime someone comes over or when I’m invited as a dinner guest somewhere, and this pistachio cake is my new “it” cake. It starts with turning real pistachios into a paste, which sounds like more work than it is, and that’s what gives the cake its flavor instead of extracts or pudding mixes. The batter comes together like a basic cake, and I usually top it with a simple cream cheese frosting once it cools. I’ve brought this cake over to friends’ houses twice so far, and it’s been a 10 outta 10 for everyone! I hope you love it, too!
Pistachio Cake Ingredients
For The Cake
- Pistachios: You can try raw or roasted pistachios (though roasted pistachios will add a nuttier flavor). Just be sure to use unsalted!
- Water: Tap water is fine! You’ll use it to boil the pistachios so you can easily remove their skin.
- Milk: I prefer whole milk, but you can use any kind of milk (low-fat, almond, oat).
- Dry ingredients: For this pistachio cake, you’ll need flour, sugar, baking powder (aluminum-free), baking soda, and salt! Feel free to sub in 1:1 gluten-free baking powder, if you like.
- Wet ingredients: This cake recipe calls for olive oil, eggs, Greek yogurt (or sour cream as a substitute), and vanilla extract! I love the flavor olive oil gives this cake, but if you prefer, you can sub in a different type of cooking oil.
For The Frosting
- Cream cheese: I like to use full-fat cream cheese! Make sure it’s softened so it’s easy to fluff.
- Butter: I prefer to use unsalted butter so I have more control over salt levels!
- Powdered sugar: This is also known as confectioner’s sugar! There is no substitute for it in this frosting; granulated sugar will make it too gritty.
- Rose water: If you can’t find this, I’ve used vanilla extract before.
How to Make Pistachio Cake
If you already have jarred pistachio butter at home, you can skip making your own entirely to make things a little easier. You do want to avoid store-bought variations with added sugar or salt. Use ¾ cup of the butter, and if it’s thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin it out a little.
Make the Pistachio Butter
Make the Cake Batter
Cream Cheese Frosting with Rose Water
Pistachio Cake Recipe
This pistachio cake uses real pistachios (no extracts or puddings), olive oil, and yogurt, baked into a sponge-style cake with a homemade cream cheese frosting.
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups shelled raw pistachios unsalted
- 2 cups water
- ½ cup whole milk warmed
- Cooking spray
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon rose water or vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
Pistachio Butter
- Place pistachios and water in a small pot. Bring to a boil, then boil for 3 minutes. Drain and set on a clean tea towel. Pull the towel over the nuts and rub them gently to remove the pistachio skin. Discard the pistachio skins.
- Add the pistachios to the bowl of a small food processor with the warmed milk. Allow them to soak for about 30 minutes to help infuse the pistachio flavor. Then, process for about 5-10 minutes, depending on the strength of your food processor, scraping the bowl down often, or until the mixture resembles a smooth nut butter.
Pistachio Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pistachio butter, oil, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract until evenly incorporated.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Place cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth and fluffy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and light.
- Once the cake is cooled, spread frosting on top. Garnish with crushed pistachios, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- My Top Tip: Sift the powdered sugar if it looks lumpy. I use a fine-mesh strainer to do this! It takes less than a minute and will ensure that your frosting is clump-free.
- Storage: You can keep your pistachio cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days! You can add pieces of parchment or wax paper in between the cake slices to stop them from sticking together.
- Freezing: I would only freeze the cake unfrosted. Wrap the cake in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. It’ll keep in the freezer for up to 6 months! I recommend thawing it in the fridge for a few hours before slicing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 589kcal, Carbohydrates: 72g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 17g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 60mg, Sodium: 425mg, Potassium: 314mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 52g, Vitamin A: 317IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 160mg, Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Recipe Tips
- Add rose water to your frosting. Rose water pairs well with pistachio, and adding a splash to the cream cheese frosting adds a nice fragrant touch. I usually have to order rose water online, but it keeps for a while and is so worth it.
- Let your cake cool in the pan first. If you try to remove it right away, the cake may crumble! Letting it cool in the pan first will help it set.
FAQs
Do I need to remove the pistachio skins for this recipe?
I highly recommend it. The pistachio skins will only muddy the color of the cake–and we want a nice, bright green color!
Comments
Does this recipe require you use all of the pistachio butter? It seems like a lot, compared to what is shown in the video. Thank you.
