Name: Pistachio Milk Cake (Tres Leches Cake)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 50 g Pistachios; 100 g Plain Flour; ½ tsp Ground Cardamom (Optional); ¼ tsp Salt; 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder; 5 Eggs (Seperated into Eggs and Yolks in 2 seperate bowls); 200 g Caster Sugar (1 Cup (Divide into 3/4 cup - 150g and 1/4 cup - 50g)); 80 g Milk; Food Colouring (Gel or Similar (Optional)); 410 g Evaporated Milk; 397 g Condensed Milk; 250 g Double Cream; 20 g Pistachios (Dry roasted then Blended to a fine powder); ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom (Optional); Food Colouring (Gel os simlar); 480 g Double Cream; 3 ½ tbsp Icing Sugar; 4 tbsp Pistachios (Dry roasted then coursely ground)

Jump to Recipe

Pistachio Milk Cake is my pistachio twist on a classic Mexican Tres Leches Cake. This version combines a feather-light pistachio sponge with a creamy three milk syrup infused with cardamom and roasted pistachios, creating a dessert that tastes just like a giant slice of Pistachio Kulfi.

Ground pistachios are folded into the sponge and blended into the milk mixture too, giving this cake a rich nutty flavour in every bite. Finished with softly whipped cream and crunchy pistachios, it is a show stopping dessert that is surprisingly easy to make.

Perfect for celebrations, Eid, dinner parties or make-ahead desserts.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Ultra soft and airy sponge cake
Rich pistachio flavour throughout
Inspired by both Tres Leches Cake and Pistachio Kulfi
Easy to make ahead
Perfect for feeding a crowd
Delicious served chilled

What is tres leches cake?

Tres Leches translates to "three milks." Traditionally, the cake is soaked in a mixture of evaporated milk, condensed milk and cream or whole milk.

This Pistachio Milk Cake keeps the classic soft and moist texture of Tres Leches Cake while adding roasted pistachios and cardamom for a delicious South Asian-inspired twist.

Ingredients

Plain Flour

Baking Powder

Cardamom

Salt

Eggs

Milk

Evaporated Milk

Condensed Milk

Double Cream

Sugar

Pistachio - Ground and Course

How to make pistachio milk cake

A full detailed recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Step 1 - Prepare the Tin
Preheat the oven to 180°C/GM4. Grease a 9 x 13 inch oven dish or tray/tin.

Step 2 - Roast the Pistachios

Dry roast the pistachios in a pan over medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Avoid over blending or they may turn into pistachio butter.

Step 3 - Make the Cake Batter

In one bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cardamom, salt and ground pistachios. In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add 50g sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks form. In a third bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy.
Mix the milk and optional food colouring into the yolk mixture.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture, then carefully fold through the egg whites.

In a third bowl beat egg yolk with sugar till pale.

Egg whites and egg yolk mixture being mixed together in bowl

Step 4 - Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.

Step 5 - Make the Milk Mixture

Whisk together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, double cream, ground pistachios, cardamom and optional food colouring. Pierce the cooled cake all over with a fork, then slowly pour over the milk mixture. Allow the cake to absorb the syrup for at least 30 minutes.

Pistachio Milk Cake with holes all over the top

Step 6 - Decorate

Whip the double cream with icing sugar until thickened.
Spread over the chilled cake and finish with coarsely ground pistachios.

Sprinkle over course Pistachios.

tips for making the best pistachio milk cake

Be Gentle with the Batter
The airy texture comes from whipped egg whites. Fold gently to keep as much air in the batter as possible.

Roast the Pistachios
Roasting brings out the nutty flavour and makes a huge difference to the final taste.

Don't Skip the Resting Time
Allow the cake to sit for at least 30 minutes after adding the milk mixture so it can fully absorb the liquid. For best results, chill overnight.

Don't Over Blend the Pistachios
Blend in short bursts to avoid turning them into pistachio paste.

Expect the Cake to Sink Slightly
The cake rises like a soufflé in the oven and naturally settles slightly as it cools.

Storage

Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. This cake is best served chilled.

can it be frozen?

Yes, but freeze only the sponge. Allow the cake to cool completely, then wrap tightly in two layers of cling film and freeze for up to 2 months.
Defrost overnight in the fridge before adding the milk mixture and topping.

variations

Ras Malai Milk Cake
Add saffron and extra cardamom to the milk mixture.

