Best Chocolate Pistachio Cake

Indulge in the Best Chocolate Pistachio Cake ever, bursting with flavor. This decadent dessert features layers of moist chocolate cake, smothered with creamy pistachio ganache, rich dark chocolate, and crunchy pistachios. It’s a show-stopping cake that will wow your guests on any special occasion.

I love pistachios and chocolate, so I created this spectacular cake with both! It’s a gorgeous centerpiece that will impress everyone with its delicious layers of moist chocolate cake, smooth pistachio ganache, rich dark chocolate, and crunchy pistachios.

If you like this cake, you'll love my Ferrero Rocher cake, Chocolate Oreo Drip Cake with Oreo Frosting, Raspberry and Pistachio Cheesecake or Coffee walnut cake.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

• It’s a scrumptious cake that everyone will love.
• It’s a stunning dessert that will catch everyone’s eye.
• You can easily personalize this recipe to suit your taste. For example, you can sprinkle chopped pistachios between the layers for extra crunch or top the cake with raspberries.
• You can scale up this recipe to serve a bigger crowd. Just double or triple the ingredients and use a larger pan.

Best Chocolate Pistachio Cake Ingredients

• Unsalted butter: Select good-quality, room-temperature unsalted butter for this recipe.
• Caster sugar: Sift the sugar to remove excess lumps and dirt.
• Eggs: The eggs should be at room temperature for ease of mixing.
• Self-raising flour: Sift the flour to remove lumps.
• Unprocessed cocoa powder: Select good-quality cocoa powder for the best flavor and sift to remove lumps.
• Baking powder: Ensure the baking powder has not expired as this will prevent the cake from rising.
• Milk: Use full-fat milk at room temperature.

Pistachio Ganache

• Pistachio paste or puree: You have two options for this ingredient: you can purchase pistachio paste or puree from the store or online or make your own by blending raw pistachios until they turn into a paste. I like to use the store-bought version because it saves me time.
• White chocolate: Choose high-quality white chocolate for the ganache, as it will affect how it tastes and feels.
• Heavy cream: Use heavy cream with high-fat content for the best results.
• Pistachio or almond extract (optional): To enhance the ganache's nutty flavor, add a few drops of pistachio or almond extract.

Tips and Substitutions

• Room temperature: Bring the butter, eggs, and milk to room temperature before preparing the batter. This will ensure a smooth and even mixture.
• Dry ingredients: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and other dry ingredients to remove any clumps or dirt. This will create a finer and lighter batter.
• Oven: Bake the cakes on the center rack of the oven for uniform baking.
• Decorate: Decorate this cake as you wish. I opted for a simple but elegant decoration with pistachio ganache and chopped pistachios.
• Frosting: You can also try chocolate ganache frosting or white chocolate ganache for a different look and taste.

How to Make the Best Chocolate Pistachio Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/340F. Grease two 7" baking tins and line them with baking paper. In a bowl, whisk together self-raising flour, cocoa powder and baking powder until well mixed and set aside for later.

2. In another bowl, cream the butter for about a minute.

Tip: The butter should be soft and at room temperature.

3. Add sugar to the bowl and cream the butter and sugar with a stand or hand mixer for 5 minutes or until the mixture is pale and fluffy.

4. Crack an egg and add it to the butter and sugar mixture, then mix well until the egg is fully incorporated. Do the same with the rest of the eggs. After that, add half of the flour mixture and gently fold or whisk it into the egg mixture. Then, add half of the milk and stir it into the batter to make it smoother.

5. Divide the batter evenly among the tins and bake the cakes in the oven for 20-25 minutes. After 20 minutes, test the cakes for doneness by poking a skewer into them. The cakes are ready if the skewer comes out clean.

Decorate The Best Chocolate Pistachio Cake

6. Prepare the pistachio ganache as the cakes cool. In a bowl, combine white chocolate, heavy cream, almond extract, and pistachio paste. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring well after each interval, until smooth and shiny. Alternatively, stirring occasionally, melt the ingredients in a bowl over a pot of gently boiling water.

7. Cover the ganache with plastic wrap, touching the surface to avoid air bubbles. Let it cool and harden for at least 2 hours at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

8. Beat the set ganache for a few minutes, then pipe it over the cooled cake.

9. Stack one cake layer on a plate or board and cover it with some ganache. Put the other layer on top. Coat the whole cake with the remaining ganache and smooth it with a spatula.

10. Use a ridged spatula for a textured effect. Press chopped pistachios onto the bottom edge of the cake. Pipe some ganache around the top edge and dust with cocoa powder.

11. Mix 100g of chocolate and a few drops of oil in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time, stirring well after each interval, until melted and smooth. Let it cool slightly, then drizzle it over the center of the cake. Sprinkle more chopped pistachios over the chocolate.

12. Serve the best chocolate pistachio cake for dessert or on special occasions.

Recipe FAQs

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