A moist pistachio bundt cake made with real pistachios processed into both pistachio flour and rich homemade pistachio paste so every bite is full of nutty flavor. This elegant cake is a crowd pleasing centerpiece for holidays and dinner parties.
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Easy Pistachio Bundt Cake
The key ingredient in this homemade Pistachio Bundt Cake is real pistachios. Finely ground pistachios and homemade pistachio paste give every slice a delicious nutty flavor and a soft, moist crumb.
The cake, enhanced with a drizzle of pistachio cream cheese glaze and a topping of chopped pistachios, becomes extra special. At its best, no pudding powder or artificial colors are required!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Shelled Pistachios: Divided for making pistachio flour and pistachio paste. Substitution: Unsalted, raw, or lightly roasted unsalted pistachios work best. If using salted pistachios, omit the added salt in the dry ingredients.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structural support.
- Baking Powder& Baking Soda: Combined leaveners for a reliable rise in a heavy Bundt pan.
- Salt: Enhances flavor contrast.
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds extra moisture and a subtle caramel tone that complements pistachios.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds rich flavor and structure.
- Neutral Oil: Keeps the crumb soft and moist for days. Use canola, vegetable, or avocado oil.
- Large Eggs: Room temperature eggs to bind the batter.
- Full-Fat Sour Cream: Adds tenderness and acidity to activate the baking soda. Substitution: Plain full-fat Greek yogurt works well as a direct 1:1 swap.
- Whole Milk: Thins the batter to the ideal consistency.
- Vanilla Extract & Almond Extract: The small amount of almond extract enhances the natural pistachio flavor without making the cake taste predominantly of almond.
- Pistachio Cream Cheese Glaze: Is made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, reserved pistachio paste and milk.
Pro Tip
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, gently loosen the outer edge and center tube if necessary, then invert. Do not allow it to cool completely in the Bundt pan.
Pistachio Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Pistachio Cake
- 2¼ cups shelled pistachios, divided , about 306 g
- 2¼ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (300 g)
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar , (200 g)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar , (106 g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs beaten
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream , (120 g)
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Pistachio Cream Cheese Glaze
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened (85 g)
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar (270 g)
- ¼ cup homemade pistachio paste, reserved from above (60 g)
- 3 Tablespoons whole milk plus more as needed for thinning
Garnish: Chopped pistachios
Instructions
Prepare the pistachio flour
- Measure ¾ cup (96 g) of the shelled pistachios. Grind them in a food processor for about 1 to 2 minutes. The resulting pistachio flour should be as fine as almond flour. Avoid overprocessing, which will cause the pistachios to release their natural oils and begin clumping. Place in a bowl and set aside.
Prepare the pistachio paste
- Add the remaining 1½ cups (210 g) pistachios to the food processor. Process for approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stopping as needed to scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Continue processing until the pistachios release their natural oils and form a thick paste that clumps together. The paste should be soft and pliable but does not need to be smooth or pourable.
- Measure and reserve ¼ cup (60 g) of the finished pistachio paste for the cream cheese glaze. Set aside the remaining pistachio paste to use in the cake batter.
Prepare the Bundt cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan. Coat all grooves, crevices and the center tube. You can also use baking spray with flour and a silicone pastry brush to ensure every part of the pan is evenly coated.
- In a medium bowl, using a whisk, mix together the all-purpose flour, prepared pistachio flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined.
- Add the remaining pistachio paste and beat until thoroughly incorporated. The mixture will be thick and slightly grainy.
- Gradually add the neutral oil, followed by the beaten eggs, mixing until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add in the milk, sour cream, and both extracts. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients in 2 to 3 additions, mixing with a wooden spoon until just combined. Avoid overmixing. The finished batter will be fairly thick. The finished batter will be thick and may have a slightly grainy texture due to the ground pistachios.
Bake the cake
- Scoop the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan. Slightly tap the bundt pan on the counter to make sure any air bubbles are released.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The internal temperature should be approximately 205°F (96°C).
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Gently run a knife along the outer edge and around the center tube if necessary.
- Carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack or serving plate. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
Make the pistachio cream cheese glaze
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the powdered sugar, beating until combined.
- Add the reserved ¼ cup (60 g) homemade pistachio paste and mix on low until creamy.
