Pistachio Loaf Cake
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Pistachio Cake starts with a boxed cake mix and is a moist and tender pistachio flavored caked topped off with a buttery almond frosting and chopped pistachios.
While I am partial to making my own cakes from scratch lately I’ve been working on turning cake mixes into delicious cakes that no one would guess are from a mix.
One of the best tricks I’ve found is to add pudding mix to the batter. This helps give the cake additional flavor. In the case of the pistachio loaf cake I used a yellow boxed cake mix and added pistachio pudding mix to give it the nutty flavor and green color.
What should I add pudding mix to my cakes?
Pudding mix helps to give cakes additional flavor. Pudding mixes contain starches that absorb and hold moisture, which helps to prevent the cake from drying out during baking. This results in a moister and more tender crumb texture. It can also help the texture of the cake and prevent it from falling.
I have never been a huge fan of nuts so making a cake with a nut flavor has never been high on my list. I do have a few of them like this Easy Almond Bundt Cake which is also made with a cake mix. I’ve also made a light and airy Pecan Pie Chiffon Cake with caramel and pecans on top. Then there’s this tasty Caramel Apple Upside Cake that has almonds in caramel as a topping.
In this case I simply saw a picture of a green pistachio cake, realizes I’ve never tasted one, and decided I had to make it. Since a cake mix was being used I knew that I could actually make two loaf cakes, one to eat at home and one to take to work.
What are PIstachios?
Pistachios are edible seeds that come from the pistachio tree which is a member of the cashew family. The small green seeds have a hard shell that splits open when ripe, revealing the flavorful and nutritious nut inside. Pistachios have a slightly sweet and rich flavor with a hint of earthiness, making them a popular ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes.
When I went shopping for the ingredients for this cake I bought a yellow cake mix. You can use a white cake mix but I prefer the flavor of the yellow cake mix as my base.
I also decided to buy already shelled pistachios because I didn’t need a lot of them. They are more expensive this way but as I only needed a small amount it was worth the price for the convenience factor. However you can buy pistachios in the shell and remove the shell yourself.
Ingredients:
- yellow cake mix (you can also use a white cake mix if you prefer)
- pistachio flavored instant pudding mix (make sure it’s the instant type!)
- eggs
- butter (I used unsalted as the nuts are salty on top)
- vanilla Greek yogurt (you can also use plain but I like the added flavor)
- cinnamon
- powdered sugar
- almond extract paste (you can also use almond extract)
- vanilla bean paste (or you can use vanilla extract)
- shelled pistachios
To make the cake preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray and set them aside.
In a large bowl mix together the butter, eggs, and Greek yogurt. Mix well. It may look a little bit lumpy but that is ok.
Add in the cake mix, pudding mixes, and cinnamon and mix until well combined.
Pour half of the batter into each of the loaf pans. I did this by using my large cookie scoop and scooped my batter one scoop at a time into each of the pans. It will look like there isn’t much batter in the pans but don’t worry, they will bake up the size you want them.
Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the edges and remove the cakes from the pans. Cool completely on a wire rack.
At this point you will make the glaze, frost the cakes, and sprinkle pistachios on top.
Can I these in mini loaf pans?
You sure can! Spray mini loaf pans and fill halfway full. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Stick a toothpick into the center and when it comes out clean they are done.
This cake is so light and fluffy. It has a beautiful green color on the inside with a light pistachio flavor. The glaze is sweet, buttery, and has an almond flavor to it. The pistachios offer a bit of crunch and saltiness to the cake.
Can I Freeze this cake?
To freeze the cake make sure to cool it completely. Do not put the glaze or pistachios on top. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap then put it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy simply defrost in the refrigerator over night and then top with the glaze.
Pistachio Loaf Cake
Equipment
- 2 loaf pan
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1 15.25 oz box yellow cake mix
- 2 3.4 oz boxes of Pistachio Instant Pudding Mix
- 4 eggs
- 1/2 cup 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 c. Greek vanilla yogurt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
For the glaze:
- 2 c. powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons butter melted
- 1 teaspoon almond extract paste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- 3/4 c. pistachios chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray two loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl mix together the butter, eggs, and vanilla yogurt.
- Add in the dry cake mix, dry pudding mix, and cinnamon and mix well to combine.
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop half the batter into each loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes.
- Let cool for 10 minutes then run a knife around the edges and remove from the pan. Cool completely.
- In a large bowl combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla. Add in enough milk to make a heavy glaze consistency.
- Spread the glaze over the bread and sprinkle with chopped pistachios.
Notes
