Gluten-free Pistachio Cake
Gluten-free Pistachio Cake- a whole grain and dairy-free cake that’s naturally sweetened and full of pistachio flavor. Perfect to serve for brunch or dessert!

This post is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill
If you’ve never had pistachio cake, allow me to convince you that you need it in your life immediately.
Made with buttery almond flour, finely chopped roasted pistachios and a blend of vanilla and almond extract, it’s sure to be one of the best things you’ve ever tasted.
I based this recipe off of my gluten-free zucchini bread which also uses a mix of oat and almond flour so the texture is somewhat dense, almost like a pound cake.
For the almond flour, I always use my go-to brand, Bob’s Red Mill, because I love that it has a super-fine texture that’s perfect for sneaking into cake. It’s also certified Non-GMO so you rest assured that you’re supporting sustainable farming practices while also making the healthiest choice for your family.
Gluten-free Pistachio Cake Ingredients
- Oat Flour- This is the easier flour to substitute in this recipe because it acts more like a whole wheat flour. I’ve tested it with brown rice flour and had great results. White rice flour would also work well. I do not recommend coconut flour because it is far more absorbent.
- Almond Flour- I wish this was one easier to sub but unfortunately it is essential to this recipe because it adds moisture and help lightens the overall texture of the cake. Plus it’s just darn tasty!
- Baking Soda- This will help leaven the cake. Make sure it is baking soda, not baking powder.
- Eggs- I don’t tend to have good results when I replace eggs with flax in my gluten-free recipes. I usually have to develop an entirely new recipe to evenly balance out the liquid to dry ratios so that it will rise and cook properly. Because of that I can’t recommend that unless you are willing to experiment yourself.
- Non-Dairy Yogurt- We don’t eat dairy so I’ve only tested this with dairy-free yogurt. My favorite is Kite Hill Almond Yogurt because of the rich creamy texture and higher protein content, but any kind of dairy-free yogurt should work.
- Non-Dairy Milk- Again, I like to go with higher protein options like oat or soy milk but any kind should work.
- Pure Maple Syrup- This is our main source of sweetness in the recipe. A possible substitute would be 1/3 cup coconut sugar (or cane sugar) plus 2-3 tablespoons additional milk.
- Vanilla and Almond Extract- I know that almond extract isn’t as popular as vanilla but using both really enhances the flavor of this cake. You could skip it but it won’t taste as good!
- Unrefined Coconut Oil- If you’re not into coconut oil, any neutral flavored oil will work in its place. If you want to use coconut oil but not have it taste like coconut, make sure you’re using unrefined.
- Roasted Pistachios- Depending on how salty your pistachios are you may want to use less (like 1/4 teaspoon) or omit the salt in the recipe.
How to Make Pistachio Cake
- Whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Add the dry to the wet, top with pistachios and fold everything together.
- Bake until golden. Allow to cool. Top with icing, and enjoy!
It’s seriously so easy to make and would be the perfect treat to serve for Easter or Mother’s Day, or just because. I hope you love it as much as we do!
Want more gluten-free desserts? Check these out!
- Blueberry Lemon Yogurt Bread
- Almond Flour Cardamom Cake
- The Best Vegan and Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Dark Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies
Gluten-free Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup oat flour, or brown rice flour
- 1 cup almond flour, from blanched almonds
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 pasture-raised eggs
- 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
- 1/2 cup non-dairy yogurt
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup melted unrefined coconut oil
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachios, finely chopped, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 350°F then lightly grease a 1lb loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine 1 cup almond flour, 1 cup brown rice or oat flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sift together then set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, combine the 2 eggs with 1/4 cup milk, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon almond extract. Whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet along with melted coconut oil and 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios.
- Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. A knife should come out clean when you stick it into the center of the loaf. Allow to cool for about 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Top with lemon icing (optional- see notes) and additional pistachios, serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
This post was created in partnership with a brand that I have used and loved for years, Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions and text are entirely my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help make it possible for me to bring you quality content. For more delicious recipes and a coupon for $1.00 off any product, please visit Bob’sRedMill.com.
