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Lemon Pistachio Cake

Lemon pistachio cake with tender pistachio-flecked layers and bright lemon cream cheese frosting. Finished with crushed pistachios around the sides and lemon zest curls on top for a clean, citrusy finish.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
cooling 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Mediterranean-American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the pistachio cake
  • 1.5 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup butter softened (1.5 sticks)
  • 1.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 4 eggs large
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
For the lemon cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup butter softened (1 stick)
  • 3 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 0.5 cup crushed pistachios for garnish and sides
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest curls for top garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 stand mixer

Method
 

Bake the pistachio cake layers
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease two 9-inch round pans; line with parchment, then grease the parchment. This prevents sticking and helps the layers release cleanly.
  2. Whisk ground shelled pistachios, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt together. Mix until the dry ingredients look evenly speckled.
  3. Beat softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, 2–3 minutes. The mixture should look lighter in color and aerated.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape the bowl as needed so the batter stays smooth.
  5. Stir in lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, and sour cream until fully combined. The batter will turn pale and glossy.
  6. Fold the pistachio flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. Stop mixing as soon as the batter looks uniform.
  7. Divide the batter between the pans and smooth the tops. Tap once on the counter to release large air bubbles.
  8. Bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. The centers should spring back slightly when pressed.
  9. Cool the cakes completely in the pans. This usually takes about 1 hour for proper frosting and clean layers.
Make the lemon cream cheese frosting
  1. Beat softened cream cheese and softened butter until smooth. The mixture should be creamy with no visible lumps.
  2. Add powdered sugar, fresh lemon juice, and lemon zest, then beat until fluffy. Mix until the frosting looks thick and holds soft peaks.
Assemble and garnish
  1. Fill and frost the cooled cake with the lemon cream cheese frosting. Spread a thick, even layer between the cake layers and over the top.
  2. Press crushed pistachios around the sides of the cake. Keep a gentle, firm pressure so the pistachios adhere in an even ring.
  3. Arrange lemon zest curls on top. Place them in a loose cluster so the curls sit clearly above the frosting.

Notes

For clean slices, refrigerate the finished cake for at least 30 minutes so the frosting firms up. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze the unfrosted cake layers (wrap well) up to 2 months, then thaw and frost after fully cooled. If you want a lighter twist, use reduced-fat cream cheese and butter for a slightly less rich frosting.