I just double-checked the recipe and video, and yes, it does use all of the pistachio butter listed. It may look like less in the video because it’s piled higher in the bowl instead of spread out, but that amount is correct!
Thank you! It came out great. I did not have the patience to remove all the shells, but it looks fine. I used vanilla extract in the icing. I did not have edible rose petals but I suggested an orange along with pistachio. I wish I could post a picture! I will look at your other recipes. I appreciate your effort in sharing this.
I’m so glad it turned out well for you! Thank you for sharing your experience making it. I’m always happy to help answer questions in the comments!
Hi!
I’m planning to use ready pistachio butter (that I’ve previously made from your recipe of just pistachios and avocado oil), do I still need to add milk? Thanks!
Great question! If you’re using already-made pistachio butter, you can skip the milk in this step. The milk is mainly there to help blend the pistachios into a smooth, creamy butter. That said, your pistachio butter may be a bit thicker and richer than the version in the recipe. If the batter feels a little too thick when mixing, you can add 1–2 tablespoons of milk just to loosen it slightly. Just aim for a smooth, pourable battery consistency. Hope that helps!
I don’t ever post reviews on recipes, but I just had to come here and say how much our family loved this cake! It was so much fun to make, we ended up making two to share with friends that loved it as well. The flavor was so wonderful. I could taste every element: the olive oil, pistachios, cream cheese frosting to make the most delicious cake!
That means so much, thank you for taking the time to leave a review! I love that your family enjoyed it so much and that you even made more to share with friends. It makes me so happy to hear the flavors all came through so well. Thank you so much for sharing!
I made this recipe but put it in cupcakes 🧁 form and it was amazing!!!
Definitely very delicious, you can taste a hint of the olive oil and rose water which makes it even more authentic! Worth trying and definitely will make again!
Love that you made it into cupcakes! So glad it worked well for you!
Hi, I made the pistachio cake and it came out very good in taste except and did rise very well but when I took it out of oven it sunk and was very doughy inside but the taste was great. By mistake I used bread flour instead of all purpose flour. Do you think that may be the case why it sunk?
Bread flour could definitely have played a role since it has more protein than all-purpose flour, which can make cakes a bit heavier and sometimes cause them to sink after baking. It may also have needed a few extra minutes in the oven if the center was still a little soft. I;m so glad the flavor still turned out great though. Hopefully next time with all-purpose flour it will be lighter and hold its shape better!
CAN i BAKE CAKE IN BUNT PAN AND IF SO, AT WHAT temperature?
Hi Betty! I haven’t tested the recipe in a bundt pan, but you could definitely try it! I’d keep the oven at 350ºF but increase the bake time to 40–50 minutes. Start checking around the 40-minute mark. It’s done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Make sure you grease the pan well. When it’s finished baking, let the cake cool in the pan for 15–20 minutes, then invert onto a rack. You’ll have to let me know if you try it!
Made twice the recipe but in cupcake form for my nephew’s birthday. Half the icing with vanilla the other half with rose water. And it made 3 dozen. Love the rose water and decorated with edible rose petals. Such a moist not overly sweet treat. Next time I’ll make the pistachio butter the day before. Another winning recipe!
Yum!! Wow, that sounds amazing! So happy you loved the recipe, Karen. Thank you!!
Hi Yumna, the cake was a success. Everybody loved it. The icing particularly. It is divine! I am used olive oil in bakeries but I have to say that it tasted quite strongly in this cake. I am wondering if my olive oil was maybe too strong. Would it be good with a neutral oil? Would we taste the pistachios more? Because I feel the olive oil took over. Thank you!
Hi there! It sounds like your olive oil was a bit too robust for the cake since the flavor took over. You can try a milder olive oil next time, or use a more neutral oil like coconut or avocado instead. Hope that helps!
Hi Yumna. I love every recipe of yours that I’ve tried so thank you for sharing your talent with us ❤️ I was wondering if I can use this recipe to make cupcakes and how long you think I would need to bake them for? Would I need to adjust temperature or anything else? Attempting to make Palestine-themed cupcakes and donating proceeds to UNRWA so wanted a recipe that spoke to the flavours of the region
Yes, this recipe should work for cupcakes! I haven’t tested it myself so I’m not sure about the bake time. Please let me know what works best when you try it!
Tried it. The recipe yielded about 19 cupcakes when filled 2/3 of the way and I baked them for around 15 mins at the same suggested temperature. They were PHENOMENAL! Thank you ❤️
Aww, I’m so glad!! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know how they turned out!
