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Try this air fryer pistachio coffee cake if you’re looking for new, exciting air fryer recipes. The blend of pistachio, coconut and almonds is so tasty. This easy-to-make coffee cake is made with pistachio instant pudding and other simple ingredients. This air fryer pistachio pudding coffee cake is a modern take on classic Watergate cake which dates back to 1972 (long before the air fryer made an appearance, of course!) Pistachio coffee cake would be perfect for a sweet treat or for Christmas, Easter or St Patrick’s Day. It’s also perfect if you’re not celebrating a specific special occasion but you’re just a huge pistachio fan!
The moist, nutty air fryer pistachio coffee cake is infused with creamy instant pistachio pudding and topped with a delicious frosting for the perfect dessert.
Also try these decadent choc chip bread, s’mores Nutella pie pops, lemon filled cupcakes and s’mores brownie bite truffles.
Why You’ll Love It
Wonderful flavors: Nutty pistachios and almond extract blend with coconut for the kind of flavor everybody will enjoy.
Simple to whip up: This easy recipe is suitable for even newbie home cooks.
A versatile treat: Enjoy a slice for dessert, savor a sliver with your morning coffee or whip it up for a special occasion. You’ll find lots of opportunities to treat yourself to this delicious air fryer cake recipe!
Pistachio Coffee Cake Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pistachio pudding mix: Adds a rich pistachio flavor to the cake.
Coconut: I used both coconut flour and sweetened coconut flakes for that wonderful tropical flavor. Coconut flour is basically finely ground, dried coconut flesh.
Sugar: You need brown sugar for the cake batter and icing sugar for the glaze.
Nuts: You need pistachios and almonds to add lots of appealing nutty flavor.
Heavy cream: Gives the glaze a lovely richness.
Baking soda and baking powder: To achieve a perfect lightness.
Egg: To bind the batter together.
How to Make Pistachio Coffee Cake
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the cake batter: Cream the butter with the brown sugar in one bowl, put the dry ingredients in another bowl and the wet ones in a third bowl. Mix the dry ingredients with the brown sugar mixture and then you can add the wet ingredients gradually.
Bake the coffee cake: Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated air fryer until done. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a cake platter.
Add the toppings: To make the glaze, simply beat the glaze ingredients together then spread it over the top of the cooled cake. Finally, decorate the air fryer pistachio pudding coffee cake with almonds and pistachios.
Substitutions and Variations
Butter: You can use coconut oil or margarine instead.
Nuts: Feel free to use different nuts. Pecans or walnuts would also taste good in this coffee cake, or you can mix and match any nuts you wish.
Almond extract: Substitute another flavor of extract if you like, perhaps vanilla or coconut.
Heavy cream: Substitute milk, dairy or nondairy. You might need less, as it’s thinner in consistency.
Oven-baked version: This recipe is air fryer friendly as long as your air fryer is large enough to hold a loaf pan. You can also make this cake in the oven. If you’re doing that, you can use a larger, wider baking pan. The baking time might change a little but as soon as a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, it’s done.
Serving Suggestions
With a drink: This tasty cake recipe using pistachio pudding pairs beautifully with a lavender matcha latte or perhaps an iced gingerbread latte. Making it for Christmas or St Patrick’s Day? Try it with Puerto Rican style eggnog or a shamrock shake.
For dessert: Enjoy a slice after a meal of chicken Vesuvio or chicken scarpariello.
How to Store Pistachio Coffee Cake
Store: Leftover cake can be stored for a day or 2 at room temperature in an airtight container or in plastic wrap. You can also keep the cake refrigerated for up to 3 more days.
Freeze: I suggest that you freeze the cake in individual pieces so you can thaw them out later whenever you want a sweet treat. It will keep for a couple of months in the freezer in an airtight container. You will find that freezing doesn’t seem to impact the flavor or texture of this cake.
Thaw: Defrost the cake in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperate for a few hours.
Top Tips
Preheat your air fryer: Although it heats up quickly compared to an oven, it’s still best to get it hot before adding the cake.
Use nonstick cooking spray: This prevents your cake from sticking to the loaf pan.
Check for doneness: When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it’s done.
Air Fryer Pistachio Cake FAQs
You can add a few drops of green food coloring to the batter if you want a darker color green in your pistachio coffee cake.
St Patrick’s Day: It has a green tinge after all!
Christmas: Add maraschino cherries and coconut on top for a festive green and red holiday theme.
Easter: Tint the icing pink and enjoy the pastel theme for spring.
Summer BBQ potluck: Making it in the air fryer keeps the house cool.
A coffee cake doesn’t necessarily contain coffee but is good served with a mug of it. As for Watergate cake (very similar to this recipe) I’ve read that the name comes from the Watergate scandal of the time, as the cake is full of nuts and has a cover-up glaze. Back in the 1970s there were a lot of recipes satirically named like this!
Coffee Cake with Pistachios Recipe
Air Fryer Pistachio Coffee Cake
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or Electric Mixer
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1/4 Cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 Cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 Teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 Cup whole milk
- 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 Cup coconut flour
- 1/4 Cup coconut flakes, sweetened
- 1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Package pistachio pudding mix
For the Glaze:
- 2 Cups icing sugar
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 Teaspoon almond extract
- 4 Tablespoon heavy cream
- 1/2 Cup pistachios, chopped
- 1/4 Cup almonds, slivered
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees F for 5 minutes.
Make the Cake Batter:
- Cream the butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer.
- Combine the flour, coconut flour, coconut flakes, baking powder and baking soda, and pudding mix in one bowl and the egg, almond extract and milk in another.
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl with the brown sugar and butter, then mix on low speed until well combined. Slowly add in the wet ingredients and continue mixing until smooth.
Air Fry the Cake:
- Lightly spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into the loaf pan. Cover with foil.
- Place into the air fryer and bake for 25 minutes, remove foil and cook for 5 more minutes. Check to be sure the cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out clean, it's ready.
Prepare and Add the Toppings:
- While the cake is cooking, prepare the glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and beat on high speed until smooth.
- Allow loaf to cool for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and spread glaze over the top. Sprinkle with pistachios and slivered almonds.
Notes
Use nonstick cooking spray: This prevents your cake from sticking to the loaf pan.
Check for doneness: When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, it’s done.
Nutrition
Whether you are considering this pistachio coffee cake recipe for Christmas, Easter or St Patrick’s Day, you’ll love it. The pistachio, coconut and almonds give this easy dessert an incredible flavor. It’s a great recipe using pistachio pudding as a shortcut and goes beautifully with a cup of coffee. If you are a fan of things pistachio, you will love this delicious cake.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
I love how the pistachio, coconut, and almonds come together in this cake! The air fryer makes it so easy, and the flavor is just incredible.
Can’t wait to cook this again soon. Everyone at home was a big fan!
So good. I adore pistachios and this recipe is a keeper.
Just incredible. I discovered pistachios somewhat late in life but this recipe…. it showcases them so beautifully
I’m obsessed with pistachio so I definitely need to make this
This looks so good! I love pistachios