This pistachio coffee cake is the kind of cake I would make when I want something that looks a little more fun than a plain coffee cake, but still feels easy enough to bake at home. It has a soft pistachio cake base, a layer of pistachio cream in the middle, a crumbly pistachio topping, and a simple drizzle over the top once it cools.

I love this because the pistachio flavor shows up in more than one place, so it does not get lost after baking. The cake itself is soft from the Greek yogurt and buttermilk, while the pistachio cream layer adds a sweet middle that makes each slice look really pretty.

Why You Will Love This Pistachio Coffee Cake Recipe

This pistachio coffee cake is not your usual coffee cake, and that is what makes it so good. The cake has a light green pistachio color, a soft texture, and a creamy layer running through the center. The crumb topping adds a little crunch on top, so every slice has a nice mix of soft cake, sweet pistachio cream, and buttery crumbs.

Another reason I like this recipe is that it looks like a bakery-style cake, but the steps are still simple. The food processor does most of the work for the pistachios, and the cake is baked in one pan. It is a good cake for brunch, dessert, or anytime you want to bake something that feels a little different without making a layer cake.

What You Will Need for this Pistachio Coffee Cake

For the crumb topping, you will need raw shelled pistachios, all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and cold unsalted butter. The pistachios give the topping its nutty flavor, while the flour and sugar help create the crumb texture. The cold butter helps everything come together into small pieces that bake into a crunchy topping.

For the cake, you will use all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. These dry ingredients help the cake rise and give it structure without making it too heavy. The salt also helps balance the sweetness.

You will also need buttermilk, apple cider vinegar, and Greek yogurt. These ingredients help keep the cake soft and moist. The yogurt adds a thicker texture to the batter, while the buttermilk helps keep the crumb tender.

The pistachio flavor comes from raw shelled pistachios, granulated sugar, and pistachio cream spread. The pistachios are blended with the sugar and mixed into the cake batter, while the pistachio cream spread creates the sweet layer in the middle.

For extra flavor, you will use vanilla extract and a little almond or pistachio extract if you want. The extract is optional, but it helps boost the pistachio flavor without needing extra ingredients.

For the icing, you only need pistachio cream spread, powdered sugar, and milk. It makes a smooth drizzle that goes over the cooled cake and gives the top a nice finish.

Ingredients

Pistachio Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup pistachios, raw and shelled
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

Pistachio Cake

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup pistachios, raw and shelled
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond or pistachio extract, optional
• 2/3 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup pistachio cream spread, this is NOT pistachio butter

Pistachio Cream Icing

• 4 tablespoons pistachio cream spread
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

How to Make Pistachio Coffee Cake

Preheat the oven to 320°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and set it aside while you prepare the topping and batter.

To make the pistachio crumb topping, add the pistachios, flour, and sugar to a food processor. Pulse until the pistachios are roughly ground, then add the cold butter and pulse again for a few seconds until the mixture looks crumbly. Scoop the topping into a bowl and set it aside.

For the cake batter, mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a bowl. Set this dry mixture aside so it is ready when you need it.

Add the pistachios and granulated sugar to a food processor and pulse until the pistachios are finely ground into the sugar. This helps spread the pistachio flavor through the cake batter.

In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter for about a minute with an electric mixer. Add the pistachio sugar mixture and beat for another 2 minutes, until everything is well mixed.

Add the Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, and almond or pistachio extract if using. Mix until combined, then scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl so everything is evenly mixed.

Add the buttermilk and dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 2 additions. Mix gently after each addition, and use a spatula at this point so the batter does not get overmixed.

Spread half of the pistachio cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the pistachio cream spread over the batter and gently smooth it into an even layer.

Add the rest of the cake batter over the pistachio cream layer and smooth the top. Sprinkle the pistachio crumb topping evenly over the cake.

Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out almost clean with a few crumbs attached. Make sure it does not have raw batter on it. If it still looks wet, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.

Once the cake is done, let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, remove the springform ring, and place the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the pistachio icing, whisk together the pistachio cream spread, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth. Once the cake is cool, dust it with powdered sugar if you like, then drizzle the pistachio icing over the top before serving.

Tips

Make sure you use pistachio cream spread, not pistachio butter. Pistachio cream is sweeter and smoother, which works better for the middle layer and the icing.

Use unsalted pistachios for this recipe. Salted pistachios can make the cake taste too salty, especially since there is already salt in the batter.

Let the cake cool completely before adding the icing. If the cake is too warm, the icing can melt into the topping instead of sitting nicely on top.

How to Store

Store leftover pistachio coffee cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also freeze slices by wrapping them well and placing them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.

More Coffee Cake Recipes

• Sour Cream Coffee Cake 
• Apple Coffee Cake
• Cinnamon Coffee Cake
•  Blueberry Coffee Cake
• Pumpkin Coffee Cake