Love this so much! I made with whole wheat flour and sugar substitute, also had sour cream and all went so delicious and perfect 👌 thank you for your amazing recipes and always awesome and accurate information ❤️🔥
Aww, so happy you love it! Thank you so much!!
Can you make this into cupcakes?
Yes, the recipe should work as cupcakes. Enjoy!
If I were to use pre-made pistachio butter, how much would you call for?
I haven’t tested this recipe with store-bought pistachio butter but I would guess about 3/4 cup pistachio butter plus up to the 1/2 cup milk that is called for in the recipe (where the pistachios are soaked in milk and blended). Just make sure that you’re using pistachio butter made with only pistachios and oil—not pistachio cream, which also has milk and sugar in it. Hope that helps!
My family and I absolutely LOVED this cake! It’s easy to make and turns out super moist and full of flavour. I cut the amount of sugar for the frosting in half, and it was still delicious. I strongly recommend using rose water; it gives a unique flavor.
Yay, so happy you all loved the cake!! The rose water makes the recipe, in my opinion. Thank you, Sandra!
Love your recipes….. love love pistachio… do you think a good gluten-free flour would work? I have a gluten allergy.
Thanks, Mina! I haven’t tried making this cake with gluten-free flour yet but I think it should work well. I recommend using a 1:1 substitute for all-purpose flour. Please let me know how it turns out!
Your step-by-step instructions made it so easy to make. So delicious
Aww, thank you! So happy you found my directions helpful, Zab!!
The pistachio cake was exceptionally moist with a perfect texture. The balanced flavours were delightful, making this an outstanding recipe that I highly recommend. I added orange zest to the cake batter and married well with the pistachio flavour.
Yum, love that you added orange zest! That sounds so good!! Thank you, Maria. So happy you liked it!
Tried the recipe today – it was delicious! My family is already requesting I make it again!
Love that!! So happy it was a hit with your family! Thank you!
Will make this soon, can I use 2% milk instead of whole milk?
Yes, that should work just fine!
It was so easy to make and it was delicious!!
Amazing! So glad you loved the cake and found the recipe easy. Thank you, Johna!!
Good afternoon, if I use pistachio cream that I have – what amount would I use? Thank you so much!
Hi Julia! Unfortunately, pistachio cream and pistachio butter aren’t interchangeable in this recipe.
OMG! This cake is so delicious! It’s super moist and fluffy. I didn’t have rose water, but it turned out amazing anyway. I’ll have to try it with rose water next time. This recipe is going to be one of our family’s favorite cakes. We can’t get enough of it! Love your recipes!!
Yay, so happy you and your family loved it!! You definitely have to try it with the rose water next time, it is so good!
This pistachio cake recipe is an absolute winner! The cake turned out incredibly moist, with a perfect balance of nutty richness and just the right amount of sweetness. The pistachio flavor really shines through, and the texture is light yet satisfying. I followed the recipe as written, and it was easy to make with fantastic results. It’s a great dessert for any occasion—definitely a new favorite. Highly recommend giving it a try!
Yay!! Aww, so happy you loved it! Thank you so much, Ashneet!
This Pistachio Cake was perfection! The rose cream cheese frosting was so delicious! A treat during this month of Ramadan! Loved it!!!
Yay, so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much, Noreen!
This recipe is everything!!! Absolutely loveeee the way it turned out, the recipe is much easier to make than I had expected. Also I love the fact that there’s 12g of protein per serving slice!! This is definitely on my favorite desserts list to make for events! Thank you for sharing Yumna 🙂
Aww, so glad you love it!! Thank you so much, Qudsia!!
I have been baking pistachio cakes with my mom since I was a little girl. This cake is far superior to any version we tried before! This one will be our new family recipe.
Wow, what a compliment!! Thank you so much, Kim! So happy you love the recipe!
Love this recipe! Cake is airy and light, not too sweet, did not try the frosting but the cake is moist and delicious.
So happy you love it, Rawan! Thank you!!
Love it! So good and also so beautiful with the green look.
Thank you, Annick! So happy you liked it!
Thank you for this great recipe. Cake turned out to be amazing! Very fluffy and moist and the rose water in frosting made it smell wonderful! This cake is an original idea for iftar, my guests were impressed! I used half of the amount of sugar in the frosting. I wonder how it would turn out if we don’t peel the pistachios.
