Lemon Pistachio Cake
This soft and fluffy Lemon Pistachio Cake is a simple single layer cake with a tender pistachio sponge made with olive oil and topped with a dreamy whipped lemon cream cheese frosting. This cake is full of flavor and I like to make it all year round since it is light and fresh for Spring and Summer, and then also festive with pistachios during the holidays and makes use of lemons when they are in season in late winter. The frosting is so airy and unlike your usual cream cheese frosting. I think you will love this recipe and if you enjoy making fruity sheet cakes, check out my Strawberry Lemon Cake and Lemon Raspberry Sheet Cake too. I also love this Pistachio Carrot Cake for Easter, and if you love baking with pistachios, make my very popular Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Soft and moist pistachio cake - this recipe makes a tender cake with a bouncy, moist crumb texture.
- Easy to make - I love single layer sheet cakes because they are fuss-free and it means less dishes!
- Fragrant lemon cake - lemon zest adds a lot of flavor to this cake and pairs really well with pistachio.
- Olive oil cake - I use olive oil which is SO good here since it pairs with pistachios and lemon so well. You can use any oil though.
- Cream cheese frosting - this is one of my favorite ways to make frosting. There is NO butter! It's just a combination of cream cheese and whipping cream and it's like a more flavorful, thicker whipped cream. It is luscious!
INGREDIENTS FOR LEMON PISTACHIO CAKE
Here are some on the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- All purpose flour - unbleached all-purpose flour works great for fluffy spongy cake. You could use cake flour, but if you use bleached flour (a lot of cake flour is bleached) then it tends to absorb more water and might give the cake a drier texture.
- Oil - liquid oil will keep this cake soft and helps with movement of leavening gases through the batter for a nice even rise to create a flat cake. I use olive oil because it tastes so delicious with pistachios and lemon, however you can use any neutral-tasting cooking oil. I recommend sunflower for the cleanest taste.
- Pistachios - the lovely green color of this cake is naturally coming from the pistachios and a bit of matcha powder. For the most flavor, I like to roast the pistachios before grinding them. These roasted salted pistachios are convenient.
- Granulated sugar - simple granulated sugar keeps this cake moist and doesn't interfere with the lemon flavor.
- Egg - one large egg will add nice structure but won't get in the way of the pistachio flavor.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate and complement the lemon taste. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
- Almond extract - this is optional, but almond will enhance the taste of the pistachios.
- Yogurt - use full fat plain yogurt to add tanginess to this recipe and complement the fruity notes.
- Matcha powder - this is optional, if you have it or want to try it, but it will really enhance the green color and it also adds a nice earthy taste that complements the pistachios.
- Lemon zest - the zest from one lemon is enough to give this cake a nice citrus note. If you like more lemon, just use more! You can use up to a tablespoon of lemon zest.
- Milk - any type of milk will do. I prefer whole milk for baking.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE LEMON PISTACHIO CAKE
- STEP 1). Infuse the sugar. Add sugar to a large bowl with the lemon zest and rub it together with your fingers or using the back of a large spoon until the sugar is fragrant and takes on a hint of yellow. This helps to release more essential oils from the zest.
- STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl with the lemony sugar and whisk it to blend evenly. Add the ground pistachios.
- STEP 3). Combine wet ingredients. Whisk together eggs, oil, yogurt, vanilla and milk in a medium bowl.
- STEP 4). Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the liquid mixture. Whisk gently to combine the ingredients until mostly combined.
- STEP 5). Bake. Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and bake until evenly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. It should spring back when you press it gently. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring to the rack to finish cooling.
- STEP 6). Make the frosting. Beat soft cream cheese until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of cream and beat until very smooth and there are no lumps. Then gradually add remaining cream and beat until it forms soft peaks. Gradually beat in sugar until it is thickened to a spreadable consistency, then mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract. You can also add a drop or two of almond extract (it's delicious, but optional). Spread frosting over cooled cake and then top with crushed pistachios before serving.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR LEMON PISTACHIO CAKE
- Infuse the sugar with lemon flavor. To get the most out of your lemons, rub the sugar with the lemon zest first before mixing with the liquid ingredients. The friction will release the essential oils in the yellow zest and they will coat sugar crystals to carry all of that wonderful flavor through the batter!
