Pistachio Pound Cake Recipe
This Pistachio Pound Cake has a nutty and buttery flavor, a very tender crumb and a sweet vanilla glaze to finish. The chopped toasted nuts on top add a final nutty crunch.
slices
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 5 large eggs (room temp)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ oz raw pistachios (½ cup)
- 6 ¾ oz cake flour (1 ½ cups, see note)
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 10 oz granulated sugar (1 ¼ cups)
- 8 oz unsalted butter (room temp)
Glaze
- 1 oz raw pistachios (scant ¼ cup)
- 4 oz confectioner sugar (1 cup)
- 1 oz whole milk (2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to at 350 °F. Butter and flour a 9"x5" loaf pan or Bundt pan (see note).
- Combine 5 large eggs and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract in a small bowl, whisk to combine and set aside.
- Place 2 ½ oz raw pistachios in a food processor with ¼ cup of the cake flour. Grind the mixture to a powder. Do not over-process or the mixture will become a paste. Stop when most of the nuts are finely ground with some larger bits (see process photo).
- Transfer the ground pistachios to a mixing bowl. Add the remaining flour, ¼ teaspoon table salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder and 10 oz granulated sugar and mix at low speed for 30 seconds. Add 8 oz unsalted butter to the flour and mix until combined. Increase the speed to medium high. Mix for a full 2-3 minutes. The batter will lighten in color and texture. If your using a hand mixer add another minute or two to the mixing time.
- Scrape the bowl and paddle thoroughly. On low speed, add the eggs in 3 increments, scraping the bowl after each addition. Mix just until the eggs are incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth to an even layer. Bake on the middle rack of the oven until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean (about 55-65 minutes, less time if using a Bundt pan).
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning the cake out onto a cooling rack set over a clean sheet pan.
- While the cake is baking, toast 1 oz raw pistachios in a skillet until fragrant. Cool completely then roughly chop the nuts. In a small bowl, whisk together 4 oz confectioner sugar, 1 oz whole milk and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. The glaze should be the consistency of thin pancake batter.
- While the cake is still slightly warm drizzle the glaze over the cake then sprinkle with the chopped pistachios. Allow the glaze to set before moving the cake to a serving platter.
- Cool completely before serving.
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Notes
If measuring the flour by volume use the “dip & sweep” method. That is, dip the measuring cup into the flour bin, overfill it, then sweep away the excess.
I don't like using pan spray for this cake. The cake rises more evenly and comes out of the pan more easily when the pan is buttered and floured.
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