I am just finishing my last slice of banana bread today, so I think this cake will definitely be next! I adore pistachio gelato, and this looks so yummy! Love that it is another blender recipe :) Thank you Sarah!!
Now you’ve got me craving pistachio gelato, haha! ;)
I hope all is well with you and the boys! <3
Sarah, this is the most beautiful bread I think I’ve ever seen! Pistachios are genius too. I don’t use them enough. I have no idea why though?
Pistachio cake is my weakness too – I always get my fix when I visit this little bakery in Brooklyn, but, now I don’t have to wait to get my fix once a year – now I can use this recipe and enjoy it ALL the time! Thanks so much for sharing and happy 2-year anniversary!
Mmmmm, I love how simple the ingredient list is.
Yum!! Hope you guys are having a blast and happy anniversary!
Thanks Kelly! We had a great trip! :)
I love baking with brown rice flour now, too. You introduced me to it and it’s great!
I’m SO excited to read your Oregon/road trip post whenever it comes. I’m loving your snaps this week.
Also, holy cow! The pictures for this cake are SO beautiful. Super crisp and bright. I love how springy it looks.
I’m so glad you like the brown rice flour! I think a lot of people are intimidated with trying the more “exotic” flours but it’s so much better for you than baking with a ton of starch.
This pistachio cake is gorgeous! I love the use of brown rice flour and the almond milk yogurt so that it’s GF and DF :) Pinning!
Thanks Medha! :)
So I had your post open on my computer from this morning and I was like wait….there are zero words in this post…that’s so unlike Sarah hahah I HATE when I forget about my blog posts. It’s happened to be a couple of times and it has my scurrying in the morning to get everything finished. Happy 11….TWO….years :) I’ve never tried pistachio bread but I haaaaave had pistachio muffins and they were awesome, so I bet this is too.
hahaha I so did that once!! When we were in Florida visiting my parents earlier this year (I’d never done it before!). I had only one picture uploaded and then notes to myself (like insert picture here). HUGE palm to face moment!! lol Ah well :)
This pistachio cake sounds incredible! My mom is coming to visit next week and we had made your pistachio muffins last time she was here (like two years ago!). I feel like this is a sign we need to make this cake…
I’m glad I’m not the only one, haha! I think we need to allow ourselves a little vacation every now and then to prevent those things from happening. ;)
I hope you have a nice time with your mom! <3
Such beautiful photos! I especially love the picture where the icing is being poured onto the loaf. I am guessing you only get one chance to get that picture right? Anyway, the loaf looks very springtime to me. :)
That’s right! It’s a hard shot to get without help but I manage to do okay. ;)
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had an incomplete post go live…or a post without a recipe…or a recipe without measurements. I wish I could blame it on enjoying too much wine the night before, but it’s really this forgetful brain of mine..
What was I talking about? Oh yes..
This cake looks absolutely AMAZE – BALZ! I’ve been eagerly awaiting it ever since you showcased it on Snapchat. I hope you’re having the most amaaaaazing time and Happy Anniversary, m’dear! Give Brandon a squeeze for me!
Thanks, love! We had an amazing trip but it feels good to be home again! :)
Happy anniversary, Sarah, and I hope you’re having a wonderful time! This pistachio cake looks amazing, and I cannot wait to try it. That glaze….:)
I love the tip about using a blender for GF baking!
Thank you so much, Marcie! We had a great time! xo
OMGeee… I feel your pain, Sarah! But I laughed because I’ve done something similar. I scheduled a post, but didn’t push publish. My email went out but the link didn’t work. (Gah!) Sooo embarrassing. But life, stuff, right? So happy to hear your out celebrating your 2 year anni! And your trip to OR.. I can’t wait to hear about it. It’s been fun following you on Insta and I know your having a blast! What a delightful cake to celebrate such a milestone! Even if you ate it all by yourself! hehe! Um, lemon glaze? Yes please!
Thank you, Traci! I wish I had more time to make it up to Washington. The PNW is STUNNING!! :)
Oh my goodness! This looks amazing!! I wish I could have some of it right now :)
Thank you, Mary Frances! :)
Happy Anniversary!! This cake looks like the perfect way to celebrate and I don’t blame you at all for eating it all by yourself, haha! I’ve never baked with brown rice flour before but I will have to experiment because this cake looks amazing!! I hope you guys had so much fun on your trip! :)
Pistachios were TOTALLY a favorite nut of mine when I could eat nuts! THIS CAKE looks out of this world!
