This lemon pistachio bundt cake is the perfect dessert to make for St. Patrick’s Day. It is very easy to a make, and is super simple to decorate! It is made from pistachio pudding which makes the inside clover green! To top it all off, I pair it with a lemon cream cheese glaze. The combination of the lemon cream cheese glaze and the pistachio cake will most definitely make you come back or more.
This lemon pistachio bundt cake will take your baked goods to a whole new level. Whether that is for a party or to eat with your friends, people are going to wonder how you did it! It is an incredible, soft cake that has a citrus lemon flavor to it.
If you are looking for more recipes similar to this, check these out!
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies, Blueberry Cream Cheese Cookies With Lemon Glaze, Biscoff Banana Bread
Why you will love this cake
- Strong Pistachio Flavor- this has a pudding flavor base to help create that pistachio flavor.
- No food dye- this color gets it from the pudding! So you don’t need to buy any extra ingredients for this cake.
- Lemon Glaze- the lemon in the frosting is seriously what makes this cake come together.
- No decorating skills need- because a bundt cake requires minimal decorating, this cake doesn’t need any professional decorating or even years of decorating practice.
What you will need
- Unsalted butter- this has to room temperature, and super soft!!!
- Eggs- pull these out a few hours before baking. If you are in a pinch, just rinse them under hot water for 5 minutes.
- Pistachio Pudding- I use the Jello brand, I get the regular size. 3.4 ounces.
- Cake flour– I use cake flour to help the cake stay soft. It helps it stay soft because cake flour has a different protein, it is also finer than all-purpose flour.
- Buttermilk– I use whole buttermilk, but if you can only find 1% or 2% that is fine. Make sure it is a room temperature before using it.
- Cream cheese– this is for the glaze, it needs to be room temperature so it doesn’t get chunky in the glaze. I use regular cream cheese
- Bundt Pan – I use a 10 cup bundt pan.
What pan to use
I love Nordic Ware, I used this one, but it is only ten cups, you will have left over batter. I only used ¾ of my batter. I also only filled my bundt pan ⅔rds full. With the left over batter I made cake balls.
If you wanted to make a bigger bundt cake and have no left over batter, I suggest using a 12 cup pan.
Heres a 12 cup bundt pan that you can use.
Step By Step instructions.
To Emphasize, I have made a detailed list and instruction’s on how to make the Cake. This recipe needs an electric hand mixer. You can use either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or a hand mixer. I used a hand mixer. Here are the bowls I used.
Step 1: prep your bundt pan: start with buttering your pan with unsalted butter, make sure to get in all of the crack and crevices. After your pan is all buttered up, coat it in flour. This is so important! This will really help your cake come out of the pan.
Step 2: mix your dry ingredients together. In a medium size bowl whisk your flour, bakings powder, and salt.
Step 3: cream your butter and sugar. Cream your butter, sugar, oil, and the pudding powder. This is one of the most important steps because this is what will help your cake rise properly. Cream them together for at least 5 minutes.
Step 4: beat your eggs. Beat each egg at a time, and scrape down the bowl after beating the egg. After your egg is added, beat on medium speed for 30 seconds. Once all eggs are added beat on medium high for 1 minute to ensure they are properly mixed together.
Step 5: add your vanilla. This one pretty easy, just add it in there and mix on low.
Step 6: alternate the dry and the buttermilk. With the mixer on the lowest speed add ⅓ of your dry and half of the buttermilk. Repeat this step until you finish on the last 3rd of the dry ingredients.
Step 7: pour and bake. Pour into prepped bundt ban, and bake for 45-50 minutes. Let it cool for at least 2 hours before transferring and decorate.
Step 8: make the glaze. In a standard size mixer, whisk all the ingredients on high until smooth and creamy.
Step 9: Decorate. Add the cream cheese to the top of you bundt cake, and top with crushed pistachio.
Expert baking Tips
- I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again “CREAM YOU BUTTER AND SUGAR!” This incorporates air, and helps you cake rise
- Use fresh baking powder!!!! Baking powder loses more than half of its leavening agent after 6 months of being opened. I always buy mine monthly.
- Use cake flour. Don’t miss out on a softer moist cake just because you just don’t want to deal with different kinds of flour. My local grocery store always has it in stock. This is what will make your cake stand out from others. I promise
- Double coat you bundt cake with butter to make sure you got it all covered.
- Use crushed pistachio to garnish the top of your bundt cake.
Storing and freezing
Because it is not covered in buttercream, this cake will only last for three days. Even if it is refrigerated.
Freezing
You can freeze this lemon pistachio bundt cake before it is decorated! After it is decorated, it won’t hold well once defrosted.
If you liked this recipe, here are some more recipes you should try out!
Churro Bundt Cake, Asphalt Pie Cupcakes, Orange Dreamsicle Cake
Recipe
Pistachio Lemon Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Pistachio Bundt Cake
- 3 tablespoons very soft unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 Instant pistachio pudding mix. 3.4 ounces
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk room temperature
For the glaze
- ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
- 5 ounce cream cheese room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- Zest from one large lemon
- Juice from one large lemon
- 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
For the Bundt Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Using a 12 or 10 cup bundt pan, butter up the sides of the bundt pan in all the crack and crevices. Sprinkle with the 3 tablespoons flour and cover the entire butter with the flour.3 tablespoons very soft unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- In a medium size bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, salt1 teaspoon salt, 3 cups cake flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder
- In a bowl of a stand size mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, sugar, and the pistachio pudding on medium-high until light and fluffy. Around 5 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, 1 Instant pistachio pudding mix.
- With a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl, and start adding one egg at a time, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds between each addition. Make sure to also scrape the bottom of the bowl after each egg. Once they are all incorporated beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the vanilla and mix on low.4 large eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add ⅓ of the flour mixture followed by half of the buttermilk. Mix just until combined and then add ⅓ of the flour mixture, followed by the rest of the buttermilk. Finish off with the rest of the flour mixture. Mix on low. With a rubber spatula, make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- Pour in the prepped bundt pan if you are using a ten cup bundt pan, only fill ⅔ full. If you are using a 12 cup bundt pan, you will use all the batter.and bake for 45-55 minutes, mine took about 50 minutes. Depending on your oven it might take shorter or longer.
- Let it sit for 1 to 2 hours on the counter before transferring it on a cake board and decorating.
For the cream cheese glaze
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk all of the ingredients. On the lowest speed, mix until the powdered sugar is mixed in. Once incorporated, turn the speed to medium high for 1 minute.¾ cup unsalted butter melted, 5 ounce cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar measured and then sifted, Zest from one large lemon, Juice from one large lemon
- When you are ready, pour over the bundt cake. Garnish with crushed pistachios and lemon zest
Emilee Frugoli says
This is one of my very favorite cakes I’ve make so far!! Super easy and can be made just as a regular cake also!
Molly Murphy says
thanks Emilee! i am so glad that you liked it?