Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cake
Shreyat is a chef and recipe developer based in Goa, India, with a passion for creating wholesome, approachable recipes inspired by global flavors and fresh, seasonal ingredients.
- Dessert
Three oat-flour sponge layers, pistachio yogurt cream, and not a gram of white sugar.
This is a chocolate oat dessert layered with a creamy pistachio yogurt filling. This chocolate pistachio cake has no refined flour and no white sugar. Oat flour adds fiber, Greek yogurt adds protein, and pistachios provide healthy fats. Cacao adds antioxidants, while honey gives the dessert its sweetness. Chilling the cream before piping is key as it’s what allows the Greek yogurt to hold a shape, since it has none of the fat structure that stabilizes a buttercream.
Why This Works
The oat flour gives it some extra fiber, while the Greek yogurt and pistachios add protein and healthy fats. The cacao adds the chocolate flavor, and the honey gives sweetness without using regular sugar.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 301 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 15g |
| Carbs | 32g |
| Fat | 14g |
Ingredients
For the chocolate oat sponge
| Oat flour | 6.7 oz |
|---|---|
| Unsweetened cacao powder | 1.1 oz |
| Eggs | 4 |
| Greek yogurt | 6.3 oz |
| Honey | 1.4 oz |
| Milk | ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp |
| Baking powder | 1½ tsp |
| Baking soda | ½ tsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp |
| Salt | ¼ tsp |
For the pistachio yogurt cream
| Pistachio butter | 4.2 oz |
|---|---|
| Thick Greek yogurt | 6.3 oz |
| Honey | 1.4 oz |
| Vanilla extract | ½ tsp |
For the garnish
| Chopped pistachios | As needed |
|---|---|
| Orange wedges | Optional |
| Cherries | Optional |
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Mix the wet ingredients
Add the eggs, Greek yogurt, honey, milk and vanilla to a bowl and mix until smooth.
2 Mix the dry ingredients
In a bowl, mix the oat flour, cacao powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sieve can be used here to get rid of any lumps.
3 Combine the batter
Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold until just combined. Do not overmix. The batter should look smooth and glossy with no lumps.
4 Bake the sponge
Pour the batter into the lined tin and smooth it out evenly. Bake for 25–30 minutes at 175°C / 350°F.
5 Cool the sponge completely
Let it cool completely before removing it from the tin. It needs to be completely cool before cutting and assembling.
6 Make the pistachio yogurt cream
Add the pistachio butter, Greek yogurt, honey and vanilla to a bowl and fold everything together until smooth. The pistachio cream should have a thick spreadable consistency.
7 Chill the cream
Refrigerate the cream for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it gets thick enough to pipe.
8 Prepare the cream
Transfer the chilled cream to a piping bag.
9 Cut the sponge
Carefully cut the completely cooled sponge into three even layers.
10 Assemble the layers
Place the first sponge layer down and pipe over the pistachio yogurt cream. Add the second sponge layer and repeat with another layer of cream. Place the final sponge layer on top.
11 Cover the dessert
Pipe the remaining pistachio yogurt cream over the top and around the sides. Spread it evenly.
12 Garnish and chill
Finish with chopped pistachios. Add orange wedges and cherries if using.
Notes & Tips
- Cool before cutting: Let the sponge cool completely before cutting or assembling, and chill the cake for 30 minutes before slicing.
- Chilling the cream: Chill the pistachio yogurt cream for at least 45 minutes to 1 hour before piping. If the cream is still too soft, chill it for a little longer.
- Storage: Keep the finished dessert refrigerated.
- No pistachio butter? If you don’t have pistachio butter then you can simply use almond butter or make your own pistachio butter by grinding the 4.2 oz of Pistachios with 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Shreyat is a chef and recipe developer based in Goa, India, with a passion for creating wholesome, approachable recipes inspired by global flavors and fresh, seasonal ingredients.
