Description
Whipping up Lemon Pistachio Milk Cake feels like a delightful weekend baking adventure your family will absolutely adore. Creamy, zesty, and nutty, this delectable dessert brings Mediterranean sunshine right to your kitchen table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup pistachio milk
- 1 cup pistachios, deshelled
Supporting Ingredients:
- ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
- 3 tablespoons lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Finishing/Frosting Ingredients:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, cold
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup pistachios, deshelled
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×9 inch baking pan by greasing it and lining with parchment paper.
- Pulse 1 cup of pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Set aside the ground nuts.
- Whisk 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Rub 3 tablespoons lemon zest into 1 ½ cups sugar to release aromatic oils.
- Cream 10 tablespoons softened butter with the zest-sugar mixture using an electric mixer for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add 3 eggs and 1 tablespoon vanilla, beating on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth.
- Gradually mix in 1 cup buttermilk and the flour mixture on low speed, scraping bowl sides occasionally.
- Gently fold ground pistachios into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan and bake at 350°F for 38-42 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool cake in pan for 30 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- Combine 1 cup pistachio milk, ½ cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Strain the milk mixture and transfer to a pourable container.
- Grind ½ cup pistachios into a smooth paste.
- Beat 1 cup softened butter on high speed for 5 minutes until fluffy.
- Add 8 ounces cold cream cheese and beat until smooth.
- Mix in pistachio paste and ½ tablespoon lemon zest.
- Sift 2 cups powdered sugar into the mixture and beat until fluffy.
- Trim a thin layer off the cake’s top and poke holes throughout.
- Slowly pour the prepared milk mixture over the cake, allowing it to soak in.
- Spread cream cheese frosting evenly over the cake.
- Optionally swirl lemon curd on top for extra flavor.
- Slice and serve at room temperature.
Notes
- Grind pistachios super fine to ensure smooth texture and even distribution throughout the cake batter.
- Rubbing lemon zest into sugar helps release essential oils, maximizing citrus flavor in every bite.
- Room temperature ingredients are crucial for creating a perfectly smooth, well-incorporated cake batter.
- Make frosting and soak ahead of time to streamline assembly and allow flavors to develop more deeply.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 42 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 382 kcal
- Sugar: 35 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 23 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 7 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg