Eggless Pistachio Cake

If you love nutty desserts, this eggless pistachio cake is going to be a new favorite. It has a soft crumb, a lovely nutty flavor, and a creamy mascarpone frosting that ties everything together.

The best part is that this recipe is completely eggless. That makes it a wonderful option if you have an egg allergy, follow a vegetarian diet, or simply prefer baking without eggs at home.

I grind real pistachios directly into the flour mixture, so you get real flavor in every single bite.

The cake layers stay soft and moist thanks to simple ingredients like milk and plain yogurt.

It looks beautiful on a dessert table, but the steps are very straightforward and easy to follow.

Why You’ll Love It

Incredible Moisture – The mix of yogurt, milk, and oil creates an ultra-soft crumb that stays tender for days without drying out.

Authentic Nutty Flavor – Real ground pistachios blend right into the batter, giving you a rich and genuine nutty taste in every bite.

Heavenly Mascarpone Frosting – This fluffy, whipped mascarpone topping is perfectly sweet, cloud-like, and much lighter than heavy traditional buttercream.

Bakery Quality Look – The vibrant green crumbs, creamy white frosting, and crushed nuts make this cake look like a professional centerpiece.

Ingredient List

For the Cake

• 2 cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Shelled Unsalted Pistachios
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 cup Whole Milk, Room Temperature
• 1/2 cup Plain Yogurt, Room Temperature
• 1 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter, Melted
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
• 2 drops Green Food Coloring, Optional

For the Frosting

• 8 oz Mascarpone Cheese, Cold
• 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream, Cold

For the Topping

• 1/3 cup Shelled Pistachios, Chopped

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Step 2

Add the pistachios and 2 tablespoons of the flour to a food processor and pulse until finely ground, like coarse sand. Transfer to a medium bowl and whisk in the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 3

In a large bowl, whisk the milk, yogurt and sugar until the sugar mostly dissolves. Whisk in the oil, melted butter, vanilla, almond extract and food coloring, if using, until smooth.

Step 4

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently with a spatula just until combined, with no dry pockets left. Divide the batter evenly between the pans and smooth the tops.

Step 5

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Step 6

For the frosting, beat the mascarpone, powdered sugar and vanilla on low for 30 seconds until smooth. Pour in the cold heavy cream and beat on medium high for 2-3 minutes, just until stiff peaks form.

Step 7

Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread with a thick layer of frosting and top with the second layer. Frost the top and sides, then sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top and gently press some onto the sides.

Chill for 30 minutes before slicing, and store any leftovers in the fridge.

Tips

Pulse Pistachios With Flour

Always grind the pistachios together with the two tablespoons of flour. The flour absorbs the natural oils from the nuts as the food processor runs.

If you pulse the pistachios by themselves, they will turn into a greasy paste instead of fine crumbs. You want a light, sand-like texture so it blends smoothly into this eggless cake.

Bring Milk and Yogurt to Room Temperature

I recommend taking the milk and yogurt out of the fridge about an hour before you start baking.

If these ingredients are cold, they will cause the melted butter to harden into tiny solid bits. Room temperature liquids keep the batter completely smooth and help the cake bake evenly.

Fold the Batter Very Gently

In an eggless recipe like this, you need to be especially gentle when combining the wet and dry ingredients.

Use a rubber spatula to fold just until the dry flour pockets disappear. Overmixing develops too much gluten and makes the cake dense and chewy instead of soft and fluffy.

Try These Next

• Eggless Almond Biscotti
• Eggless Coconut Layer Cake
• Eggless Italian Cannoli
• Eggless Lemon Poppy Seed Loaf Cake
• Eggless Strawberry Cake

Questions You Might Have

Why do I need to grind the pistachios with flour instead of by themselves?

Pistachios release natural oils quickly when blended, which can turn them into a thick nut butter instead of a fine crumb.

Adding a little flour absorbs those oils so the nuts grind evenly into a light powder that folds smoothly into the batter.