Go Back
A pistachio lover's pound cake on a wooden cutting board with a mesh bag of pistachios beside it.
Print Recipe
4.78 / 18 votes

Pistachio Pound Cake

This pistachio pound cake with a confectioners sugar glaze is a dense, moist, nutty pound cake with a tight crumb that will satisfy any and all pistachio lovers. And it makes an ample amount so you'll have plenty to share. Although beware, it disappears quickly.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 to 12 servings
Calories: 499

Ingredients

For the pistachio pound cake

  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2/3 cup ground pistachios

For the glaze

  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup crushed pistachios

Instructions

Make the pistachio pound cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on the 2 long sides of the pan. Butter the pan and parchment.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and honey on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  • Add the flour and the milk to the creamed egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat on medium-high for about 20 seconds between additions, stopping and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and the pistachios and beat on low just until combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 40 minutes, or until the top is deeply golden, cracked, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Start checking at the 1-hour mark. If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover it loosely with foil.
  • Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then either grab the parchment overhang and carefully unmold the loaf or invert the loaf onto a wire rack. Remove the parchment and slide it under the wire rack. Let the loaf cool completely.

Make the glaze

  • While the cake cools, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, honey, and cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
    If you prefer a simple, runny glaze, heat just until the mixture is combined.
    If you prefer a sticky, candylike glaze, cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble. Continue to cook, still stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the glaze from the heat.
  • Slowly spoon the warm glaze over the cake, allowing it to soak in between spoonfuls. Some of the glaze will inevitably run down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle the crushed pistachios over the cake and let it cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1portion | Calories: 499kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 30mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 38g