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Home » Cakes » Chocolate Pistachio Cake

Chocolate Pistachio Cake

Mar 9, 2017 · By Jen Sobjack · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

12.8Kshares
Chocolate Pistachio Cake Pin

This layered Chocolate Pistachio Cake will turn heads! Rich decadent chocolate cake slathered in light, creamy pistachio frosting. It looks just as good as it tastes. A luscious chocolate ganache rests on top of the cake with a ring of crushed pistachios encasing it. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream!

Chocolate pistachio cake on a wooden cake stand with a cream colored napkin around the base.

It’s starting to feel like spring here already. Currently, the windows are open and the sun is filling the office as I work. Oh, how I’ve missed these gorgeous days.

The weather has me craving time away. Maybe somewhere tropical. Somewhere warm.

That’s exactly what I’ll be doing at the end of the month. We’re sailing away on a 10 cruise and I. Can’t. Wait.

I’ve been busy planning enough recipes and posts to keep the blog afloat while we travel. And there’s been so much chocolate! Earlier this week I shared these homemade thin mints. And now this glorious chocolate pistachio cake.

A slice of triple layer chocolate pistachio cake on a bamboo plate with a fork next to it.

This is a mega chocolate cake! So full of rich chocolaty goodness but balanced with a light pistachio buttercream. It’s perfection.

While this chocolate pistachio cake looks extravagant and difficult, it’s actually really simple. I turned to my favorite chocolate cake base. It’s the same one used for this peppermint fudge cake.

The chocolate batter contains both cocoa powder and melted chocolate which is enhanced with some strong brewed coffee. If you’d rather not add coffee to the cake, you can replace it with buttermilk.

After you bake the chocolate cake layers, it’s time to cover them with frosting. I am loving this pistachio frosting. It’s incredible.

You need unsalted shelled pistachios and a strong food processor. All you have to do is grind the pistachios into a paste.

High-angled view of chocolate pistachio cake on a wooden cake stand.

Make a basic vanilla buttercream frosting and stir the pistachio paste in at the very end. I like to add a drop of green food coloring also, but this is totally optional.

Make sure the cake is completely cool then spread some frosting in between each layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Finish the cake with chocolate ganache and crushed pistachios.

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Chocolate Pistachio Cake

Chocolate Pistachio Cake

Yield: 24 servings
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This layered Chocolate Pistachio Cake will turn heads! Rich decadent chocolate cake slathered in light, creamy pistachio frosting. It looks just as good as it tastes. A luscious chocolate ganache rests on top of the cake with a ring of crushed pistachios encasing it. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream!

Ingredients

For the cake

  • 2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup (57 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus more for dusting the pans
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 ounces (113 grams) unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (360 milliliters) buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) strong brewed coffee, cooled

For the frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups (184 grams) unsalted pistachios, shelled
  • 1 teaspoon canola oil
  • 2 cups (454 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3-6 cups (720 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • 1-2 drops green food coloring
  • 1 cup (123 grams) unsalted pistachios, shelled and chopped (for garnish)

For the ganache

  • 2 ounces (56 grams) semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Instructions

Make the cake

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spray 3 8-inch round pans with nonstick spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper cut into a circle to fit the pan. Spray the parchment paper with nonstick spray and dust the pan lightly with cocoa powder. Tap out any excess and set aside.
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a whisk and set aside.
  3. Add the chocolate to a small heatproof bowl and set it over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir continuously until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
  4. Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a handheld electric mixer beat the butter and sugar together on medium-low speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla. Add the melted chocolate and mix until well incorporated. With the mixer set to low speed. gradually add half the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk and coffee, and then the remaining flour mixture. Beat just until combined. The batter will be thick.
  5. Divide the batter evenly between the 3 prepared pans. Use an offset spatula to spread the batter all the way to the edges of the pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few dry crumbs. Cool the cake in the pans for 10 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack to cool completely. Peel the parchment paper off the bottoms before filling.

Make the frosting

  1. In a food processor, process the pistachios until they become coarsely ground. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the oil if the pistachios aren't breaking down easily. Continue to blend for 25-30 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides as needed throughout the process until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth. Add the cream, vanilla, and salt. Continue to beat until incorporated.
  3. Add 2 cups of confectioner's sugar, beat on medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened. Gradually add in the remaining sugar, one cup at a time. You may need more or less depending on how soft the butter is. Beat on medium-low speed until the sugar is moistened. Turn the speed up to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the pistachio paste and food coloring. Mix until well combined.

Assemble the cake

  1. Place one cake layer onto a serving platter. Add a generous amount of frosting and spread it to the edge with a spatula. Repeat with a second cake layer, topping it with a generous amount of frosting. Add the third cake layer and cover the top and sides of cake with frosting. Press chopped pistachios into the sides of the cake near the bottom and coming up less than halfway. Sprinkle pistachios over the outer edge on top of the cake creating a 1-inch border. Set the cake in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Make the ganache

  1. Place the chocolate, butter, and corn syrup in a medium heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
  2. Spoon the ganache over the top of the cake in the center of the pistachio border. Use the back of the spoon to create a smooth layer of ganache. Set the cake back into the freezer for 10 minutes.

