A heavenly Italian pistachio cake recipe, all the way from Italy. It is almost mousse like in texture – light, spongy and melts in your mouth with every bite.
Jump to:
Where did this recipe come from?
I got this recipe from a kind waiter at a high end restaurant in Venice when I was there years ago with family. I felt a little cheeky asking for the recipe so was very pleasantly surprised when the waiter emailed it to me directly straight away. I’m sure he won’t mind me sharing it with you either.
Reasons to love this cake:
- Beautifully Nutty Flavour
Pistachios bring a naturally sweet, slightly earthy flavour that’s rich and elegant without being overpowering. - Incredibly Moist and Tender
Ground pistachios and butter) keep the crumb soft, delicate, and melt-in-your-mouth tender. - Naturally Vibrant Colour
The soft green hue from the pistachios gives the cake a beautiful, eye-catching look- no food colouring required
A note about pistachio flour
This recipe uses pistachio flour which is hard to come by in New Zealand (where I live). Italian’s seem to love pistachios and I think pistachio flour is a little easier to come by there compared to here in New Zealand and other countries. I tried looking for it in several places, but to no avail. Any ideas?
Fortunately I was given some whole pistachios from my mum and I grounded them into flour by whizzing them in a food processor for a couple of minutes (I did have to keep an eye on it so that the nuts didn't turn into a nut butter - like this one). Too easy. A NutriBullet does the job beautifully as well.
If you’d like to know other ways to use pistachio flour, check out these ideas.
Ingredients needed to make this cake (and why each are used)
- Pistachios
The star ingredient — they bring a rich, nutty flavour, soft green colour, and moist texture to the cake. - Eggs
Eggs act as the binding agent, giving the cake structure and stability. They also help trap air during mixing, making the cake light and fluffy. I used size 7 eggs. - Sugar
Sweetens the cake and helps create a tender crumb. When beaten with eggs, sugar also helps aerate the batter for a lighter texture. - Butter (melted and cooled)
Adds richness and moisture, creating a tender, soft crumb. Using melted butter keeps the cake smooth and cohesive without creaming. - Plain flour (or gluten-free flour)
Provides structure and helps hold the cake together. A small amount ensures the cake stays delicate and not overly dense. A gluten-free flour blend can easily be swapped in - Baking powder
Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cake rise and become airy by creating bubbles in the batter as it bakes.
How to make this recipe
1. Prep your oven and cake tin
2. Prepare the pistachios (blitz into a flour)
3. Make the cake batter
4. Bake the cake
Too easy!
Serving this cake
This cake is delicious enough to be served with just a sprinkle of icing sugar. But if you feel like a bit of decadence, serve it with pistachio ice cream, which is how I had it when I tried it for the first time – talk about finger lickin’ good. If you can't get your hands on pistachio ice cream, plain vanilla ice cream pairs perfectly too.
Other ideas:
– A drizzle of honey or lemon glaze
– A dollop of whipped cream, mascarpone, or ricotta
– Fresh berries or poached fruit
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! The original recipe that I was given was the double the size of the one below. I halved it to make it a little more affordable to make as pistachios aren’t the cheapest ingredient to buy.
Storage
This cake is best eaten within a day or two of making. Store in an airtight container.
FAQ
Use raw, unsalted pistachios for the best flavour. Roasted or salted pistachios can alter the taste and texture of the cake.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Italian Pistachio Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 150 g pistachios
- 3 eggs
- 125 g (½ + 2) tablespoons sugar
- 75 g (⅓ cup) butter, melted and cooled
- 50 g (⅓ cup +1 tablespoon) plain flour (or gluten free flour)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 160C (320F) and line a 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin.
- Place the pistachio nuts in a food processor and pulse until you reach a fine powder. Don’t worry if there are still a few lumpy bits and be careful not to pulse until the pistachios turn into nut butter. Set aside.
- Using a stand/hand mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). With the mixer still on, gradually add the melted butter and mix until just combined. Sift the plain flour and baking powder into the bowl and using a spoon, fold to combine. Add the pistachio flour and continue to fold until well incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cake has come away from the sides of the cake tin and a cake skewer comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in cake tin for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack. Once completely cool, dust with icing sugar.
