If you’re looking for a dessert that’s light, zesty, and full of flavor, this lemon pistachio cake is the perfect choice. Made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and crunchy pistachios.
This cake is moist, nutty, and has just the right balance of sweetness and tanginess. It’s an easy cake recipe that works beautifully for birthdays, tea time, or simply when you’re craving something fresh and delicious.
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When it comes to baking, pistachios don’t always get the spotlight, they’re often reserved for traditional treats like ma’amoul cookies or paired with the luxury Dubai chocolate bar. But I wanted to give them a chance to shine in this cake, and I found they pair beautifully with the bright, citrusy flavor of lemon.
Lemons, on the other hand, are a different story, I have a true love relationship with them, though mostly on the savory side. I use them generously in almost all my salad dressings, and they’re essential in Palestinian mezze dishes like hummus, mutabal, and many others. But when it comes to sweets, I hadn’t explored them much until this cake, and you can also try them with this lemon blueberry cookies.
For more homemade delicious cakes, check out my mother's popular orange cake, olive oil plum cake, date and walnut cake and more cakes.
Equipment
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Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour - Provides the structure of the cake.
- Baking Soda - Helps the cake to rise.
- Sea Salt - Helps to balance all the flavor.
- Medium Size Eggs (room temperature) - Using room temperature cake helps the cake whip better and allows the cake to rise better, be fluffier, and be less dense.
- Vanilla - It adds extra flavor to baked goods.
- Olive Oil - Provides richness and moisture to the cake, or use unsalted butter.
- Plain Yogurt - Helps the cake to be more moist and fluffy, you can also use plain greek yogurt.
- Granulated Sugar - To sweeten the cake.
- Lemon juice and lemon zest - Always use fresh lemon juice, it adds a bright tangy flavor, while lemon zest brings intense citrus aroma and natural oils that deepen the cake’s fresh lemony taste.
- Unsalted Pistachios - Unsalted pistachios add a rich, nutty crunch that pairs beautifully with the lemony citrus flavor of the cake.
Instructions
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 | Zest the lemon first then squeeze out the juice. Set both aside.
Step 2 | In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is fragrant and slightly tinted with the zest’s oils.
Step 3 | In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Step 4 | In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla until combined.
Step 5 | Add in the sugar–zest mixture over the beaten eggs and continue mixing until well combined.
Step 6 | Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then add the yogurt and mix until smooth.
Step 7 | Gently fold the dry ingredients and lemon juice into the wet mixture until just combined.
Step 8 | Add the pistachios and gently mix everything well together.
Step 9 | Pour the cake batter into a greased 9" square baking pan.
Step 10 | Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 11 | Once cake is completely cooled, cover with a layer of whipped cream and sprinkle generously with crushed pistachios.
Variations and Substations
- Gluten-Free Lemon Pistachio Cake – Swap the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend
- Vegan Lemon Pistachio Cake – Replace eggs with flax eggs (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water per egg), and use plant-based milk and oil.
- Lemon Pistachio Loaf – Bake in a loaf pan and slice it like banana bread, perfect for tea or breakfast.
- Rose Water Pistachio Cake – Add a teaspoon of rose water to the batter for a Middle Eastern touch.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter instead of olive oil.
- Pistachios – If pistachios aren’t available, try almonds or walnuts.
Pro Tips
- Use fresh lemons – Bottled lemon juice won’t give the same bright, citrusy flavor. Always zest before juicing for maximum flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients – eggs, and yogurt blend more easily when they’re not cold, giving you a smoother batter.
- Don’t overmix – Mix just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender and fluffy.
- Check for doneness early – Every oven is different. Start checking 5 minutes before the suggested bake time. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Glaze while warm – If using a lemon glaze, pour it on while the cake is still slightly warm so it soaks in beautifully.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days (without frosting).
- Refrigerator: If frosted, keep it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
- Freezer: Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap (without frosting), then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or for a few hours at room temperature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Use a gluten-free flour blend for baking.
Not at all. This cake is delicious plain, with just a dusting of powdered sugar or a drizzle of lemon glaze.
Yes absolutely. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 2-3 spoons of lemon juice until smooth, drizzle over the warm cake to soak.
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More Delicious Cakes
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Lemon Pistachio Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
Description
If you’re looking for a dessert that’s light, zesty, and full of flavor, this lemon pistachio cake is the perfect choice. Made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, lemon zest, and crunchy pistachios.
This cake is moist, nutty, and has just the right balance of sweetness and tanginess. It’s an easy cake recipe that works beautifully for birthdays, tea time, or simply when you’re craving something fresh and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 lemons, zest and juice (about ⅓ cup lemon juice)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup of yogurt
- ½ cup of roughly chopped pistachios (and more for decorating)
- 1 cup of heavy cream whipped.
Instructions
- Zest the lemon and squeeze out the juice. Set both aside.
- In a small bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar is fragrant and lightly tinted with the zest’s oils.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla until combined.
- Add in the sugar–zest mixture over the beaten eggs and continue mixing until well combined.
- Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, then add the yogurt and mix until smooth.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined.
- Give pistachio a rough chop then add them over the cake batter, gently mix until fully combined.
- Pour the cake batter into a greased baking pan or lining with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely. Spread with whipped cream, then decorate with extra chopped pistachios and curls of lemon peel.
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For home made whipping cream: Whisk 1 cup of heavy cream (or beat with a hand/stand mixer) on medium-high speed until the cream starts to thicken.
Notes
- Use fresh lemons – Bottled lemon juice won’t give the same bright, citrusy flavor. Always zest before juicing for maximum flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients – eggs, and yogurt blend more easily when they’re not cold, giving you a smoother batter.
- Don’t overmix – Mix just until the ingredients are combined to keep the cake tender and fluffy.
- Check for doneness early – Every oven is different. Start checking 5 minutes before the suggested bake time. A toothpick should come out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Glaze while warm – If using a lemon glaze, pour it on while the cake is still slightly warm so it soaks in beautifully.
Reem says
What a great combination, never thought of adding pistachios to a cake. It turned out so good, moist, fluffy, and simply delicious, everyone loved it.
Wafa Shami says
Hi Reem, I'm so glad to hear that, thanks for the review!