Make ahead tip

  1. Wrap baked and cooled cake layers tightly in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator. The frosting can be prepared, covered, and refrigerated overnight. Assemble and frost the cake within 2 days.
  2. The frosted cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature just before serving. 

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Bake-Even Cake Strips
    Bake-Even Cake Strips
  • 8-inch Round Cake Pan
    8-inch Round Cake Pan
  • Stand Mixer
    Stand Mixer
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 482
Nutritional values are automatically calculated by Nutritionix and should be used as a general guide only. For accurate values, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used for the recipe.
© Jen Sobjack
Cuisine: American / Category: Cakes

Tried this recipe? Rate the recipe below and share your photos on Instagram! Mention @introvertbaker or tag #introvertbaker! Make sure your account is set to public or I won’t see it.

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  1. Karen says

    December 05, 2019 at 9:59 pm

    I’m making this for my grad school class and I would like to do this as cupcakes. How would that change the baking time (rough estimate)? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      December 06, 2019 at 10:04 am

      Cupcakes usually take 15 to 22 minutes to bake.

      Reply
  2. Shraddha says

    September 19, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    How can I make this cake eggless ?

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      September 24, 2019 at 8:38 am

      I’m not familiar with making eggless cakes so I can’t give you advice on this one.

      Reply
  3. Mark Newton says

    June 18, 2019 at 3:59 pm

    Did you use roasted unsalted pistachios or raw unsalted pistachios?

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      June 19, 2019 at 4:40 pm

      I used roasted unsalted pistachios. They are linked in the ingredient list.

      Reply
  4. Jess says

    May 30, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    Hi Jen,

    I am going to attempt to make this tomorrow for a friend’s birthday but am quite the baking novice. Any pitfalls in this recipe I should be aware of?

    Also do I just leave out the coffee or replace it with extra buttermilk? So 480ml buttermilk in total?

    Many thanks!
    Jess

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      May 31, 2019 at 9:09 am

      As long as you follow the recipe exactly, there shouldn’t be any pitfalls. Use regular milk in place of the coffee so the batter will be the proper consistency.

      Reply
  5. GayleH says

    April 08, 2019 at 8:57 am

    This cake was amazing! I rarely write reviews but I just wanted to say thanks for the awesome recipe!

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      April 08, 2019 at 9:18 am

      Thanks, Gayle! I’m happy to hear you loved the recipe!

      Reply
  6. Kelly says

    August 11, 2018 at 7:38 pm

    Made this. Amazing. Might be the best thing I’ve ever made. I used more pistachios than it said to. And I didn’t need any food colouring to make it green!

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      August 13, 2018 at 10:01 am

      That’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
  7. Ariel says

    May 27, 2018 at 10:13 am

    What a great cake! I made this for a 75th birthday party. It turned out perfect, and everyone loved it.

    I skipped the coffee, and put strawberry slices between each layer, and on top of the ganache. It’s was so delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
    • Jen Sobjack says

      May 28, 2018 at 10:47 am

      I love the addition of strawberries!

      Reply
  8. Sabrina says

    April 15, 2017 at 1:23 pm

    I love almonds and I am going to try to make this cake using almond butter as a substitute for the pistachios. If I thought my food processor could handle this I would make the pistachio version. Happy baking.

    Reply
  9. Abigail says

    March 28, 2017 at 9:57 am

    When my brother asked for a chocolate pistachio cake for his birthday, I thought he was joking.
    But he wasn’t, so I found this recipe. Honestly, Jen, this was the only recipe that caught my eye. Your cake is polished and beautiful.

    I made only a couple of minor changes to the recipe. I used cake flour (sifted) instead of all-purpose and made the ganache with just melted chocolate and heavy cream. I used about 3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar in the frosting (which was delicious). Also, I could only process the pistachios for a couple of minutes before they started sticking to the sides of the food processor, which was fine by me. I was afraid that the frosting would be too grainy, but the pieces were small enough that it didn’t bother anyone.

    Everyone loved this cake. I make desserts for my family pretty frequently and everyone agreed that this was their favorite one yet. This is going to be my new go-to recipe for chocolate cake… It’s so good.

    Thank you for the wonderful recipe!

    Reply
  10. 2pots2cook says

    March 17, 2017 at 12:55 pm

    I really enjoy your site. Thank you !

    Reply
  11. Hallie B.| The Wordy Baker says

    March 11, 2017 at 10:55 am

    This looks amazing! I love dark chocolate and pistachios together.

    Reply
  12. cakespy says

    March 10, 2017 at 6:39 am

    I’ve never been on a cruise! Enjoy!! This cake looks like heaven on a plate for the rest of us on solid ground. 🙂

    Reply
  13. Manali@CookWithManali says

    March 09, 2017 at 8:58 pm

    stunning cake Jen! 🙂 enjoy your trip xoxo

    Reply

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The moments I treasure most are those spent quietly in my kitchen, creating the best tasting dessert recipes so I can share them with you.
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