This Pistachio Bundt Cake blends delicate nutty flavor with a tender, moist crumb and a pleasant crunch from chopped pistachios. Light yet rich, it has just the right amount of sweetness and a subtle green hue from real pistachios—not artificial coloring—making it a standout dessert for pistachio lovers.
Every bite offers a soft, moist interior with a hint of pistachio and a textured finish from chopped nuts. Serve it simply with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, or elevate it with a light glaze and a sprinkle of chopped pistachios for an attractive finish.
How to Make It
This cake relies on real pistachios for flavor and color rather than artificial mixes or heavy food coloring. The recipe uses a combination of finely ground pistachios to infuse the batter and coarsely chopped pistachios for texture. For the best results, bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before you start.
Below is an overview of the ingredients and the main steps; complete ingredient amounts and precise instructions are in the recipe card further down the page.
Ingredients Overview
- Shelled unsalted pistachios: raw pistachios preserve color better than toasted nuts.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder and baking soda to help the cake rise and stay light.
- Sea salt to enhance overall flavor.
- Unsalted butter and a neutral oil (avocado, canola, or vegetable) for a moist, tender crumb.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs at room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Pistachio or almond extract to intensify the nutty note
- Plain yogurt to add moisture and tenderness
- Milk and confectioners’ sugar for the glaze
Steps Overview
- Preheat the oven and prepare a 10–12 cup Bundt pan by greasing and dusting it with flour.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- Grind half of the pistachios until very fine; coarsely chop the rest for folding into the batter.
- Cream the softened butter, oil, sugar, and ground pistachios in a mixer on medium-high for about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition, then stir in vanilla and almond (or pistachio) extract.
- On low speed, add one-third of the dry ingredients, then half the yogurt; repeat and finish with the remaining flour. Scrape the bowl often to ensure even mixing.
- Fold in the coarsely chopped pistachios with a spatula.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 45–50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
For the Glaze
A simple glaze of confectioners’ sugar, milk, and extracts complements the cake without overpowering the pistachio flavor.
- Whisk confectioners’ sugar with 2–3 tablespoons of milk and the vanilla and almond extracts until smooth.
- When the cake has cooled to room temperature, drizzle or spoon the glaze over it and, if desired, sprinkle with chopped pistachios for extra crunch and visual appeal.
Serving Suggestions
This Pistachio Bundt Cake is versatile—perfect for celebrations, tea time, or a cozy dessert after dinner. Pair it with coffee or tea, or serve with vanilla ice cream for a richer dessert.
Storage Instructions
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the cake for up to 3 months—wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a large airtight container or freezer bag.
Enjoy!
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More Bundt Cake Recipes
- Mini Almond and Matcha Bundt Cakes
- Mini Apple Bundt Cakes
- Chocolate Stout Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Cinnamon Bundt Cake
- Espresso Gingerbread Bundt Cake
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Pistachio Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups shelled unsalted pistachios
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup neutral oil (avocado, vegetable, or grapeseed)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ½ cups plain yogurt (whole or 2%), room temperature
For the Glaze:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
For the Topping:
- 2 tablespoons pistachios, coarsely chopped
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center. Grease and flour a 10–12 cup Bundt pan.
- Grind ¾ cup pistachios until fine in a food processor; coarsely chop the remaining ¾ cup and set aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
- In a stand mixer bowl, beat the butter, oil, sugar, and ground pistachios on medium-high about 3 minutes, scraping as needed.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating after each. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts.
- On low speed, add one-third of the flour mixture, then half the yogurt; repeat and finish with the last third of flour. Scrape the bowl. Fold in the chopped pistachios.
- Pour batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread evenly. Bake 45–50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. If browning too quickly, tent loosely with foil. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth. When the cake is at room temperature, drizzle or spoon the glaze over it and sprinkle with chopped pistachios if desired.
Notes
- Bring refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before mixing.
- If you choose to add green food coloring, use only a drop to avoid overpowering the natural pistachio color.
- If using salted pistachios, reduce or omit the added salt in the recipe.
- Store covered at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months (wrap tightly and place in an airtight container or freezer bag).