This Pistachio Cake recipe has loads of freshly ground pistachios in the cake batter and is layered with a rich dark chocolate ganache and fresh raspberries.
When I was little, my mom used to get this pistachio instant pudding. It was the grossest thing to me. Mint green gelatinous goo with little brown bits which I assume were small pieces of pistachio, but who really knows. A pretty picture, right?? I’m not a huge fan of pudding as it is (it’s a consistency thing), but this was over the top nasty. I could never fathom why she’d get that one rather than something safer like chocolate or vanilla, heck even butterscotch! Literally anything else.
I’m sure I must have tried it at some point when it was the only sweet treat in the house, but I can assure you: I was not (and am not) a fan. I’m not sure if it was that pudding that turned me off of pistachios, but they have been at the bottom of the totem pole for me as far as nuts are concerned.
I put out a poll to my Baking Community on Facebook a few weeks ago asking what sort of cakes they would like me to make, and pistachio was a common theme. As such, and in my most selfless act to date, I bring you this Pistachio Cake!
To make this pistachio cake, all I did was substitute some finely ground pistachios for some of the flour in my favourite Vanilla Cake recipe. It’s basically the same as my Almond Amaretto Cake, but with pistachios instead.
Pistachios are not cheap. Even worse when you have to buy them unshelled because you need them unsalted (and you’re too lazy to shell them yourself). I paid $20 for 350g (about 12oz) of them. So you really have to be (or know) a pistachio lover to make this cake.
The finely ground pistachios will give the slightest hint of green to the cake layers. If you want to amp this up a bit, you can add a tiny bit of moss green coloring. I recommend adding this when you’re creaming the butter so that you don’t overmix the cake batter once you add the color.
The cake layers baked up beautifully, much like the ones in my Almond Amaretto Cake. It almost makes me want to sub in a bit of almond flour to all of my cakes! It gives them a great texture, too.
Now, it wouldn’t be a Liv for Cake cake without some major issue, right? This time it was my ganache. The same ganache I’d made multiple times before. This time, my laziness and impatience got the better of me.
How do you make a chocolate ganache?
Making a ganache is simple. It really takes just two (sometimes three) ingredients:
- Good quality chocolate
- Heavy cream
- Butter or corn syrup for shine (optional)
All you have to do is pour hot (but not boiling cream) over chopped chocolate, let it sit for a bit, then stir to emulsify. Simple enough, right? It usually works, but there are a few key things that can make it go sideways for you.
I was being lazy, since there was so much chocolate in the recipe (20 oz) and it’s a HUGE pain to chop chocolate. It’s messy and takes forever, so I left some rather large chunks in there, hoping they would just melt. I also mixed a couple different brands of chocolate together to try to use them all up. This may have contributed to the issues as well.
Anyhow, since my chocolate was in larger pieces, I decided it would be a good idea to get the cream/butter mixture hotter. This was most certainly NOT a good idea. Don’t do this. You really want the cream just barely to a simmer, otherwise it’s too hot and will cause the cocoa butter to separate from your chocolate, which is exactly what happened to me.
I could tell it wasn’t quite right once I finished stirring it. It looked a bit greasy and just… off. It wasn’t brutal, but I could tell it didn’t look right. I covered it with some plastic wrap and left it to sit on the counter. I checked it a few hours later and noticed a thin layer of fat/butter on the top. Ugh.
I tried to save the split ganache in a variety of ways, and it only sort of worked. I’m not recommending any of them here, as I didn’t really have success with any of them. The ganache did come together slightly, but it was still a bit off. I went with it anyway as it wasn’t too bad, but if I was making this Pistachio cake for someone else, I would have redone it.
So, if you plan to make a chocolate ganache, follow these steps:
- Use good quality chocolate and chop it very fine. Good quality chocolate makes a huge difference both in flavour and texture. It contains a higher % of cocoa butter and will lead to a better ganache.
- Heat your cream only to a simmer, when it’s just barely starting to have bubbles around the edge. Then pour it over the finely chopped chocolate.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 5mins.
- Begin to stir slowly from the inside with a spatula or a whisk. Keep working until it comes together.
- If there are any unmelted chunks at this point, you can put it over a double boiler and stir until it all melts.
- Once it’s smooth, place plastic wrap directly on the surface and allow to cool/set to desired consistency.
If you plan to add butter (which I do when I use my ganache as a frosting, but not when I use it as a drip), it may be safer to incorporate very soft (but not melted) butter into the ganache at the end, once the cream and chocolate have emulsified. I have melted the butter along with the cream without issue before, but it’s safer to do it right at the end.
There are other methods of making a chocolate ganache. You can place the chocolate and cream in a bowl together and microwave it in bursts, or you can place it over a double boiler and stir until it’s all melted.
