Pistachio Lemon Loaf.
This bright and refreshing lemon loaf is made with crushed pistachios and drizzled with a tangy lemon glaze. The top is showered with pistachios too and it makes for the perfect breakfast, dessert or tea time snack.
It’s weekend treat time!
Is there anything more beautiful and bountiful for spring? A lovely little lemon cake to enjoy with your afternoon coffee or tea.
This lemon loaf cake is studded with pistachios and drenched in a lemon glaze. It’s sweet and light and refreshing, plus could not be more perfect for spring.
This is the kind of treat that I love to make when we’re transitioning from the colder to warmer months. A dessert like this just works for springtime – I always crave bright citrus flavors. And let’s be real, we call it a loaf in order to make it seem not as indulgent as cake. At least, that’s why I call it a loaf or quick bread.
Loaf or quick breads are very appropriate for breakfast! Cake for breakfast is… well, it’s still wonderful. But you get my point.
I have a greek yogurt lemon loaf recipe that I love so much. I made it after our love for the lemon loaf at Starbucks – my kids adore it. And that makes me so happy because I never liked lemon desserts when I was younger! I used to think that lemon was an “old person flavor” and it wasn’t until I got my head on right at some point in my teens that I fell in love with lemon.
I’m still in love with lemon! All things savory, sweet and tart.
The yogurt gives this loaf cake a tender crumb and also a slightly tangy bite. In the best way possible. It also helps keep the cake moist – and no there is no other word for it. If you head over to instagram today, you can see this cake in action!
Pistachio is another serious love of mine. I’m sure this comes as no surprise. I like to finely crush pistachios in my food processor. Some go directly into the batter and the rest get sprinkled on top of the lemon glaze.
This is huge because not only did I not care for lemon desserts, but I also didn’t love (still don’t love) nuts in my dessert. There are just a few exceptions and this is one of them.
Now here I am with an extra old person dessert that is my favorite.
Lemon + pistachio = love. That is my kind of math.
Pistachio Lemon Loaf
Pistachio Lemon Loaf
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup crushed pistachios, roasted are fine, I don’t use salted
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- lemon glaze
- 1 lemon, zest freshly grated
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and pistachios.
- In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl a few times. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Beat in the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
- Beat in half of the dry ingredients. Beat in the greek yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients until combined, making sure to scrape down the bowl as you go.
- Pour the mixture in the loaf pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until the center is set and the top is golden. Remove from the oven and let cool for 30 minutes. Gently remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely. Once cool, drizzle with the glaze and sprinkle with pistachios.
- lemon glaze
- Whisk the zest, powdered sugar and juice together in a large bowl until smooth. Pour it over the cake once cooled. Sprinkle with the pistachios.
Did you make this recipe?
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My slice!
8 Comments on “Pistachio Lemon Loaf.”
If I subsidtute with glutten free flour is it cooked for the same time period? Thanks
Hi! I was wondering if you calculate nutrition info on your recipes? Or the macros? I love love love your recipes, I have your cookbooks but I’m “counting macros”
Just wondering…does this use 1/2 cup pistachios ,crushed or 1/2 cup of crushed pistachios?
I am guessing that 1/2 cup crushed would maybe be 1 cup before crushing?I am excited to try this recipe but I don’t want to mess up the most important ingredient
Heavenly!! Easy to make and absolutely wonderful! Thank you for a fantastic recipe. 🍋🍋
This is SO GOOD!!! I made it for Easter brunch and everyone devoured it. I followed the recipe exactly, using 0% Greek yogurt. It’s very easy to make and I like that the pistachio isn’t overpowering but just gives a hint of contrast to the lemon. I will definitely make again!
Love this loaf! I have made this twice already. Once as a loaf and the second time as mini muffins (cooking at half the time). Both have been big hits at the office. I plan on making this a few more times just because. The only adjustment I made was adding more lemon juice when making the glaze.
I’m somewhat disappointed. I followed the recipe very carefully, used a mixer, measured precisedly, baked at the recommended temperature (I don’t live at a high altitude or anything like that), but when the cake was done, there was a part at the very bottom that appeared denser and not fully baked. It didn’t taste unbaked, but it looked as though it was not. I also found that the edges of the cake all the way around got very dark brown before the rest of the cake was done. I had to put a strip of foil around the edges to prevent it burning for the last ten or so minutes of baking. Not sure what I could have done differently to change these results.
Can you use salted pistachios in this recipe? I know you commented that you don’t but that’s all I have.