- Gradually add whole milk, a little at a time, until the glaze reaches a thick but pourable consistency. It should flow slowly from a spoon and create ribbons that gently drip down the sides of the cake.
- Pour the glaze over the completely cooled Bundt cake. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios before the glaze sets.
Notes
- Pistachios: This recipe uses approximately 306 g (10.8 ounces) shelled pistachios for the cake and glaze. It’s recommended to purchase at least a 12 ounce bag of shelled pistachios, or a larger package if you want a generous chopped pistachio garnish.
- Homemade pistachio flour: Process only until finely ground. Overprocessing will turn the flour into paste.
- Homemade pistachio paste: No additional oil, sugar or water is necessary. The pistachios naturally release their oils during processing. The paste is ready when it begins clumping together into a soft, cohesive mixture.
Nutrition
How to Make Pistachio Bundt Cake
1- Make the Pistachio Flour: Place some shelled pistachios into a food processor. Pulse and grind for about 1 to 2 minutes until finely ground, matching the consistency of almond flour. Stop before the nut oils release into a paste. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
2- Make the Pistachio Paste: Place the remaining pistachios into the food processor. Process for 5 to 6 minutes, stopping periodically to scrape down the sides and bottom with a rubber spatula. Continue processing until the nuts go from ground meal into a thick paste.
Measure and reserve ¼ cup of this paste for the glaze. Leave the remaining paste available for the cake batter.
3- Thoroughly grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. In a medium bowl, Mix together flour, pistachio flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside
4- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar then mix in pistachio paste, oil and eggs until smooth. Mix in the sour cream, whole milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until uniform.
Gently fold in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon or spatula, mixing just until combined.
5- Scoop the thick batter evenly into your prepared Bundt pan. Tap the pan firmly against the counter 2–3 times to release trapped air bubbles.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool inside the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Then invert on a cooling rack, and gently lift the pan away. Cool completely to room temperature before glazing.
6- In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and free of lumps. Mix in the powdered sugar until combined. Add the reserved pistachio paste and mix on low speed until smooth. Gradually add milk until thick yet pourable.
Spoon or pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cooled Bundt cake, letting it run down the sides. Top with chopped pistachios before the glaze sets.
Storage
- Leftover pistachio bundt cake should be wrapped tightly and stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: For best results, freeze the cake without the glaze. Wrap the completely cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, followed by aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before glazing and serving.
Recipe Variations
- Fold ½ cup of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter right before transferring it to the Bundt pan.
- Skip the cream cheese glaze and lightly dust the completely cooled cake with powdered sugar.
- For a lighter alternative, combine powdered sugar with a little whole milk or water until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
It is best not to let the cake cool completely in the Bundt pan. As the cake cools, the sugars and fats can make it more difficult to release from the pan.
Also, it could trap steam and make the cake soggy. It’s best to carefully invert the cake onto a wire rack or serving platter 10 to 15 minutes after pulling it from the oven.
Homemade pistachio pastes takes approximately 5 to 6 minutes to make in the food processor, depending on the strength of your machine.
At first, the pistachios will resemble pistachio flour. It will then begin to clump together similar to wet sand.
Don't stop processing at this stage! Continue processing, scraping down the sides as needed. The pistachios will release their natural oils, and the mixture will eventually pull together into a soft, pliable ball on one side of the food processor.
No additional oil or liquid is necessary.
Yes. Because this recipe uses homemade ground pistachio paste and pistachio flour rather than ultra refined artificial powders, the batter naturally maintains a thick, textured body. It will bake up perfectly soft and tender.
This cake gets its color naturally from real pistachios, without artificial food coloring. The finished cake will have a subtle green hue rather than the vivid green associated with boxed pistachio pudding mixes.
I recommend making your own pistachio paste for this recipe.
However, if you prefer to use store-bought pistachio paste, look for a paste made with 100% pistachios and no added sugar, oils or other ingredients. Store-bought pistachio pastes can vary considerably in consistency and ingredients, which may affect the flavor and texture of the cake. Avoid sweetened pistachio creams or spreads, as they are not suitable substitutes for homemade pistachio paste.
More Bundat Cakes
- Strawberry Shortcake Bundt
- Apple Cream Cheese Bundt Cake
- Orange Bundt Cake with Saffron
- Red Velvet Bundt Cake
- Carrot Bundt Cake
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
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