You can use any method you like, but I prefer the hot cream over chocolate method, as it requires the least “hands on” time. I find it faster, and it allows me to do other things while the chocolate is melting.
Ganache issues aside, this Pistachio Cake turned out perfect! I fully admit that I tried to tone down/mask some of the pistachio flavour, so I paired this cake with raspberries AND a dark chocolate ganache. Both very strong flavours, but they compliment the cake perfectly. Even I liked it. I swear.
If you’re a die hard pistachio fan, you may want that flavour to stand out more, in which case you can pair it with a simple vanilla buttercream, a cream cheese frosting, or even a light whipped cream with some fresh berries!
Looking for more nut inspired desserts?
Tips for making this Pistachio Cake with Dark Chocolate Ganache
- Don’t try to rush the ganache. Read my post for details.
- The cake is paired with some fairly strong flavours (dark chocolate, raspberry), but you could use a simple vanilla buttercream, cream cheese frosting, or whipped cream if you prefer!
- This cake can be made in three 6″ pans (as shown) or two 8″ pans.
- To help ensure your cake layers bake up nice and flat, check out my Flat Top Cakes post!
Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Ganache Frosting: (make in advance)
- 20 oz good quality dark chocolate chopped, not bakers chocolate
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter very soft but not melted
Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup finely ground pistachios *
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup milk room temperature
Assembly:
- fresh raspberries optional
- chopped pistachios
Instructions
Chocolate Ganache Frosting (make in advance):
- Place chopped chocolate in a large heatproof bowl.
- Place cream into a medium saucepan. Cook over med heat, stirring often, until it just barely starts to simmer.
- Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate and cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let sit 5 minutes.
- Stir gently with a spatula until completely smooth. Add softened butter and stir until smooth. If needed, place over a double boiler and stir until all chocolate and butter has melted.
- Place plastic wrap directly on top of chocolate ganache. Allow to thicken and set overnight.**
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 6" cake rounds and line with parchment.
- In a medium bowl, whisk flour, ground pistachios, baking powder,and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on med-high until pale and fluffy (approx 3mins). Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time fully incorporating after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Alternate adding flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with flour (3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Fully incorporating after each addition.
- Bake for approx. 35-40mins or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Place cakes on wire rack to cool for 10mins then turn out onto wire rack. Allow cakes to cool completely.
Assembly:
- Place one layer of cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Top with approx 2/3 cup of thickened ganache, spread evenly. Press cut raspberries into the ganache (I used about 12 halves per layer) and sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios (about 1 Tbsp). Repeat with next layer.
- Place last layer on top and smooth the outside with a thin crumb coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20mins. The ganache on the cake will firm up slightly.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache. Do a swirl on top and use a decorative scraper to do the sides. I used the far left one pictured here.
- Press chopped pistachios into the bottom and sprinkle some more on top of the cake. Decorate with raspberries if desired.
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Notes
** You can speed up the thickening of the ganache by placing the it in the fridge, but you need to stir it often.
Roshni Suzanna Jacob says
Best cake ever. Everyone at work was raving about it. Thank you!
Olivia says
Hi Roshni! So happy you loved it. Thanks for the feeback!
Ash says
Hi, thanks for the recipe, will try soon, just ine question.. can i use milk chocolate instead of dark? Wont dark be bitter?
Olivia says
Hi Ash! I use a semi-sweet dark that isn’t too bitter. A milk chocolate use with these quantities would yield a ganache that’s too soft.
Tammie says
I plan to make a white cake and use a pistachio frosting to cover it but also wanted to put a filling in between my layers however I’m not sure what flavors would compliment the frosting. Well, now I know raspberry will, thanks! Can you give me some suggestions on other flavors as well?
Olivia says
Hi Tammie! I’m not a huge pistachio fan so haven’t experimented a lot with pairings but I know that Rosewater is also a popular one!
Kathryn Lorenz says
This recipe sounds great! I have two questions: Does the ganache diminish or possibly overwhelm the delicate flavor of the pistachios? and Do you find that you can use half-and-half (dairy product) in place of some or all of the ream in the ganache? Thanks for sharing your experience!
Olivia says
Hi Kathryn! The ganache is a strong flavour for sure. I think it compliments the pistachios well, but others could find it overpowering. You could use a chocolate frosting instead. I’ve only used heavy cream for my ganache so I can’t say for certain, but I know others have had success with different liquids. You may need to adjust the quantity though if it’s a much thinner liquid. I hope that helps!
Daniela says
Hello! Can I bake this in a bundt cake pan instead? Thanks!
Olivia says
Hi Daniela! I think that should be fine, but be sure to properly grease and flour the pan so the cake comes out clean.
Jennifer says
How much in advance do you think I could make the cake? If i bake on Thursday but wait to frost until Sunday, do you think it’ll still be fresh/moist?