Yay, I’m so happy you liked it!! If you skipped removing the pistachio skins, your pistachio butter would not be as smooth and the color of your cake would be more brown instead of a vibrant green. I think the step is well worth the extra effort but would love to hear how your cake turns out if you skip it!!
Yum!! My first cooking challenge and it was delicious 😋 everyone loved it, even the kiddos even though it was green 💚
I tried this cake recipe and came out really well. It was so moist. I halved the whole cake recipe because I only need it in small quantity 🥰
Glad to hear the recipe worked well when halved! Thank you, Shama!
Yay, so happy you and your kids loved it! Thanks!!
Omg I will be definitely making this on Eid. I have all of Feel Good Foodie’s recipes on repeat in my home so I KNOW this one is going to be AMAZING!!😍😍🤍
I hope you like it, Sidrah!
A very moist cake, the entire family loved it and they’re already asking for me to make it again, frosting was perfectly sweet and we love the rose water in it! I will definitely be making this again for Easter!
Yay, love that!! So happy the whole family liked the cake. Thank you so much!
Delicious and very moist! We only used about half of the frosting on the cake though.
I made this for my father in law’s bday this month and it was a hit. He loved it, especially the rose water flavor in the icing. My son and husband also loved it. Recipe was very easy to follow. The only thing I had trouble with was removing the pistachio skins
Removing the pistachio skins is a bit tedious but well worth it, I think! So happy your father-in-law loved his birthday cake and that everyone else in the family enjoyed it, too!! Thank you!
Thank you, Amanda! So happy you liked it!!
Saw it on your post a few times and decided to take part in the challenge! How can you say no to pistachios? I love how easy it was after the labor of removing the skins. The touch of cream cheese frosting was perfect! Shared it with my neighbors, and they all loved it! I did need to bake it more than the recommended time. Looking forward to making it again.
Aww, so happy you and your neighbors loved it!! Thank you so much for letting me know your cake needing additional bake time, that’s really helpful feedback!
I made the challenge recipe as cupcakes 🧁 and they are delicious. It is a little labor of love 💕 with the pistachio, but it was worth it. I wonder if this would be great with walnuts or pecans too. Another keeper recipe. Thank you, Yumna.
Yay, so glad you enjoyed the recipe!! Love that you made it into cupcakes. Thank you, Agnes!
This cake is perfectly moist and so delicious! The frosting has just the right amount of sweetness. The color is also so pretty!
Yay, so happy you love it!! Thank you!
YUMMY !
Yay!! So glad you liked it, Patti!
I made this recipe over the weekend. Came out better than when my daughter made it. I did bake it a little over the suggested time this time. Instead of a full frosting I glazed the cake. Love the rose water flavor. This recipe will be on repeat! My friends were impressed. Wanted to post a pic. Couldn’t figure out how. Thanks for the great recipe!
Yay, so happy you liked how it turned out!! I love rose water too, it really makes this cake. Love that you went for a glaze! Thanks so much for sharing, Michele!
Super delicious! No leftovers with my very picky family 🙂
Yay, that’s amazing! So happy they all loved it. Thanks, Teresa!!
This was great! Easy to do and delicious. It stayed moist on the second day too and we all loved it. Will be making it again!
Flavor is so lovely. Labor of love to shell and skin pistachios but worth it! A nice dessert option for a dinner party!
Aww, so glad you liked it! Yes, it’s definitely a labor of love. Thanks, Dawn!!
Made 2x the recipe for a birthday layer cake. Divine! I usually need to soak layer cakes with some simple syrup but this cake is perfectly moist and doesn’t need anything. I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfect!
Aww, that makes me so happy to hear!! So glad it worked as a layer cake, that’s amazing! Thanks, Tala!!
This is a really delicious cake! Removing the pistachio skins is no joke – hang in there! Worth it. My cake took longer to bake in the center and I worried that the edges would be too tough, but the end result was somehow still moist. And, the cream cheese icing made it more inviting for pistachio sceptics. Thank you!
Haha yes, peeling the skins is so worth it!! So happy your cake turned out moist and that the cream cheese frosting made it more inviting. Thank you, Emiley!
I had to try this recipe because pistachio and rose are one of my favorite flavor combos! It was a hit at book club, and I really enjoyed learning how to make pistachio butter!
Yay!! Aww, so happy you and your book club loved it! Thank you, Claire!
I made it over the weekend and it’s fantastic! Making the pistachio butter is the most labour intensive part. Could that be made a few days beforehand?
