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4.72 from 7 ratings

Lemon Pistachio Cake

Yield: 16 slices
Prep: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes
This perfect lemon pistachio cake is extra soft and moist, flavored with finely ground pistachios and lemon zest, soaked with sweet, lemon infused pistachio milk and frosted with delectable lemon pistachio cheese frosting. It’s so incredibly soft, packed full of zesty lemon and nutty pistachio flavor, with the most irresistible texture from the milk soak, almost like a tres leches, but not quite as wet. The perfect cake to bake this spring!
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Ingredients

For the Lemon Pistachio Cake

  • 1 cup (140 g) pistachios (deshelled)
  • 2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar
  • 3 tbsp (30 g) lemon zest (about 3 large lemons)
  • 10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla
  • 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

For the Lemon Pistachio Milk Soak

  • 1/2 cup (120 ml) pistachio milk
  • 1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest (about 1/2 a large lemon)
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

For the Lemon Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1/2 cup  (70 g) pistachios (deshelled)
  • 1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • 2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest (about 1/2 a large lemon)
  • lemon curd, for swirling into the frosting (optional)

Instructions
 

For the Lemon Pistachio Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9 inch light metal baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
  • Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until finely ground. Set aside for later use.
    1 cup (140 g) pistachios (deshelled)
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Then set aside the flour mixture.
    2 1/4 cups (281 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt
  • Add the sugar and lemon zest to a large bowl. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingertips to extract the most lemon flavor from the zest.
    1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated white sugar, 3 tbsp (30 g) lemon zest (about 3 large lemons)
  • Add in the softened butter. Cream the butter, sugar and lemon zest together with an electric mixer on high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
    10 tbsp (140 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • Then add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.
    3 eggs, at room temperature, 1 tbsp (15 ml) vanilla
  • Add the buttermilk and the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time, mixing on low speed until the cake batter is combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
    1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
  • Fold in the ground pistachios.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
  • Bake the cake for 38-42 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then pull up on the parchment paper to release it from the pan. Let the cake continue cooling on the cooling rack until completely cooled.

For the Lemon Pistachio Milk Soak

  • In a small bowl mix the pistachio milk, sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest and vanilla together.
    1/2 cup (120 ml) pistachio milk, 1/2 cup (150 g) sweetened condensed milk, 1/2 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest (about 1/2 a large lemon), 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. Then, pass it through a sieve to remove the zest, transferring it to a liquid measuring cup, or something you can easily pour from, while you do so.

For the Lemon Pistachio Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until very finely ground into a smooth paste, almost like a nut butter consistency.
    1/2 cup  (70 g) pistachios (deshelled)
  • Add the butter to a large mixing bowl and mix on high speed with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
    1 cup (224 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • Then add in the cream cheese and mix on high speed until fluffy, about 1 minute.
    8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, cold
  • Add in the ground pistachio paste and lemon zest. Mix on medium high until combined.
    1/2 tbsp (5 g) lemon zest (about 1/2 a large lemon)
  • Sift in the powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until combined, then on high speed for 1 minute until fluffy again.
    2 cups (260 g) powdered sugar

Assembling the Cake

  • When the cake is completely cooled, cut a very thin layer off the top of the cake off using a sharp knife. This will make it easier for the pistachio milk to absorb into the cake. Transfer it to a serving plate. Poke holes on the top of the cake using a wooden stick or the handle of a wooden spoon.
    (I used the handle of a honey dipper for smaller holes.)
  • Slowly pour the pistachio milk mixture on top of the cake. It is thin so it should absorb into the cake and the poked holes easily, but do be patient as it does.
  • Frost the top of the cake with a thick layer of lemon pistachio cream cheese frosting using an offset spatula. Swirl lemon curd into the frosting using the back of a spoon.
    lemon curd, for swirling into the frosting (optional)
  • Then cut into 16 slices and serve!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cream cheese frosting, Lemon, lemon cake, lemon curd, lemon pistachio, lemon pistachio cake, pistachio, pistachio cake
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