Pistachio Sheet Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
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Keep today sweet, simple, and absolutely delicious with this Pistachio Sheet Cake…with a white chocolate buttercream frosting, of course! If you love easy to make cakes that taste good and are effortlessly pretty, then you need to bake this cake. Imagine a light, fluffy, moist, and oh-so nutty pistachio cake that’s been frosted with the silkiest white chocolate frosting. Every bite is seriously SO. GOOD. So, whether you’re looking for something sweet to make for the weekend or need an effortless dessert for a get-together, this is the cake for you!
About The Recipe
In the last few months, my mom and I have rediscovered a deep love for sheet cakes. To be honest, since starting the blog, they aren’t really something we make very often. Layer cakes have always been our go-to! They fun, easy to pack extra flavor into, and oh-so much fun to decorate.
Though, when I was younger, we actually used to make sheet cake more often. They were a quick and easy treat my mom could mix-up for any occasion at the last minute.
But, like I said, since starting the blog, they are something we rarely make. But, since making our Old Fashioned Chocolate Sheet Cake in June, we fell back in love with the simplicity of these cakes!
Right after that chocolate cake, we knew we wanted to make another one ASAP. But, figuring out a new flavor was a bit of a challenge. We thought about doing another classic-type cake, but we just weren’t feeling the idea right now.
It wasn’t until I did a quick peak at how some of recipes were doing that I noticed something.
One of our most popular recipes on the blog is our Pistachio Olive Oil Bundt Cake. We knew immediately that’s the flavor we needed to make this sheet cake!
So, we made a few tweaks, changed the oil for regular vegetable oil, and went to baking!
It wasn’t until after this cake came out of the oven that we realized we needed to make a frosting. We thought about so many different flavors, but we were afraid that if we went with something too strong that it would over-power the pistachio.
Which is what lead us to white chocolate! We had made it for our Peppermint Bark Cake a few years back and it just seemed like the perfect addition to compliment the pistachio.
Turns out, that is exactly what this cake needed!
Every bite is rich, tender, nutty, creamy, and oh-so perfectly sweet. I am simply OBSESSED with how this cake turned out. It’s so good and so simple to make!
Reasons You Will Love This Pistachio Sheet Cake
- The cake itself requires NO specialty equipment. Just two bowls, a whisk, and a cake pan!
- Each bite is nutty, tender, moist, and perfectly sweet.
- Topped with a white chocolate buttercream!!!
- Ready in about an hour.
- Perfect to bake all year long.
Equipment Needed
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- 9×13 Inch Cake Pan
- Cake Tester
- Stand Mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- Offset Spatula
Ingredients
Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
For The Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour – Creates the perfect structure for this cake!
- Granulated Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
- Ground Pistachios – This is essential! We ground roasted, lightly salted pistachios to give this cake the best flavor.
- Baking Powder – Provides the perfect amount of rise to this cake.
- Salt – Cuts some of the sweetness, while also enhancing the flavor of this cake!
- Large Eggs – Remember to set the eggs out ahead of time to allow them to come to room temperature.
- Whole Milk – Creates a light, but moist and strong structure that makes for a crave-worthy cake.
- Vegetable Oil – Keeps this cake moist and oh-so tender.
- Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla to round out the flavors in this cake!
For The Frosting:
- Salted Butter – By using salted butter, you won’t need to add any extra salt to this frosting! It adds just the right amount to keep this frosting from being too sweet.
- Powdered Sugar – For the smoothest buttercream, sift your powdered sugar!
- White Chocolate – Not only does white chocolate add sweetness, but it also adds a delicious flavor to this frosting making it simply irresistible!
- Heavy Cream – A splash of heavy cream loosens the frosting to make it spreadable, but also keeps it light and fluffy.
How To Make This Pistachio Sheet Cake
Step 1: Make the batter
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, pistachios, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients. Stir until thoroughly combined.
Step 2: Bake
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake tests done.
Step 3: Prepare frosting
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
Add melted white chocolate and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Step 4: Frost cake
Spread frosting onto cooled cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to grind the pistachios?
For us, we found using a small food processor was the best (and easiest!) way to grind the pistachios. You can also place the pistachios in zip-top bag and roll a heavy rolling pin over it to crush them. This may not result in the a fine grind, BUT it will crush them enough to still provide flavor.
Why is my batter lumpy?
If your batter is lumpy, it may be one of two things. The flour may not be completely incorporated or the pistachios are in slightly larger chunks. Be sure that the flour is completely incorporated before baking, but if it’s the pistachios, don’t worry!
Why did my cake stick?