Olivia says
Hi Jennifer! I would bake the layers, cool them completely, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze. Take out a couple hours before you want to decorate the cake.
Dorita says
Will raw pistachio work in place of roasted pistachos?
Olivia says
Hi Dorita! Yes, that should work fine.
Rebecca says
I made this for my brother’s 40th bday cake and it was delicious. Everyone loved it. I made a couple of changes, I only used 1 1/4 cup sugar in the sponge. And I made coconut cream cheese icing and covered this is ground pistachios. I will definitely make this again! Thanks for a tasty, and easy recipe.
Olivia says
Hi Rebecca! Thanks for your tips — your version sounds delicious! So glad everyone loved it ๐
Catalina Escobar says
HI!!! Love your recipe!! I’m making it for my dad birthday, but I have a question you ground the pistachios with the shell? Thank you!!
Olivia says
Hi Catalina! No, grind them out of the shell.
Bella says
I tried this cake and it’s super delicious. Thank you for the great recipe!!! But I wanted to know if it would be possible t9 substitute the sugar with a healthier alternative. Can you pls advise. Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Bella, I haven’t experimented sugar substitutes myself, but you could certainly give it a try!
Ghada Amso says
Hi Olivia, thanks for the recipe I will try it this weekend, I have a question about the chocolate Ganache, so if I make it in advance and keep it overnight, I understand that I should keep it overnight at room temperature and NOT in the fridge, is this ok since it contain Heavy cream, I mean is it safe to keep it overnight in room temp.
Also when I assemble the cake the next day and add the chocolate ganache is it ok to keep it at room temperature for many hours till I serve it (at the same day)? or I have to put it in the fridge?
thanks
Olivia says
Hi Ghada! Correct, do NOT refrigerate. It will get super hard in the fridge and you won’t be able to frost with it. It is ok at room temp since the cream is heated. The ganache should be fine at room temp for a couple days, after that I would refrigerate. I hope that helps!
Viviannette says
Delicious recipe! Thank you so much!
Olivia says
So glad you liked it!
Michael says
I’m going to make this for Christmas because I’m obsessed with pistachios! (already made pistachio biscotti twice this season). Trader Joe’s in your area? I buy bags of raw shelled pistachios (about 2 cups worth), for about $5, and they’re really fresh and good. With the cake, I’ll be using pistachio extract instead of the vanilla It’s similar to almond extract, but more pistachio-y! Thanks for this recipe – can’t wait to try!
Olivia says
Hi Michael! There’s a Trader Joe’s across the border, but I don’t get there often enough. That is a great deal!! I hope you like the recipe ๐
Anna Cristina says
Hi! Can i replace the pistachio for the walnuts?
Thank you for this recipe. Look delicious!!!
Olivia says
Hi Anna! Yes that should work fine. I do also have a Walnut Cake recipe: https://livforcake.com/walnut-cake/
Amanda W. says
Hi, I need to bake this in 3 x 8″ round tin using metric. Do you reckon I should 1.5x the recipe? Thanks
Olivia says
Hi Amanda! Converting pan sizes is always tricky. Hereโs a site I use as a guideline: http://www.joyofbaking.com/PanSizes.html That being said, 1.5x the recipe should work fine.
Smith says
I am very glad to found your blog … planning to try all ur cakes… have a question here… can I replace the butter with vegetable oil…
Olivia says
Hi there! You can give it a try, but I can’t guarantee the results as I’ve never done so!
Beverley Press says
This is going to be my new favorite to bake for my son’s birthdays. WE are huge fans of pistachios and this is the cake I’ve looking for. Thank you and enjoy your new puppy when she arrives home xoxo
Olivia says
Thanks so much Beverley, I hope you love this one. xoxox
Manish Singh says
Amazing work Keep the good work always love your ideas
Pam Kozlow says
This cake looks delicious. I have a question regarding chocolate ganache. Every time I bake a cake using a ganache filling which has to be refrigerated here in Florida it is still quite stiff even after taking the cake out to come to room temperature. The cake and the outer frosting are just fine but the ganache filling is never smooth even after 2 hours of sitting at room temperature. Is there something I can do to get the ganache filling creamier?
Many thanks for any help.
Olivia says
Hi Pam! Ganache will set up quite a bit in the fridge, but should soften if out for a few hours, especially somewhere warm! At least this ganache recipe does for me. Have you tried it with one of my recipes? Curious to know your results!
Isabelle Payne says
Thank you for this recipe, I will be making it this weekend for a Royal Wedding party, will let you know how I get on! I’m sure it will be big hit!
Olivia says
Ohhh so exciting!! I’ve actually got a lemon elderflower cake planned once I see what the Royal one looks like ๐ I hope you like this one!