- Use room temperature ingredients. Since this is a simple dump and mix (almost one bowl) method, there is minimal mixing steps involved so it is important to have all ingredients at the same temperature (not cold!) in order to help them blend evenly together.
- Roast the pistachios. If you only have raw pistachios, definitely roast them to bring out the flavor. Just place them in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they begin to darken and become fragrant.
- Sift the dry ingredients. This is optional, but it will minimize the amount of mixing needed to combine the ingredients evenly so that you do not over-mix the batter.
- Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is combined then the batter is ready for baking. You can use a whisk and mix by hand if you are concerned about over-mixing.
RECIPE FAQ
I highly recommend using oil for this recipe because the oil will give it a softer texture in the presence of all the nuts which have a tendency to firm up the crumb.
Yes, you can use any type of cooking oil, such as canola oil, olive oil or sunflower oil. You can also use coconut oil, but it has a much higher melting fat profile so it will make the crumb more crumbly and less soft.
If your cake turns out dense, then it could be a couple of things: you over-mixed the batter, or your raising agents are not active. Make sure to use fresh baking powder and baking soda. Also, be very gentle with mixing and stop once the flour is just incorporated.
Too much flour and not enough sugar is the main reason why cake can turn out dry and dense. It is important to have the right proportions of liquid to dry ingredients in a one bowl cake recipe.
I really recommend using plain yogurt for this recipe (2-5% fat) because it gives the perfect amount of fat and acidity, however you can make this cake with Greek yogurt or sour cream. The texture will just be slightly firmer from the higher protein content.
Yes, you can make this in an 8 or 9-inch round pan. If you use an 8-inch pan, you will need to add at least 5 minutes to the baking time.
If you love cake and fruit, check out these recipes!
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Video
Lemon Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
Pistachio Cake Batter:
- 1 cup (142g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder (optional)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40g) finely ground roasted salted pistachios, plus extra for decorating
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil (or any neutral liquid oil like canola, vegetable or sunflower oil)
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) full fat plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pure almond extract
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup (125g) very soft cream cheese
- ⅔ cup (160ml) 35% heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon (40g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make the cake batter. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, matcha powder (if you have it) and salt into a large bowl. Add sugar and ground pistachios and whisk until evenly blended. NOTE: you can grind the pistachios in a small food processor - I suggest grinding about ½ cup of whole roasted pistachios and use the extra for decorating.
- Combine oil, egg, yogurt, lemon zest, milk, vanilla and almond extract (if you're using it) in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and gently fold it all together being sure to get down to the bottom and bring up any dry pockets. Stop right when the batter is fully combined and be careful not to over mix.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then transfer cake to a cooling rack.
- Make the frosting. Whip soft cream cheese in a medium bowl using an electric handheld mixer until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of cream and mix until very smooth and there are no lumps. Then gradually add remaining cream and mix until it forms soft peaks. Gradually mix in sugar until it is whipped and thickened to a spreadable consistency, then mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract. You can also add a drop or two of almond extract (it's delicious, but optional). Use an offset spatula to spread frosting over cooled cake and then top with crushed pistachios before serving.
I want to make this a day before my gathering. Do you recommend making the icing a day ahead too? Or day of serving. Will the icing separate if I ice the cake in the morning and serve in late afternoon?
Hi Salina, I recommend making the frosting the day you plan to serve it and it is ok to frost the cake in the morning and serve it in the afternoon. Keep it refrigerated.
Do you think this cake would travel ok? Do you recommend frosting once ready to serve? or is ok to store/travel with the frosting? Thanks for the help! Excited to make 🙂
Hi Rebecca! Yes it travels well without the frosting, so make the frosting when you plan to serve it.
Hi Christina! I was thinking of adding some (frozen) blueberries to the cake, do you think the baking time might need to be adjusted, and would batter be able to hold the weight of the berries? Thank you!
Hi Jo, you'll probably need to add another 5 minutes to the baking time. I'd suggest not more than 1/2 cup berries and coat them in about 1 tbsp of flour before folding into the batter.
Curious if cake flour instead of all purpose would work (and make it lighter?)
Hi Emily, it will work but it will actually make it a bit firmer if you are using bleached cake flour.
I had this cake in a friend’s house. . Absolutely delicious! Is it it ok to double the recipe? What adjustments do I need to make in baking time?
