This pistachio cake is soft, moist, and fluffy. It only needs 3 ingredients and doesn’t contain any wheat flour, dairy, butter or oil, but you can’t even tell. The texture is just like a cake made with flour and butter or oil. The cake stores well and can be made ahead of time.
A slice of Pistachio Cake on a plate

I love making this cake, especially this time of year. It’s an easy cake to bring to gatherings. The cake works well for Easter, Passover, birthdays, or any other spring brunch celebrations. I love that the cake has a soft, bouncy, moist crumb just like traditional cake.

Ingredients

  • Pistachio flour: This cake is made with fine pistachio flour. You can use homemade pistachio flour or store bought. You want to use a fine pistachio flour because the fine texture will mimic the texture of regular flour better. You can also substitute with superfine almond flour.
  • Eggs: Eggs are the key to providing the cake structure and giving the cake its bouncy crumb. The egg yolk and whites do not need to be separated, but they do need to be whipped until very light and thick.
  • Sugar: Regular granulated white sugar is used to sweeten the cake.

How to Make Pistachio Cake

  • Add the eggs and sugar to a stand mixer. Beat at highest speed for about 10 minutes or until the mixture becomes very pale yellow and thick and has increased to at least four times the volume. When you stop the mixer, the eggs will deflate and become bubbly, this is normal. Here is how they will look soon after you stop the mixer. Eggs and sugar mixed in a stand mixer
  • Gradually fold in the pistachio in 3 batches, doing your best not to deflate the eggs too much.
  • Transfer your batter to your prepared cake pan and bake for about 40 minutes or until the cake is done. If desired, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving.

Pistachio cake dusted with powdered sugar

Texture

The cake has an airy, soft, moist and bouncy texture. It has a texture similar to a sponge cake. The cake is sweet but not super sweet.
A bite taken from a slice of pistachio cake

Expert Tips

  • The cake will be more of a green yellow. If you prefer a more vibrant green, you can add a little food coloring.
  • Pistachio flour will often vary in color depending on the brand, the type of pistachios used to make the flour and how fresh the flour is. Usually the more premium brands will offer a more vibrant green. However, this will not make your cake come out vibrant green. Because of the long bake time and the egg yolks in the cake, even if you use very green pistachio flour, the cake will still turn out a yellow green, so I don’t recommend spending extra on a more premium green colored pistachio flour.
  • Make sure to line your cake pan sides and bottom with parchment paper. Otherwise, the cake will stick to it, even if it is well greased.

A slice of pistachio cake dusted with powdered sugar

More Flourless Cakes

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5 from 1 vote

3 Ingredient Pistachio Cake

This pistachio cake is so fluffy, moist and soft. It needs just 3 ingredients and is easy to prepare. It doesn't need any wheat flour, butter or oil but you won't be able to tell!
Servings: 12 slices
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs, straight from fridge, about 213 grams without shells
  • 7/8 cup (173 g) granulated white sugar
  • 3 1/2 cups (343 g) fine pistachio flour

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease the interior of an 8 inch round springform pan and then line the inner sides and bottom with parchment paper. You do need to use parchment paper because even if you use a well greased nonstick pan, the cake will stick to the cake pan.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add eggs and sugar. Beat on highest speed for about 10 minutes or until mixture becomes very thick and turns a very pale yellow, and becomes at least quadruple in volume. When the eggs are ready, the mixture should be thick enough that it seems like soft peaks are going to form (when the beater pushes through, it leaves indents/lines that don't disappear right away). However, once you stop beating, the mixture will immediately deflate. This is normal. See photo in post for reference.
  • Using a spatula, gently fold in 1/3 of the pistachio flour. Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour and then the final 1/3. Try your best not to deflate the egg mixture too much. When you are done, the pistachio flour should be all evenly incorporated but the mixture should still look like an egg batter.
  • Transfer your batter to your prepared cake pan. Smooth the surface with your spatula. Bake cake for about 35-45 minutes (mine was done at 40 minutes). The surface of the cake should be light brown and feel lightly firm. Let cake cool for about 1 hour and then gently release it from the cake pan. The cake is easier to cut and tastes best after it is fully cooled, so I recommend waiting a few more hours (or until the next day) to serve it. If desired, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar before serving. When slicing the cake, use a large sharp knife and cut into it gently. The surface of the cake will break as you cut it (it has a delicate, meringue-like surface). If you cut into the cake with too much force, you will squish the cake crumb and cause the cake to sink in too much. Uneaten cake can be stored for about 1-2 days at room temperature and longer in the fridge or freezer.

Notes

  • I used The Pistachio Factory pistachio flour* to make this cake. This recipe works best with a fine pistachio flour which will mimic the texture of wheat flour better.
  • *These product links are affiliate links. This means I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
  • The cake will not be a vibrant green even if you use a premium pistachio flour. You can add a few drops of green food coloring if you want a more vibrant green color.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 240kcal, Carbohydrates: 22g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 24mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 16g, NET CARBS: 19
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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