Pistachios are the seeds of the pistachio seed, green in color (usually) and slightly sweet. Technically they’re nuts, and most people eat them as a dry snack to have throughout the day, or as an appetizer.
Of course, you first have to crack open the hard shell to get to the good bit! They’re quite mild in flavor, but like most nuts, it’s a sort of hate or love situation.
If you do love pistachios, however, then why limit them to a simple snack when you could be having them in a cake? Yup, that’s right. Pistachio cake is a thing, and it’s delicious. (Well, it’s delicious if you like pistachios). Plus, pistachio cake prep time is surprisingly quick and easy.
If you’re intrigued and want to try making your very own pistachio cake, then there are practically infinite recipes that you can look up and follow. So many that it might be a bit overwhelming. Which one do you try out?
Well, we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of our top 15 favorite pistachio cake recipes that you are 100% guaranteed to love, so you can browse through them, pick the one that speaks to you the most, and test it out. Happy experimenting!
Here are our top 15 favorite pistachio cake recipes that we’re sure you will absolutely love, all of them pretty easy to follow and make at home:
First up, on our list of top favorites, we have this recipe by Sally’s Baking Addiction. This pistachio cake looks amazing, and it is made from scratch, with real pistachio and almond extract flavors, and topped with cream cheese frosting.
Plus it is then garnished with some fresh berries, pistachios, and flowers. Aesthetic, and tasty. It looks intimidating but is actually quite easy to make. With around an hour of prep and cooking combined, and a further 4 hours of letting the cake cool completely and set before serving.
Next on our list, we have a recipe for little pistachio cakes, by Cassie Best, just in case you’d prefer something more suited to individual servings on the go, instead of a full cake. Perfect for events and parties!
These adorable cupcakes are topped with a cream cheese frosting and a decadent scattering of pistachios.
The recipe is super easy to follow and serves 12 (although you could make more by upping the ingredient quantities). It should also only take you around 40 minutes in total! The result is essentially pistachio cupcakes, and they look and taste amazing.
If you want a pistachio cake, but with a more toned down subtle taste that is lighter, we recommend you try out this recipe by Curly’s Cooking, for a pistachio cake with vanilla cream cheese frosting. If you wish to add to the gentle nutty flavor, add a splash of almond extract.
It adds a smooth twist to the classic pistachio cake recipe and should take you just under an hour to make.
Yet another amazingly delicious recipe in our list of favorites is this pistachio and lime cake by Olive. It looks impressive, but is easy to make, combining the earthy flavor of pistachios with the freshness of lime for a perfect blend.
Plus, this cake can be kept in the refrigerator for quite a few days as it keeps really well (unless you eat it all at once, which we wouldn’t blame you for). It takes around an hour, although you should then let it cool for a bit, and will serve around 8 people.
Another of the favorites that we recommend you try out, is this pistachio layer cake recipe by Life Made Simple. The cake batter is full of ground pistachios and almond extract, for a rich earthy flavor, but is topped with some sweet tangy frosting to freshen up each bite of cake you take.
The frosting freezes well, so you can use the remaining frosting for another recipe.
Honestly? It’s delicious, and you will love it. Light and fluffy, this cake should take you around an hour and fifteen minutes to make, and is pretty easy to complete.
If you’re looking for a pistachio cake recipe perfect for special occasions and celebrations, we recommend you check out the pistachio cake III recipe by Macc, on All Recipes. There, the cake is very aptly described as “a green tube cake made by altering a cake mix with pistachio pudding and green food coloring”.
You will need a tube pan (or a bundt pan), to get the right shape, but other than that, this cake is super easy to make. It should take you around an hour and a bit and will serve roughly 14 people.
For those wanting an easy recipe that uses freshly ground pistachios, no artificial colors, and no cake mix, look no further than this easy pistachio cake recipe by Sabine Venier. With added sour cream, this is a moist pistachio cake; soft and full of flavor.
