Name: Vegan Pistachio Coffee Cake Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients: 30 g (¼ cup) raw shelled pistachios; 30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons vegan butter, cold; 240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour; 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder; ¼ teaspoon baking soda; ¼ teaspoon sea salt; 160 ml (⅔ cup) soy milk; 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar; 80 g (⅔ cup) raw shelled pistachios; 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar; 90 g (3.1 oz) vegan butter, room temperature; 180 g (¾ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt, room temperature; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ¼ teaspoon almond extract; 150 g (⅔ cup) vegan pistachio cream spread; 50 g (3 ¼ tablespoons) vegan pistachio cream spread; 60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting; 1 tablespoon soy milk

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Introduction

This Vegan Pistachio Coffee Cake is a delightful treat that combines a moist, nutty crumb with a luscious pistachio cream center. Perfect for coffee breaks or special occasions, it offers a wonderful balance of flavors and textures that both vegans and non-vegans will enjoy.

A round cake sits on white parchment paper over a white marbled surface. The cake has two layers visible from the side, with a golden brown crust on the bottom layer and a lighter, crumbly textured top layer covered in powdered sugar. Drizzled over the top is a light green glaze in a lattice pattern, with some glaze dripping down the sides. Around the cake, there are containers holding pistachios and a light green spread, along with a glass bottle of milk, all placed on the white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Pistachio Crumb Topping:

30 g (¼ cup) raw shelled pistachios
30 g (¼ cup) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons vegan butter, cold

Cake:

240 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon sea salt
160 ml (⅔ cup) soy milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
80 g (⅔ cup) raw shelled pistachios
200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
90 g (3.1 oz) vegan butter, room temperature
180 g (¾ cup) vegan Greek-style yogurt, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
150 g (⅔ cup) vegan pistachio cream spread

Pistachio Icing (optional):

50 g (3 ¼ tablespoons) vegan pistachio cream spread
60 g (½ cup) powdered sugar, plus extra for dusting
1 tablespoon soy milk

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C (320°F) or conventional 180°C (356°F). Line the base and sides of a 7.5 or 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper.
Step 2: To prepare the pistachio crumb topping, add pistachios, flour, and sugar to a food processor and pulse until roughly ground. Add cold vegan butter and blend briefly until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Step 3: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Stir to combine and set aside.
Step 4: In a separate jug, mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar to create vegan buttermilk. Set aside.
Step 5: Place the pistachios and granulated sugar in a food processor and blitz until finely ground.
Step 6: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature vegan butter for one minute using a mixer. Add the ground pistachio sugar and continue to whisk for another two minutes until fluffy.
Step 7: Whisk in the vegan yogurt, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the creamed butter mixture.
Step 8: Gradually add the vegan buttermilk and sifted dry ingredients alternately in two additions each, mixing gently after each to combine. Avoid overmixing.
Step 9: Spoon half the cake batter into the prepared pan. Carefully layer the pistachio cream spread on top and smooth evenly with an offset spatula without pressing it down. Add the remaining batter on top and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the pistachio crumble over the cake.
Step 10: Bake for 50–60 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out almost clean with a few crumbs. If wet batter appears, continue baking in 5-minute increments.
Step 11: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the springform and transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 12: For the icing, whisk together pistachio cream spread, powdered sugar, and soy milk until smooth. Once the cake is cool, dust with powdered sugar and drizzle the glaze over the top.

Tips & Variations

Use raw unsalted pistachios for the best fresh nutty flavor and to control saltiness.
For a different nutty twist, try substituting pistachios with almonds or walnuts in the crumb and batter.
If you don’t have vegan Greek-style yogurt, a thick coconut yogurt works well as a substitute.
Ensure your vegan butter is cold when making the crumb topping to get a crumbly texture.
To make this cake nut-free, you can omit pistachios entirely and increase the amount of flour slightly; consider adding vegan chocolate chips for extra flavor.

Storage

Store the cake covered in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Before serving chilled cake, allow it to come to room temperature for the best texture. The cake can also be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

How to Serve

A close-up of a single square piece of cake on a white plate, showing three layers: a golden brown bottom layer, a middle layer with a moist greenish texture, and a top light golden crumbly layer. The cake is topped with a smooth, light green glaze that drips down the sides, sprinkled with chopped green pistachios and dusted lightly with white powdered sugar. The plate has some powdered sugar scattered around the cake, and a silver fork rests on the right edge of the plate. The background is a white marbled texture. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different plant milk instead of soy milk?

Yes, you can substitute soy milk with almond, oat, or any other plant-based milk, but soy milk tends to work best for its protein content and consistency in baking.

Is it necessary to use apple cider vinegar in the recipe?

Apple cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise and creates a tender crumb by mimicking buttermilk. If you don’t have it, you can use lemon juice as an alternative.