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Delicious pistachio cake with pistachio buttercream from scratch
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The Best Pistachio Cake from Scratch with Pistachio Buttercream

Delicious homemade pistachio cake made with real pistachios and paired with pistachio buttercream.
Course Dessert
Keyword pistachio, pistachio buttercream, pistachio cake recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Buttercream 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 20 servings

Equipment

  • Stand Mixer
  • Food Processor

Ingredients

Pistachio Cake

  • 2 cups cake flour
  • 1 1/2 cups ground pistachio reserve a 1/4 cup to add to the outside of the cake
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 6 egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 10 tbsp butter
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp almond extract

Pistachio Swiss Meringue Buttercream

  • 6 large egg whites
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 4 sticks unsalted butter
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
  • 1 cup Raw pistachio (Place in a food processor to create a pistachio paste).

Instructions

Directions for Pistachio Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 8-inch pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper; spray the paper, and dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Set aside.
  • Ground pistachio in a food processor and measure 1 ½ cups. Set aside.
  • Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl, and set aside.
  • Combine milk, almond extract, and vanilla in another bowl, and set aside.
  • Beat butter with a hand mixer or an electric mixture fitted with the paddle attachment until pale and creamy.
  • Add sugar, and continue beating then add oil, until light and fluffy, continue to beat about 3 minutes.
  • Add egg whites
  • Add dry ingredients in 3 batches, alternating with the buttermilk mixture and starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Be careful to avoid overbeating.
  • Add the ground pistachio and fold in.
  • Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with a spatula.
  • Bake until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.
  • Transfer to wire rack; cool 15 minutes before unmolding.
  • Cool completely before frosting.

Directions for making Pistachio Buttercream

  • Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heat-proof bowl, add set bowl over simmering water.
  • Mix with a whisk, until the sugar is dissolved or the mixture reaches 140 degrees F
  • Remove from the stove and turn the mixer on high and mix until the meringue is cool to the touch.
  • Add the butter a piece at a time.
  • Mix until combined, add the vanilla and almond extract,
  • Then add the pistachio butter and do one final mix

Notes

Make the pistachio paste ahead of time and the ground pistachios to save time.