If your cake is stuck to the pan, it could be one of two things. Either the pan wasn’t greased enough (it happens to all of us!) or the cake is still a little too warm to be turned out. If you suspect it’s still too warm, let it cool for a little longer and try to turn out again. If it’s stuck because the pan isn’t greased enough, run a knife along the edges of the cake and place upside down on a cooling rack and tap the top and sides of the pan. The cake may tear, but it will still taste delicious!
Why is my cake dry/crumbly?
Dryness can be a common issue with baking cakes. It’s either a result of over-mixing or over-baking! Though, keep in mind that under-mixing and under-baking can be equally as bad. So, be sure to follow the directions in the recipe card below (and make sure your oven is at the right temperature!) for the best results in this cake!
Why is my cake tough?
Tough cake is usually caused by over-mixing, which over-develops the gluten and that leads to a tough, dry, and dense cake.
Can this recipe be made into a bundt cake, cupcakes, layer cake, etc.?
This cake can easily be made into any of these! Though, batter amounts needed for each and bake time will vary depending on how you bake this cake.
How to fix a cracked sheet cake?
The wonderful thing about this cake is, if it cracks, it’ll be covered by frosting and nobody will ever know! 😉
How To Achieve The Perfect Buttercream
There are are a few things you can do to make sure you get the creamiest, silkiest buttercream every single time!
The first is making sure your butter is room temperature. This is super important! Another is sifting your powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Lumps of powdered sugar = lumpy buttercream!
Lastly, if you feel your buttercream is too thick, you can add a splash (1/2 – 1 Tablespoon) of whole milk or heavy cream. This will help loosen it a little.
Decorating Ideas
I think one of my favorite things about a sheet cake is how much fun they are to decorate! They’re so simple and always effortlessly gorgeous. Here are a few ways you can decorate this sheet cake!
- Top with chopped pistachios!
- Dried rose petals add color and a delicious floral flavor to this cake.
- Sprinkles, of any kind! Especially if you’re making this for a holiday party or birthday.
- Edible flowers (such-as pansies, chamomile, or marigolds!)
- Pipe a message with the buttercream. Feel free to color it!
- Use piping tips to create a design with the frosting or simply pipe a border around the edge of the cake.
How To Store
Once this cake is made, it can be kept in a covered container and stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. It can also be stored in the fridge for up to 1 week!
This cake can also be frozen, if desired. Place sliced cake in a freezer safe zip-top bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Substitutions
- If you’re looking to add a bit more flavor to this cake, you can use olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
- To make this recipe vegan, you can use your favorite non-sweetened plant based milk with your favorite vegan egg substitute. Our favorite is aquafaba! For the frosting, be sure to use a non-dairy butter, a vegan white chocolate, and plant based heavy cream.
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Expert Tips
- Make sure to not use flavored pistachios in this recipe!
- This cake works best if the pistachios are finely ground.
- Be careful to not over-mix the batter.
- If you’re unsure if the cake is baked after 50 minutes, you can use a tooth pick or a cake tester to test if the cake is done. If the tester comes clean, the cake is baked!
- Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before frosting it. If it’s too warm, it will melt the frosting.
When you make this Pistachio Sheet Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Pistachio Sheet Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 3¾ cups all purpose flour*
- 1⅝ cups granulated sugar
- 1⅝ cups pistachios, ground
- 3¾ teaspoons baking powder
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs , room temperature
- 2⅛ cups whole milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Buttercream
- 1⅛ cups salted butter, room temperature
- 2¼ cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1½ cups white chocolate, melted
- 2¼ teaspoons heavy cream
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350℉.
- Spray a 9 inch x 13 inch pan with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, pistachios, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.
- Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients.
- Stir until thoroughly combined.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until cake tests done.
Frosting
- With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add melted white chocolate and vanilla.
- Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Spread on cooled cake.
Notes + Tips!
- If you’re looking to add a bit more flavor to this cake, you can use olive oil instead of vegetable oil.
- To make this recipe vegan, you can use your favorite non-sweetened plant based milk with your favorite vegan egg substitute. Our favorite is aquafaba! For the frosting, be sure to use a non-dairy butter, a vegan white chocolate, and plant based heavy cream.
- Make sure to not use flavored pistachios in this recipe!
- This cake works best if the pistachios are finely ground.
- Be careful to not over-mix the batter.
- If you’re unsure if the cake is baked after 50 minutes, you can use a tooth pick or a cake tester to test if the cake is done. If the tester comes clean, the cake is baked!
- Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before frosting it. If it’s too warm, it will melt the frosting.
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Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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