Yay, so glad you loved it! Yes, you can absolutely make pistachio butter ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge; if you make it in bulk it will last up to 3-4 weeks.
I love anything involving pistachios so I knew I would love this cake and it did not disappoint! It is so moist and tender and the rose water in the frosting gives it a lovely and unique flavor. So delicious!
Yay! So glad you loved it—especially the rose water-infused cream cheese frosting!! Thanks, Adrienne!
My daughter made this cake. No idea why the center wasnt done all the way. So she cut all around the unfinished part and frosted what was done. Oh my gosh. Amazing! Will try this again myself. Love the rose water in the frosting!
So happy you loved how it turned out, Michele! It sounds like the cake just needed a few more minutes. Next time, she can bake until the cake is cooked through and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Hope that helps!
Yes. She said she did that! Uh oh. Going to try again today (guests coming tomorrow). Wish me luck
Hmm, that’s strange. Next time, I would check a couple of spots in the middle with a toothpick just to be sure. Good luck!
Loved this cake! Adding to my regular rotation. So moist and the rose and pistachio flavors come together so well!
Yay, so happy to hear you loved it!! Thank you!
I made this a few days ago, and it turned out so good! It was super moist, had a nice hint of green color, and totally worth the effort of removing those pistachio skins haha! I did half with the cream cheese frosting, but made a rose water glaze for the other half for my son. I plan on making it again for Easter!
Ooh, your rose water glaze sounds so good!! I will have to try that myself. So glad you liked the cake, Sarah! Thanks!!
Where do I begin? WOW! The color on this cake was beautiful. The hint of olive oil and not too sweet with the frosting. I plan on making this for special occasions because it is a beautiful cake. Thank you, Yumna, for sharing easy-to-follow recipes.
Aww thank you so much, Sheila!! So happy you loved the cake and found the recipe easy to follow!
Oh my goodness, I think pistachio is my new favorite flavor! They are expensive, but so so worth it for this plush, nutty goodness. I am keeping this recipe in my back pocket for when I need to impress someone 🙂
Yay!! Aww, so glad you love it! It’s definitely impressive; especially if you top with rose petals! Thanks, Adelaide!!
This recipe was delish! I made this cake to bring to Iftar at my mother in laws. I was proud to show off my cake, it turned out beautiful! Thank you for creating and sharing.
Aww, that makes me so happy!! Thank you so much, Erica! Glad it was a hit at Iftar. Ramadan Mubarek!
That looks delicious, and I can’t wait to make this. Love all your recipes.
Thank you, Joyce! Can’t wait to hear how your cake turns out!!
Looks amazing, can’t wait to try it! I am not a big fan of cream cheese though, do you think a Natef topping instead would work?
Oh I’ve actually never tried Natef before but I think it would work out very well since it goes well with pistachio desserts!
Thank you Yumna, I will let you know how it goes!
Lara, I also don’t love cream cheese frosting, but I ended up loving it with this cake!
Thanks Claire!
I made this for my dad who loves pistachios and he loved it! It tasted SO good 🙂
Aww, so happy he loved it! That’s amazing!! Thanks so much, Madeline!
Can this be prepared in advance? How sturdy/soft is the crumb? I am wondering if I can make a two-layer cake using 6-inch rounds.
Hi there! Yes, it can be made in advance. It will last about 3 days at room temp (without frosting) and up to a week in the fridge. Or, you could wrap the cake rounds in plastic and freeze them up to 2 months. And yes, two 6-inch rounds should work but the bake time will likely be less. Very moist crumb and it’s sturdy but I haven’t tried stacking it yet. I think it would hold up well to a layer cake though! Please let me know how it turns out for you!
Can’t wait to try it! Your recipes are always amazing 😻
Yay, I hope you love it!! Thanks, Omnia!
This cake is a labor of love, but it is amazing!!!! The pistachio butter took the most amount of time to cook, but after that was done, the cake itself came together easily. I brought it to a potluck and it was devoured! Highly recommend and will be making this again—amazing, light crumb on the cake, and just the perfect balance of sweetness.
That’s awesome!! Aww, I’m so glad it was a hit at your potluck! Thank you so much, Huma!!
I love pistachio and rose water, your recipes are always great. Thank you
Oh you’ll love this cake, then! Can’t wait to hear what you think of it!!
This looks so delicious! I can’t wait to try it!
Thanks, Ellen! Can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!!