This pistachio cardamom cake with cream cheese frosting is a fragrant, tender dessert that combines nutty pistachios and warm cardamom for a cake perfect for festive occasions or everyday indulgence. Though I’ll be away for Diwali this year, I wanted to recreate the flavors that make the celebration special. This recipe yields two 9″ cake layers and can easily be halved. It’s also simple to adapt to an eggless version by substituting the eggs with yogurt.
Before baking, you might find it useful to review basic tips for successful cakes to ensure even rise and a soft crumb. This recipe produces two 9″ layers; reduce quantities by half for a single-layer cake.
INGREDIENTS-
- 1 1/2 cups pistachios
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp cardamom powder
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 200 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs (or 2 cups Greek yogurt/hung curd for an eggless version)
- 1 cup whole milk
PROCEDURE-
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare two 9″ cake pans by greasing and lining them with parchment paper.
- Place the pistachios in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Be careful not to over-process them into a paste; you want a fine, slightly textured crumb.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cardamom powder, grated nutmeg, and salt to the processor and pulse briefly to combine with the pistachios.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy. If using eggs, add them one at a time, mixing after each addition. If using yogurt, fold it in until smooth.
- Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In three additions, alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and the milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently and only until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the cakes are golden on top.
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10–15 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
For a smooth, tangy finish, top the cooled layers with a cream cheese frosting. A reliable cream cheese frosting method yields a silky, spreadable texture that complements the cardamom and pistachio flavors.
Storage: keep the frosted cake refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For unfrosted layers, wrap tightly and freeze for up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature and frosting.