Tender, moist and loaded with flavor and texture, my Pistachio Coffee Cake is the perfect balance with between soft, buttery crumbs and a crunchy nutty pistachio streusel that melts into every bite.
I am not sure which is my favorite part of this cake: the tender, flavorful crumb or the crispy, buttery topping. The kind that ends up all over the plate and has us picking at every last crumb with our fingers. Thankfully, I do not have to choose, because this cake has a layer of streusel in the center as well as on top.
This recipe is a cross between two of my recipes: Almond Crumb Cake and my streusel Apple Muffins. It is as tender as the cake, and just as fluffy and comforting as warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven muffins. its the perfect cake for an afternoon gathering, brunch, or lazy morning.
The Ingredients
The complete recipe including the measurements can be find below in the recipe card. Please take a moment to read my notes about the ingredients below, their rule in the recipe and if possible how to substitute.
- Unshelled Roasted (lightly) Salted Pistachios. That is my first choice, roasted pistachio has a deeper, stronger flavor which enhanced by the salt.
- Sour Cream. Its consistency is why the batter is thick and we are able to spread it to two with the two layers of streusel not sinking in.
- Flavoring options. I tested this recipe a few times, once with ground cinnamon (added to the streusel), and another time with fresh orange zest I rubbed into the sugar. Personally the cinnamon was too over powdering to my taste, and I did like the orange zest, but the cake does not need any help. The pistachio shines perfectly on its own. If you want to, mix 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or 1/4 teaspoon cardamom to the streusel.
Le’t Bake!
This is a pretty straight forward recipe and I tried to be as clear as possible in the instructions, and below are step-by-step images for a visual. However, for this recipe to be foolproof and a success there are some very simple details that require your attention:
- Preparation is key. Start with reading the recipe before getting the ingredients, then measure the ingredients and have them available to you as you follow the steps. I can not tell you how many times I forgot the baking power, or lost egg count.
- Room Temperature Ingredients. Is crucial for a moist, tender cake, if one of the ingredient is cold it will not incorporate into the batter well, and you might end up with a dense, chewy cake.
- Use a stand mixer, or a hand mixer to cream the butter then a whisk or a spatula to mix in the flour. This is my go to trick, to prevent from over mixing and ending up with a tough gluten chains (like when we have bread).
- Scoop the batter over the streusel. It is easier to spread the batter without mixing it into the first layer of the streusel.
- We do not invert this cake, because of the streusel topping. So if you can use a springform pan, or allow it to cool completely in the pan, then invert it twice.
Serving The Cake
Even though it is a cake, I do not consider it as dessert, so a light dust of powdered sugar or a drizzle of pistachio cream, is all you need.
Moist Pistachio Coffee Cake With Streusel
Ingredients
Pistachio Streusel
- 1 Cup (120g) Flour
- 1/3 Cup Sugar
- 2/3 Cup (100g) Chopped pistachios
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) Unsalted melted butter
Cake
- 2 Cups (240g) Unbleached all-purpose flour
- 2/3 Cups (100g) Ground pistachios
- 2 teaspoons Baking powder
- 3/4 Cup (180g) Sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3/4 Cup (170)g) Unsalted Butter at room temperature
- 1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons (225g) Sugar
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) Oil
- 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
- 1 Large Egg yolk at room temperature
Instructions
Make the Streusel
- Measure the flour (120g), sugar (70g) and chopped pistachios (100g) in a large bowl and pure over the melted butter (85g). Use a fork or your fingers to distribute the butter until you have a moist streusel.
Make the Cake
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and grease the bottom and sides of one 9-inch pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Measure the flour (240g), ground pistachios (100g) and baking powder (2 teaspoons) in a large bowl and set a side. Mix the sour cream with the vanilla extract and set it aside.
- Cream the butter (170g) with the sugar (225g) until light and airy, about 4-5 minutes if using a stand mixer, or 2-3 minutes if using a hand mixer.
- Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl, then with the mixer on high speed drizzle in the vegetable oil.
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time followed by the egg yolk.
- Reduce mixer speed to low, or using a whisk, add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the sour cream mixture in two additions starting and ending with the flour mixture.
- Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan, then sprinkle half of the pistachio streusel.
- Top with the rest of the batter then the rest of the streusel.
- Bake over the middle oven rack for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out from the center of the cake with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to set and chill before serving.
Notes
- store the cake at room temperature, covered up to three days.
- Left overs can be wrapped with plastic wrap, placed in a freeze bag and frozen for up to three weeks. When ready, unwrap and place at room temperature.