Hi Raj, thanks! Yes you can double the recipe and bake in a 13x9 inch pan, then increase the baking time by about 10 minutes.
Made this for Easter this year, it was a hittttt. I baked the cake the night before and assembled the day of. I added fresh raspberries to the top of the cake and sprinkled with the remaining pistachio crumbs. Excellent.
Thanks so much Emily! I'm glad it was a hit!
Love your recipes 🙏👏👏👏👏👏👏❤️
Thank you!
Hi ! I made this cake 🙂 Not once but 3 times! to share with friends. It was soo good 🙂 Everyone loved it. The recipe is easy to follow. Thank you for sharing this yummy recipe.
Thanks so much Wan! I'm so glad everyone enjoys it.
This was so delicious! I made it with gluten free flour, cup for cup and it was just as amazing! The cream cheese frosting is the perfect complement to the sweetness of the cake!
Texture and flavor combination was divine! Highly recommend 🙂
Thanks so much Katii!
Hi does the matcha give bitter grassy flavour or there is enough sugar to cut through grassy flavour? I understand it is to gve deeper green flavour. Can we swap with food colouring?
Hi Sal, it adds a subtle earthiness. You can certainly omit it and add a bit of food coloring.
the cake was amazing! but mine came out a little too mushy 🥲
Thank you so much Germaine! It is possibly that it was slightly underbaked. Check that a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and should spring back when you press it gently.
So yummy and so easy to make! The recipe is straightforward and easy to follow!!
Thank you Doron! I'm happy that it was a success!
Delicious and interesting cake. Very much appreciated that it's not overly sweet. Very good texture and light but rich cream. We will definitely make it again, everyone loved it.
Thank you so much Lu! I'm so glad you appreciate the delicate sweetness and light frosting.
I made this this week and I’m making it again. I have never enjoyed a cake so much. it’s not too sweet. I made the mistake of making the whipped cream sweeter and it really doesn’t need it. It balances out the cake mixture perfectly. I ate the whole thing. I only shared one slice with a woman who mistreats me as a peace offering. But I think this second cake is only for me. I’ll walk 30 miles this week to compensate. This is my “I deserve to be loved” cake. Thank you so much.
I am so glad you enjoyed it and you do deserve to be loved so EAT ALL THE CAKE!
Can I make mini cupcakes with this recipe? How would I adjust the temperature? And can I substitute using coconut sugar and avocado oil?
Hi Lisa, yes you can. You'll probably need just 10-14 minutes at 350. You can use avocado oil but I wouldn't suggest coconut sugar.
Awesome Recipe, turns out perfect everytime! Baked once every month. Do you think I could swap out the Almond Extract in the batter to Rose Extract? Or would a rose frosting be better?
Hi Danny, I think either would work! I love the idea of rose in the frosting though.
Made this for my spring birthday! Delicious!! The frosting is heavenly and the zest in the batter really shines through.
Thank you so much Angelie. Happy Birthday!
It turned out perfectly. I loved the whipped topping and the flavors were perfect together. Will definitely make again!
Thanks so much Allie!
My family adores this recipe. It’s so easy and fresh.
Absolutely incredible recipe! I have made it 3 times in a month since I discovered it. It truly is one of my most favorite cakes I’ve made. I did add a pistachio cream to the icing and made a few other small tweaks to my liking. I highly recommend and will be making many times in the future.
Thank you Delaney! The addition of pistachio cream sounds incredible!
It’s turned out raw. I don’t understand ? It’s had 10 mins longer than it should have and still the same colour as when I first put it in.
Hi Donna, sounds like your oven might be broken.
A really fantastic recipe. Essential it's followed, and ingredients are measured! I've made this more than 10 times now, every time it turns out perfect. Use top quality ingredients! Don't use cheap flour, 100% sieve it, make sure your baking powder and Bicarb are fresh!
My frosting was watery. The cream cheese and cream were thick but it became thin when I added granulated sugar (I believe that’s table sugar in Australia). I feel like I should have used icing sugar. My cream had 38% fat btw. Any idea what went wrong?
I found the almond extract too strong for my liking but otherwise the cake as great. We used the watery icing as a dip 😜
Hi Tracey, it could be the quality of the cream cheese you are using. Did you weigh the sugar? Too much sugar will turn it thin.
Delicious cake, will definitely make it again.
Personally I prefer no almond extract