This lemon pistachio cake is bright, incredibly tender, and topped with the dreamiest honey lemon mascarpone frosting. It’s packed with zesty lemon flavor, a subtle nuttiness from finely ground pistachios, and doused with a tangy-sweet syrup that soaks into every bite. If you’re looking for an elegant yet approachable one-bowl dessert, this is it!
This pistachio lemon cake is perfect for spring gatherings, brunches, or anytime you want a slice bursting with fresh lemony goodness. This specific cake is taken from the center of this baklava cake and transformed into a lighter, brighter lemon version of a simple pistachio cake.
It's no secret that we love pistachio desserts here at The Cozy Plum. If you're going to splurge on a pack of raw pistachios, you might as well try these baklava cookies, pistachio cheesecake bars, pistachio shortbread cookies, and pistachio muffins, too!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Moist and tender crumb - Buttermilk keeps this pistachio cake soft and fluffy.
Bright, fresh flavor - Lemon zest and juice shine through each component of this cake.
Incredible frosting - Honey mascarpone frosting is light, creamy, and a little tangy thanks to the addition of lemon juice.
One bowl cake - No complex techniques needed…just simple, straightforward baking. Easy peasy!
Ingredients
- Pistachios. Finely ground for nutty flavor and subtle texture. Use shelled, raw peeled pistachios for the best color! Otherwise, use whatever variety of shelled pistachios you can find.
- Baking powder & baking soda. The combination of these ingredients helps the cake rise and gives it a light crumb.
- Lemon. Adds bright, fresh citrus flavor to the cake, simple syrup, and frosting for a complete lemon flavor.
- Unsalted butter. The main fat in this cake and provides an extra layer of flavor. Neutral oil can be swapped for the butter, if desired.
- Buttermilk. This provides extra fat and richness to help keep the cake tender (alongside the egg and egg yolk).
- Mascarpone. The main component of the frosting gives it an ultra creamy base.
- Heavy whipping cream. Gets added to the mascarpone to create fluffiness for a super smooth final frosting.
- Honey. Adds a lovely floral note to the frosting and gets drizzled on top after decorating!
See recipe card for full ingredients list and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use neutral oil like canola or vegetable oil for an even more tender cake. Or, use olive oil for an extra kick of flavor.
- Try greek yogurt or sour cream in place of buttermilk.
- Use cream cheese instead of mascarpone for a tangier frosting.
- Add raspberries or blueberries to the batter for a fruity twist.
- Make it a layer cake by doubling the recipe and baking in two 8” pans.
- Bake the cake in an 8x8" square pan for a different shape.
- Cake not as green as you'd like? Add a few drops of green food coloring or stir in 1 tablespoon of matcha powder. You won't taste it in this small amount!
How to Make This Recipe
One: Rub together the lemon zest and sugar.
Two: Cream together the butter, lemon sugar an vanilla.
Three: Add the eggs and mix until combined.
Four: Mix in the buttermilk until fully smooth.
Five: Add the dry ingredients and fold in the ground pistachios.
Six: Spread the cake into a prepared 8" pan and bake.
Seven: Combine sugar and lemon juice over low heat until the sugar melts.
Eight: Spread the lemon simple syrup on top of the hot, baked cake.
Nine: Beat the mascarpone, honey, lemon juice, powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.
Ten: Drizzle in the cold heavy cream and beat until very light and fluffy, then spread onto the cooled cake before slicing!
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Expert Tips
- Grind the pistachios finely, but don’t over-process into a paste.
- Use room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk for a very smooth, easy to combine batter.
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar really well! This step releases essential oils for maximum lemon flavor.
- Make sure mascarpone and heavy cream are very cold to prevent the frosting from becoming runny.
- Don’t overwhip the frosting or else it will turn chunky! Whip to medium peaks at most.
- Brush the lemon syrup slowly so it soaks evenly into the cake (don’t forget to get the sides)!
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Bake the cake and store it wrapped at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days before frosting.
Absolutely. Wrap the unfrosted cake tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before adding frosting.
No, but mascarpone gives the frosting a creamy, rich texture. You can substitute full-fat cream cheese for a similar result, but it will have a much tangier flavor.
Insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The cake will also slightly pull away from the sides of the pan.
Storage
Store the cake at room temperature for one day, then covered in the fridge for 3 days. The cake (unfrosted) can be stored covered at room temperature for 3-4 days. Store the frosting covered in the fridge for 1 week. If it loses fluffiness, whip it again for a few seconds before frosting the cake.
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What to Know When Cooking with The Cozy Plum
- All recipes are created with Diamond Crystal kosher salt, the least salty variety of kosher salt. If using Morton's, you'll need to cut the amount of salt in half as it's 2x as salty. This will be the same for sea salt. Please do not use table salt.
- Switch between Cups vs Metric using the toggle on the recipe card. Baking by weight using a digital scale will always produce the most accurate results.
- Scale the recipe using the '1X' '2X' '3X' buttons on the recipe card. Note that this does not make an adjustment for baking times, only quantities.
📖Recipe
Lemon Pistachio Cake
Equipment
- 8" cake pan
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment, or handheld mixer
Ingredients
- ½ cup pistachios
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cups granulated sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk room temperature
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk room temperature
Lemon Simple Syrup
- ⅓ cup lemon juice
- ⅓ cup sugar
Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese cold
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease and line an 8” cake pan with a parchment paper round to cover the bottom.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.½ cup pistachios
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Rub the lemon zest into the sugar until pale yellow and fragrant. Then, add the butter and lemon sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a handheld mixer). Cream together on medium speed for 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides.¾ cups granulated sugar, Zest of 1 lemon, 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until pale in color and smooth, about 1 minute.1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add the buttermilk and mix on low speed, then spoon in the dry ingredients until the cake batter is combined.½ cup buttermilk
- Fold in the ground pistachios by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 25-30 mins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- While the cake bakes, heat the sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat.⅓ cup lemon juice, ⅓ cup sugar
- When the cake is baked, brush or slowly pour the lemon syrup all over the top and sides of the cake (while hot).
- Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack.
- When the cake is fully cool, make the lemon mascarpone frosting.
Lemon Mascarpone Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), add the mascarpone, lemon zest, lemon juice, powdered sugar, honey and vanilla and whip on medium speed for 1 minute.8 oz mascarpone cheese, Zest of 1 lemon, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- With the mixer running, slowly drizzle in the heavy cream and whip until the frosting becomes light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.1 cup heavy whipping cream
- Note: Overmixing can cause the frosting to curdle.
- Swoop the frosting all over the top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with chopped pistachios before slicing and serving.
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