I’m a big bundt cake fan. The smell that comes from the oven while baking any flavour is always a dream. This pistachio bundt cake is out of this world. The taste, the colour, the fluffiness, it’s just perfect. Making it is not complicated at all and with this recipe, I guarantee you’ll be wanting to make it nonstop.
My pistachio bundt cake
This pistachio bundt cake is a rich, flavorful cake made with ground pistachios, butter, sugar, eggs, and flour as a base. I also use olive oil for an added depth in flavour and also to keep it extra moist. When making this cake, I like to use half brown sugar and half granulated sugar to add just a bit of caramel taste. I adore using beautiful bundt pans and the one you see in the photos is called Cut Crystal and it’s by the brand Nordic Ware. Once it cooled down, I sprinkled the cake with icing sugar, but you can also choose to make a glaze to drizzle on top. For a simple glaze, mix 90g of icing sugar with enough cold water to get the desired consistency.
How to make a pistachio bundt cake
The first thing that you need for a pistachio bundt cake is, of course, pistachios. Bear in mind that in the recipe below I mention the weight of the pistachios with and without shells. Make sure to use the right measurement depending on what you could buy. We first need to process them so that we have nicely ground pistachios. You don’t need it to have a flour consistency at all, so with a few minutes of processing, it should be enough.
The rest of the procedure for this pistachio bundt cake is pretty standard for any bundt cake. We start by creaming the butter, oil and sugar together. Then we add the eggs and beat them until they’re fluffy and thick. After that, we add the milk and vanilla and finish with the dry ingredients. Be careful not to beat the batter more than necessary once you have added the flour. Overmixing at this stage can result in a tough cake. Just beat the batter enough to mix everything together and then stop. If you’re using a stand mixer, remember to stop mixing every once in a while to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl using a spatula. This will ensure everything gets mixed correctly.
Serving Suggestions
There are many ways to serve pistachio bundt cake, depending on your personal preferences and the occasion. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Serve with a cup of coffee or tea for a cosy afternoon snack. This is my personal favourite!
- Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream for a classic, indulgent treat.
- Pair with fresh berries or a fruit compote for a lighter, more refreshing option.
- If you’re not into sweet sweets, a good way to tone it down is to serve it with a dollop of Greek yoghurt or crême fraîche.
Variations
If you’re feeling creative, there are many ways to put your own spin on this pistachio bundt cake. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Add chocolate chips or chunks to the batter for a decadent twist.
- Add the citrus zest of your choice for a tangy addition.
- Mix in some dried fruit, like chopped cranberries or apricots, for a pop of colour and texture.
More bundt cake recipes
If you love this pistachio bundt cake, chances are you’re going to love my other bundt cake recipes, too! Here are some of them:
Pistachio Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 250 g unsalted pistachios (weight with the shells on) or 180g without shell
- 180 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 50 g olive or vegetable oil
- 2 tsp salt
- 180 g granulated sugar
- 180 g brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract can be replaced with vanilla essence
- 240 ml milk of any kind
- 380 g all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Remove the shells from the pistachios and place them in a food processor. Process until you have small pieces, it's not necessary to have it super fine. Reserve.
- Beat the butter with the sugar, salt and oil until the mix becomes lighter in colour. You can do this with an electric mixer or using a hand-held whisk.
- Add the eggs and beat them again until they are fully incorporated and the mix looks airy. From all the beating, the mix should thicken and start to unstick from the sides of the bowl.
- Add the milk and vanilla extract and mix. It will look split, but don't worry. It will come back with the flour.
- Add the flour, pistachios and baking powder and mix.
- Grease your bundt pan with melted butter. You can paint it onto the pan or use a piece of kitchen paper to spread it around. Flour the pan. After distributing the flour around the inside of the pan, turn it upside down and pat it to remove the excess.
- Place the batter inside the pan and spread it out.
- Bake the cake at 180°C/350°F for 45min-1hour or until when you insert a knife, it comes out clean. It's important to not overcook it to prevent it from drying out. If you have an electric oven, check the cake at the 30-minute mark. If it's golden enough on top, change the heat source to only the bottom.
- While it's still hot, turn the pan over onto a cooling rack. Lift the pan off the cake carefully, and allow it to cool completely.
- Once at room temperature, dust with icing sugar.