This cake looks DELISH!!! Is it possible to use white whole wheat flour or AP flour in place of the almond meal and brown rice flour? I don’t have those ingredients on hand… Is it a 1:1 substitution??
THANK YOU!! :)
Hi Kala! You can replace the brown rice flour with whole wheat or AP (or a combo of both) but the almond meal is essential to the recipe because of it’s fat content. Otherwise you would have to adjust the amount of oil and yogurt as well which makes it an entirely different recipe. You can find almond meal at Trader Joes! :)
Thank you SO much for your quick response! I will definitely pick up almond meal before making this! Not that I need an excuse to go to Trader Joe’s…. ;)
I know right! It’s hard to stay away from TJ’s. ;)
Hi Sarah,
Recipe looks very interesting and cook looks delicious.Can I substitute Agave or Organic Cane sugar(that’s what I have in my pantry) for maple syrup?
Thanks
Hi Shalini! You can definitely substitute agave, although I might use a little less (like 1/3 cup) since it is sweeter. You could also use cane sugar but it might change the texture since it isn’t a liquid sweetener like the syrup. In that case it might require more yogurt or milk. The safer bet would be to use agave!
Beautiful cake! I’m wondering though if this is specifically almond *meal* or if almond *flour* would work the same way.
Hi Grace! Almond flour is more ideal as it provides a softer, less gritty texture. But almond meal will also work! :)
Thanks so much!
You’re welcome! I hope you enjoy it! :)
Sorry about that, Grace! It should be 3 tablespoons. I’ll fix that now. Thanks!
Just took the bread out of the oven and am enjoying a warm slice. As of this moment I haven’t put any glaze on it, but it’s still very good . I plan to eat it as a workday breakfast. The only thing I might try the next time is a little more almond extract. I am so glad I discovered your site! Everything I have made so far has turned out amazing. The end results are usually so similar to its processed flour counterpart that no one would know the difference!
Thanks for posting this recipe. I just made this and it was AMAZING! My boyfriend even loved it and he’s normally skeptical of gluten free, dairy free, or refined sugar free.
Thank you so much for the comment, Lily! I’m happy it was a hit! :)
Hey there! Could
I sub ground pistachios for the almond flour?? This is such a pretty loaf!
I’m afraid that would make the texture gritty. The almond flour is made from blanched almonds (the skin is removed) and the texture is soft and buttery. I haven’t tried using ground pistachios as flour but I don’t think it would turn out well. Sorry!
Hi looks bomb ! what can I substitute for the yogurt I don’t want to put even non-dairy
You could try applesauce but I can’t guarantee results without testing it myself…it’s possible that it might be slightly more acidic which could affect how well it rises. Hard to say for sure without trying though!
This was awesome! Recipe is a keeper.
Please can I have English measurement and nutrition? Really want to make this for my birthday!
Hi Ellie! I’m in the process of updating old recipes with a new format that includes metric measurements and nutrition facts. I have almost 800 recipes to go through so bear with me! I went ahead and updated this one but please be aware that I have not weighed the ingredients myself- I’m just relying on a calculator that gives me the metric units. It should work out fine though. Let me know how it turns out for you and happy birthday in advance! :)
Oooh I’ve been trying to think of one more thing to make for Easter brunch, and this just may be it! My husband and daughter love pistachios. Camryn eats them faster than I can shell em!
The taste of this is bonkers! It is SO GOOD. One of the things I love about your recipes, is that they are always well seasoned with spices or extracts, and I don’t feel like we are missing out. I also love the GF options. It reminds me of the taste of pistachio pudding – but MUCH better and definitely healthier!
Aw thank you so much! I appreciate the kind review. :)
Made this last week. Truly delicious. It’s a beautiful light and delicate tasting cake. I followed the recipe exactly except I used vanilla coconut yogurt instead of almond. Making it again tomorrow (Sunday) to enjoy for breakfast throughout the week.
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