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Made the cardamom pistachio pound cake on two occasions with vastly different crowds and it was hailed as the best cake on the sweet table!! Thank you, great recipe. ~Heather
My pistachio cardamom pound cake is a delicious way to showcase two flavors that go hand in hand in so many recipes from India and the Middle East. You’ll find the cardamom pistachio combination in ice cream (kulfi,) rice puddings, cakes, candies and cookies. This easy quick bread is a wonderful choice for baking and sharing because while it has an exotic flair, the glazed pound cake format is familiar and comforting. It’s a fun cake with a fresh flavor profile that will bring a little something new to your baking routine.
related: French Pistachio Cake
cardamom pistachio pound cake ingredients
I used lots of fresh shelled pistachios in my pound cake, with cardamom in the batter and the glaze.
- pistachio nuts
- I finely grind the pistachios in my food processor and this adds flavor and texture to the cake. The ground nuts act almost like additional flour, and serve to loosen the crumb of the cake.
- butter
- sugar
- regular sugar for the cake and powdered sugar for the glaze.
- eggs
- buttermilk
- buttermilk makes such a soft tender cake, why would you bake with anything else?
- flour
- baking powder and salt
- vanilla extract
- ground cardamom
- if your cardamom has been hanging around your kitchen for year, please go out and buy a fresh jar. The aroma of this spice is out of this world and you want it at its best.
Why cardamom?
Every spice is unique, but there’s something extra unique about cardamom! It’s used both whole and ground in lots of sweet and savory dishes and adds a warm, slightly citrusy flavor to curries, rice dishes, baked goods, and beverages like chai tea. Think of it as a softer version of cinnamon, and I love the way the aromatic flavor lingers on the palate. It gives this pound cake a distinctive personality.
I have a particular fondness for cardamom, and some of my favorite recipes feature it:
Pistachios are freshest in their shells, and it doesn’t take long to shell them because their shells pop open naturally as they ripen. But definitely used shelled nuts if that’s all you have. Look for unsalted nuts, if you can find them.
If you’re really into pistachios, look for Bronte pistachios or Pistacchio di Bronte from Italy that are particularly famous for their vibrant green color, rich flavor, and unique aroma, attributed to the volcanic soil and climate conditions of the region. Bronte pistachios have a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status, which signifies their geographical origin and ensures their quality and authenticity.
I love the parrot green color of these nuts ~ this is definitely not the same old same old pound cake, that’s for sure. I use cardamom in both in the cake and in the frosting, and although it’s definitely assertive, it’s not at all overwhelming. I can’t get enough cardamom. Is everybody with me on this? I love the color, the floral aroma, the mellow complex flavor…and it doesn’t overpower the way cinnamon can. The cardamom allows the pistachio flavor to shine through. This is a GREAT cake!
Pistachio Cardamom Pound Cake
Equipment
- 9×5 loaf pan
- parchment paper optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup shelled pistachios, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp rounded, ground cardamom
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt, omit if you use salted butter
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
glaze
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 2-3 Tbsp buttermilk for thinning
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F Lightly butter a 9×5 loaf pan and line it with parchment paper with long ends so you can lift the bread out later for glazing and slicing.
- Divide the pistachios in half. Using a food processor (a small one works well) grind half of the nuts into a fine meal. Set aside. Grind the remaining half more coarsely and set aside. You should have about 1/2 cup of each.
- Put the sugar, butter, vanilla and cardamom into a stand mixer and cream until light and fluffy ~ a full 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in each of the eggs, one by one, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Continue beating for another 2-3 minutes.
- Whisk together the flour, all the pistachios, baking powder, and salt and add to the mixer, alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Finish mixing by hand, to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed, but don’t over beat.
- Turn the batter into the prepared pan, spread out evenly, and bake on the center rack for 55-60 minutes, or until fully risen and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it (moist crumbs are fine.)
- Cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then remove to a rack.
