Pistachio Torte – A Rich and Indulgent Treat

This rich pistachio torte makes for an elegant treat with easy toppings! You can easily adjust the filling between the cake layers as desired.

This dessert looks fancy, but it’s not as complicated to make as it may look!

You’ll just want to move the whipped topping from the freezer to the fridge the night before or early in the day so it can sit in the fridge for several hours to thaw.

In addition, you may wish to bake the cake the night before so it has plenty of time to cool completely.

What is a torte?

There are two types of cake that people generally consider to be a torte. In this recipe, I tried to combine both interpretations.

First, elaborate layer cakes, often with many layers of jam, custard, mousse, or other fillings are known as tortes.

Secondly, rich, dense cakes with plenty of eggs, a small amount of flour (or none at all), and often ground nuts to make up for the missing flour are also known as tortes.

I decided to use the same pistachio genoise sponge recipe I used for my gateau vert, minus the lemon zest.

While I’m not 100% sure a sponge cake is a torte, even Martha Stewart isn’t 100% certain what a torte really is. Therefore, I think I’m in good company!

She explains that due to various translation interpretations, torte often just means cake!

The nice thing about a sponge cake is that it holds together very well, and so it is easy to cut into layers.

P.S. Want to save this pistachio torte recipe for later? It’s in this E-Book!

Don’t forget dessert!
​
​

Download your Free E-Book featuring five simple desserts you can try this season – even if you’re not a pastry chef!

Send it my way!

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at anytime.

Built with ConvertKit

Pistachio Torte Ingredients

Before you begin, you will need:

Edible Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup + 1 Tbsp flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup shelled pistachios (to be ground) plus extra for garnish
• 2 Tbsp melted butter (unsalted)
• One 3.4-ounce package of instant pistachio pudding mix
• 2 cups of cold milk
• 4 ounces of whipped topping (or you can whip real cream if you prefer- just add a few more minutes to the prep time)

Tools

• Food processor
• Whisk
• Bread knife
• Two mixing bowls
• Wooden spoon (or stand mixer)
• One microwave-safe dish
• Measuring cups and spoons

How to Make Pistachio Torte

Prep the pudding and whipped topping

1. First, set your whipped topping out from the freezer and into the refrigerator to defrost. The packaging recommends at least four hours. In a pinch, you can set it out at room temperature for a few minutes instead.
2. Then, use a whisk to blend the pistachio pudding mix into 2 cups of cold milk for 2 minutes. After that, cover the pudding and set it in the fridge to set. It will be ready in about 5 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE A PISTACHIO GENOISE SPONGE

1. The next step is the genoise sponge. First, preheat your oven to 350°. Then, grind your pistachios and put them in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Then, add your flour and sugar to the pistachios and combine. 
3. Next, melt your butter and add it to the mix, then stir. 
4. Add the eggs and combine thoroughly. 
5. After that, stir rapidly so you see some bubbles in your batter. A genoise sponge relies on air bubbles from rapid mixing rather than more traditional leavening to rise.
6. Grease a 9 inch baking pan (or two 8 inch baking pans) and sprinkle with flour or powdered sugar.
7. Finally, pour your cake batter into the greased and floured pan and bake for about 25-27 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean, it’s a bit springy to the touch, and the edges are golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

Assemble and decorate your pistachio torte

1. Once the cake has completely cooled, use a plastic knife or something similar to loosen the edges from the pan. Flip it out of the pan upside down onto a cutting board or plate.
2. After that, use toothpicks to mark out where you want to cut your layers. I cut mine into three layers, but the bottom one was pretty thin, so two might be easier. Slice the cake into layers with a bread knife.
3. Then, layer with pudding and whipped topping as desired. I used pudding on the first layer and on the top, and then whipped topping in the middle on the second layer.
4. Finally, decorate as desired. I did a very simple design with some whole pistachios and blobs of whipped topping, but you can make it as easy or elaborate as you’d like. Serve and enjoy! Cover leftovers and store in the fridge.

If you found this article helpful, please consider joining my email newsletter community for new recipes delivered straight to your inbox!

Pin it for later!

Variations on this recipe

Not sure you (or your family) will like pistachios in cake? Substitute almonds!

You can add additional layers if you choose – meringue would be a fun one. In addition, pineapple would be a nice garnish on this torte.

Of course, you can change up the layers to your preference. For a sweeter torte, try two layers of whipped topping and one layer of pudding.

I was originally going to use whipped topping to ice the sides of the torte, but it was a pretty warm day so it seemed too melty. You could do this in a cooler season or if you put it straight in the fridge.

If you are looking for less processed ingredients, you can whip your own real cream and/or make a homemade custard. This can help you avoid green food coloring, but will take a bit longer.

If you don’t need this cake to be vegetarian, you could garnish the top with mini marshmallows.

Related cake recipes

If you liked this pistachio torte, you may be pleased to learn that the base of this torte is almost the same as the base for this gateau vert (green cake – Monet’s favorite).

You may also enjoy my lemon rosemary cake!

I hope you enjoyed this pistachio torte recipe!