Yield: 9″ pistachio latte coffee cake // Total Time: 1 hr. 15 min. // Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links. // This post is sponsored by Papanicholas coffee. All opinions are my own.
Light, fluffy, moist coffee cake made with two layers of pistachio streusel & an espresso glaze.
pistachio coffee cake with coffee
This pistachio coffee cake is made with coffee in the batter and an espresso glaze on top. While the name coffee cake would suggest that there’s coffee in the cake, coffee cake actually got it’s name because it’s meant to be enjoyed *with* coffee. This coffee cake is ridiculously light and moist, has two layers of pistachio brown sugar streusel, and is topped with an espresso glaze.
papanicholas coffee
I’m partnering once again with my all time favorite coffee brand: papanicholas coffee for this pistachio coffee cake. I use their coffee beans every day and am so happy to be able to partner with them to spread the love of their coffee. In this recipe I used their five-star restaurant espresso beans which has flavor notes of brown sugar and molasses with a medium body that pairs so perfectly with the pistachio. I definitely highly recommend trying some of their coffee, they have so many delicious flavors and are always the coffee I use in my recipes (and for my daily caffeine dose!). You can find their website by clicking here. Also, if you do end up purchasing their coffee be sure to use code FRESH20 for 20% off your coffee order!
recipe tips
weigh your ingredients
Weighing your ingredients is important for getting the recipe perfect and getting consistent results. Not weighing your ingredients can lead to adding too much or too little of an ingredient. In a small batch recipe it is especially important to get those correct measurements because there is less room for error. If you haven’t already, I highly recommend purchasing a kitchen scale. This one is super cheap and worked well for me when I was starting out!
line your pan tall with parchment paper!
This cake is not one that you want to flip upside down to get it out of the pan. Butter your pan, and get out a sheet of parchment paper. Crinkle up the parchment paper, then un-crinkle it and place it in your buttered pan, pressing the parchment up the sides of the pan. This will give you a way to lift the cake out of the pan (plus I happen to enjoy the little crinkles it puts in the sides – it’s a little rustic almost!)
mix the batter carefully
It is super important to not overmix the cake batter or you end up with a tough and chewy cake rather than a light and moist cake. When alternating between adding the wet and dry ingredients, be sure to only mix just until the ingredient is fully combined and no more.
room temperature ingredients
It is important for the ingredients to be at room temperature so that they properly incorporate with each other. Take out the egg, butter, and buttermilk at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hr 30 min. before starting the recipe. To bring an egg to room temperature quickly, you can place it under hot water for 1 minute. To bring butter to room temperature quickly, slice it, place it on a plate, and microwave it in 5-second intervals. For buttermilk, you can also microwave it in 5-second intervals until it’s no longer cold (but not hot!)
ingredients and substitutions
For the coffee cake:
All purpose flour: for structure. I haven’t tried it but a using a 1:1 gluten free flour should work if needed too.
Baking powder: for helping the cake rise.
Salt: for balancing and bringing out the sweetness of the cake.
Unsalted butter: for tenderizing the cake and giving it that classic buttery taste. You can substitute in salted butter, just omit the extra salt from the recipe.
Granulated sugar: for sweetening the cake and keeping it moist. The sugar also helps aerate the butter to give this cake it’s rise and keep it light and fluffy.
Eggs: for moisture, structure, and binding the batter together.
Vanilla: I use and love this vanilla extract.
Buttermilk: for tenderizing the cake and adding moisture. I highly recommend using buttermilk but I know it can be hard or annoying to purchase, especially if you don’t plan on using it for anything else. If you’re looking for an easy substitute for this recipe, combine 45g of sour cream with 85g of milk and use as normal.
Espresso: we’re putting 1 shot of espresso directly in the coffee cake for flavor.
For the pistachio brown sugar streusel:
Unsalted butter: the base of the streusel, really what makes it buttery and delicious. You can use salted butter here as well.
Light brown sugar: sweetens and adds flavor to the streusel. In a pinch granulated sugar will work here.
All purpose flour: adds structure to the streusel.
Ground cinnamon: for flavor.
Pistachios: I used roasted & salted pistachios, but unsalted will work well too.
For the espresso glaze:
Powdered sugar & espresso: the icing on the cake!
how to make pistachio latte coffee cake
pistachio latte coffee cake q&a
how to store this pistachio coffee cake
This cake will keep well for 3 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
can I double this recipe?
Definitely! Double all the ingredients and bake it between two 9″ cake pans. I especially encourage using grams for the best results if you’re going to double the recipe.
why do you measure in grams?
My recipes are all written in grams because it is the most accurate way to bake. When you use a kitchen scale, you ensure that your baked goods turn out as close to the written recipe as possible. Plus, the cleanup is way easier when using a scale! I will provide standard cup measurements but please note that I have not tested the recipe using cup measurements and therefore can not guarantee your recipe will come out how mine did. Here is my favorite kitchen scale.
a note on oven temperature.
Ovens vary and fluctuate in temperature. For example, I always have to set my oven to 330°F if I want it to bake at 350°F. If you love to bake like I do, I highly recommend getting an oven thermometer. They are super helpful for letting you know when your oven might be lying to you. I use this one.
tools and ingredients
You can find all my favorite tools and ingredients that I use on my Amazon Storefront page, here
did you make this pistachio latte coffee cake?
If you made this pistachio coffee cake I would love to see it and know your thoughts! Please leave a comment and review down below, and tag me on Instagram @freshbeanbakery. If you have any questions about the recipe I will gladly do my best to answer them in the comments below!
Pistachio Latte Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Brown Sugar Pistachio Streusel
- 113 g unsalted butter (½ c.)
- 200 g light brown sugar (1 c.)
- 150 g all purpose flour (1 ¼ c.)
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
- 150 g crushed pistachios (⅔ c.)
Pistachio Coffee Cake
- 30 g espresso (1 oz.)
- 210 g all purpose flour (1 ¾ c.)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 125 g unsalted butter room temperature (9 tbsp.)
- 175 g granulated sugar (¾ c. + 2 tbsp.)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
- 130 g buttermilk room temperature (4 ½ oz.)
Espresso Glaze
- 120 g powdered sugar (1 c.)
- 1-2 tbsp. espresso
Instructions
Brown Sugar Pistachio Streusel
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, melt the butter. Add in the brown sugar, flour,cinnamon, and crushed pistachios. Use a fork to mix the ingredients together until you have formed little clumps of dough. Set aside.
Pistachio Coffee Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Butter a 9” cake pan, and get out a sheet of parchment paper. Crinkle up the parchment paper, then un-crinkle it and place it in your buttered pan, pressing the parchment up the sides of the pan. This will give you a way to lift the cake out of the pan so that no streusel falls off of it.
- Brew the espresso and set it aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy (3-4 min.)
- Add in both eggs, the vanilla, and the brewed espresso. Beat the mixture for 1 minute until well combined.
- Add in half of the flour mixture and gently fold it into the batter just until combined, then mix in the buttermilk, followed by the remaining flour mixture.
- Pour half of the cake batter into your prepared pan. Top it with ⅓ of the pistachio streusel, then pour the remaining cake batter in, followed by the remaining streusel.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Espresso Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar with 1 tbsp. of espresso. Add more if desired to get a thinner glaze.
- Once the cake has cooled to room temperature, top it with the glaze. Serve and enjoy!
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