- Whisk the glaze ingredients together and spread it over the cake when it is almost completely cool. Dust with crushed pistachio nuts.
- This cake keeps well at room temperature. Don't slice until ready to serve or it can start to dry out. Freeze for longer storage.
I am making myself a doll birthday cake as an adult so I wanted adult flavors. I made a double batch and baked it in the Wilton doll pan. I layered and crumb coated it in chai butter cream. My testers are so delicious! Great fall flavors. I know it’s a weird combination, but it can be used in loads of different ways.
That’s SO creative! I always wanted one of those doll cakes when I was little, you go girl!
I have been baking this cake for over a year and its just divine! Thank you so much for sharing a fabulous recipe!
Love to hear that Sana!
Great cake! But unsalted pistachios should clarified in the ingredient list. It just says pistachio.
I’ll change that, thanks Donna 🙂
The recipe looks amazing. All my favorite flavors. Could you write ingredients in grams because I am never sure how American measuring system works. Would really apriciate. Can’t wait to make it.
Thank you in advance
Hi Sue,
This recipe sounds really exciting! Could you, however, clarify what you mean by alternately add the wet and dry ingredients? I’m not really an expert baker or anything, and just want to get the instructions right before attempting it?
Many thanks!
Dr. Aarti
Hi Aarti ~ that just means to add a little of each at a time, alternating between them, so you aren’t dumping everything into the bowl at once. This helps keep the batter light. So start with a little of the dry ingredients and mix it in. Then add a little of the wet, and back and forth until it’s all incorporated.
Thanks Sue! 🙂
Hi,
Just to let you know that I made this cake for my son’s birthday and it turned out fantastic. Great recipe! Thanks 🙂
Dr. Aarti
I’m so pleased, thanks Aarti!
This looks so good! I was wondering whether I can substitute the butter milk with sour cream (since I happen to have one in the fridge and I want to use it up)? If so what would be the suggested amount? CAN’T WAIT to try it this weekend 🙂
I haven’t tried that Jill, but I would recommend starting with the same amount of sour cream. Maybe thin it down a little bit with milk, if you have it.
Love this! Have made it a handful of times now, and the best has been when I add much more powdered pistachio. I also cut the sugar down a bit because with the icing it’s too sweet for me. Most recently, I added a bit of rosewater in the icing to give it a full Indian flair. Will try it with a bit of saffron next time. Thanks again for posting this – beyond fantastic!
Thanks so much for taking the time to come back and comment, Brinda ~ your ‘tweaks’ sound amazing, especially the rosewater!
Hi! Can you double the recipe and make this in a bundt pan?
Kat
If your pan is large enough you should be able to, don’t fill it more than 3/4 full!
The aroma wafting through the apartment while this was baking should have been reward enough (I’m trying to watch my calorie intake), but it wasn’t. My husband and I could hardly wait until the cake was cool enough to even glaze, let alone to let the glaze set. The consensus was that if you want to have a refined, subtle, yet totally seasonal ( and sensational!) taste of the holidays, you can’t go wrong with this little gem. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Thanks so much for coming back to let me know Cindy, I love to hear reports like this 😉 Have a wonderful holiday season!
The aroma wafting through the apartment while this was baking should have been award enough (I’m trying to watch my calorie intake), but it wasn’t. My husband and I could hardly wait until the cake was cool enough to even glaze, let alone to let the glaze set. The consensus was that if you want to have a refined, subtle, yet totally seasonal ( and sensational!) taste of the holidays, you can’t go wrong with this little gem. Thank you so much for the recipe.
My husband and I love the taste of cardamom, and how can you ever go wrong with nuts? We live in a small town in Germany where the grocery store shelves are not well stocked, so for all of you who may be in the same boat, and find prices online a bit steep to purchase vanilla bean paste, do conduct an internet search for DIY vanilla bean paste. It’s a little more affordable that way, despite the cost of vanilla beans, and the quality is very similar to the commercial brand which I used for years. Thank you for the wonderful recipe, I’ll try it soon.