It also only takes around 35 minutes to bake and make pistachio cake, so you can whip this up for guests when needed, and you can garnish it with extra ingredients as desired.
Pistachio can be a bit much by itself, but paired with other flavors it can become heavenly, which is why we love this pistachio, cardamom, and lemon drizzle cake recipe, by Benjamina Ebuehi.
(Oh and the recipe has been used in the Great British Bake Off, an iconic baking show from the Uk…so it’s guaranteed to be good). It takes up to an hour and a half to make, and with the recipe steps, it should be fairly simple.
This pistachio cake recipe, by Carroll Pellegrinelli, is for true lovers of pistachio, as it doubles down on the pistachio flavor with both chopped pistachio nuts and pistachio pudding. So beware, it’s strong!
However, it has a light whipped cream frosting to balance it out and is overall delicious. A sprinkle of powdered sugar can help to sweeten the cake.
This pistachio pudding mix will take just under an hour to make, and once done, it should be kept in the refrigerator, or else it won’t do well.
Another impressive-looking and delicious pistachio cake recipe that we love is this one by SuperValu. It requires 20 minutes of prep time, and should then cook for around 50 minutes, and once done it will serve around 8 people.
This one does require moderate baking skills, but even if you’re a beginner, following the steps should be easy enough, so just give it a try!
If you want a more unique spin on the classic pistachio cake, in particular, a chocolatey spin, then we recommend you check out this pistachio cake recipe by Liv for Cake.
It is full of freshly ground pistachios, for the strong pistachio flavor you crave, but is then also layered with some dark chocolate ganache, and garnished with fresh raspberries. It is truly the combination you never thought you needed.
It does take a little longer to make than other pistachio cakes, but it is worth it in the end. Plus, it doesn’t involve baking soda (only baking powder), so you don’t have to run to the store to complete this recipe!
Another amazing option that combines the earthiness of pistachios with the freshness of lemon flavors, is this recipe by Belinda Jeffery. It takes just over an hour to make and serves 6 (unless you modify the ingredient quantities).
It is super easy, suitable for beginners, and will look very impressive to your guests. Definitely a recipe you will fall in love with.
If you have vegan dietary requirements, then don’t worry, we also have something for you on this list. In fact, we have one of our favorite of all the options: the vegan zucchini pistachio cake recipe, by Lauren Toyota.
The zucchini essentially adds extra moisture and fluffiness to the cake, plus it makes it all the healthier, and tastier! The whole thing should take 30 minutes of prep and around an hour of cooking, and the result is absolutely amazing, you will love it!
Another tasty pistachio cake that we think you will love, is this pistachio pudding cake recipe, by Taste of Home. Perfect for any occasion, but especially for St. Patrick’s Day…you know, because it’s green.
Anyway, it takes around 20 minutes of prep and around 40 minutes of cooking. It’s also big, with 14 servings, and is super easy to make, so even beginners can try their hands at it.
Last, but not least, on our list of favorites, we have this pistachio milk cake recipe, by Tiffin and Tea.
This cake is kind of like an alternative version of the Mexican Tres Leches cake, with ground pistachios added into the mix, and scattered over the top as decoration.
Plus, it takes just over half an hour to make, so it’s a fast and easy dessert that you can just whip up for any occasion. We’re giving this recipe a solid 5 stars!
Final Thoughts
If you like pistachios, then you will probably love pistachio cake. You can combine the earthy flavor of pistachios with lighter and fresher ingredients, to make the perfect dessert.
Hopefully, you will find the perfect recipe amongst our list of favorites. But also, don’t be afraid to mix it up and add your own little twists and changes as you experiment with the recipes!
Hi! I'm Kate and I have been baking and cooking for as long as I can remember. I like to share the most interesting tips and recipes I try here on What Kate Baked for you to enjoy. If you have a favorite recipe you'd like to share send it over on social.