Biscoff Milk Cake
Whisk 1 tablespoon Biscoff spread into the syrup and drizzle extra over the top.

Nutella Milk Cake
Add 1 tablespoon Nutella to the milk mixture and drizzle over before serving.

Masala Chai Milk Cake
Infuse milk with chai spices and a tea bag before adding to the syrup mixture.

FAQs

Can I Make This Ahead?

Yes. In fact, it tastes even better the next day once the milk mixture has fully soaked into the cake.

Can I Use Ready Ground Pistachios?

Freshly roasted and ground pistachios give the best flavour, but pre-ground pistachios can be used if needed.

Why is There Extra Milk on Top?

A small amount of syrup sitting on top is completely normal and keeps the cake deliciously moist.

other milk cake recipes you may like:

Trilece

Chocolate Milk Cake

Saffron Milk Cake

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📖 Recipe

Pistachio Milk Cake (Tres Leches Cake)

Safira

This Pistachio Milk Cake is a delicious twist on classic Tres Leches Cake made with roasted pistachios, cardamom and a creamy three milk syrup. Soft, moist and inspired by Pistachio Kulfi.

4.94 from 16 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Course Baking, Baking/Dessert

Cuisine Mexican, Spanish

Servings

Calories 539 kcal

Ingredients

Cake

50 g Pistachios
100 g Plain Flour
½ teaspoon Ground Cardamom Optional
¼ teaspoon Salt
1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
5 Eggs Seperated into Eggs and Yolks in 2 seperate bowls
200 g Caster Sugar 1 Cup (Divide into ¾ cup - 150g and ¼ cup - 50g)
80 g Milk
Food Colouring Gel or Similar (Optional)

Syrup

410 g Evaporated Milk
397 g Condensed Milk
250 g Double Cream
20 g Pistachios Dry roasted then Blended to a fine powder
¼ teaspoon Ground Cardamom Optional
Food Colouring Gel os simlar

Cream

480 g Double Cream
3 ½ tablespoon Icing Sugar

Decorate

4 tablespoon Pistachios Dry roasted then coursely ground

Instructions

Cake

Step 1 - Prepare the Tin - Preheat the oven to 180°C/GM4. Grease a 9 x 13 inch oven dish or tray/ti
Step 2 - Roast the Pistachios - Dry roast the pistachios in a pan over medium heat until fragrant. Allow to cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground. Avoid over blending or they may turn into pistachio butter.
Step 3 - Make the Cake Batter - In one bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cardamom, salt and ground pistachios. In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add 50g sugar and continue whisking until soft peaks form. In a third bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar until pale and fluffy.Mix the milk and optional food colouring into the yolk mixture.Gently fold the dry ingredients into the yolk mixture, then carefully fold through the egg whites. In a third bowl beat egg yolk with sugar till pale.
Step 4 - Bake - Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.
In a third bowl beat egg yolkswith 150 g sugar till pale. (2 minutes).
Stir Milk and food colouring into the yolk mixture.
Gently add the flour mixture to the egg yolk mixture. Then fold in the whites.
Pour batter into tin/dish and bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Three Milk MIxture

Step 5 - Make the Milk Mixture - hisk together the evaporated milk, condensed milk, double cream, ground pistachios, cardamom and optional food colouring. Pierce the cooled cake all over with a fork, then slowly pour over the milk mixture. Allow the cake to absorb the syrup for at least 30 minutes.
Once the cake has cooled, pierce all over with a fork and drizzle in the milk mixture. Leave for 30 minutes.

Decorate

Step 6 - Decorate - Whip the double cream with icing sugar until thickened.Spread over the chilled cake and finish with coarsely ground pistachios. Sprinkle over course Pistachios.

Notes

tips for making the best pistachio milk cake

Be Gentle with the Batter - The airy texture comes from whipped egg whites. Fold gently to keep as much air in the batter as possible.

Roast the Pistachios - Roasting brings out the nutty flavour and makes a huge difference to the final taste.

Don’t Skip the Resting Time - Allow the cake to sit for at least 30 minutes after adding the milk mixture so it can fully absorb the liquid. For best results, chill overnight.

Don’t Over Blend the Pistachios - Blend in short bursts to avoid turning them into pistachio paste.

Expect the Cake to Sink Slightly - The cake rises like a soufflé in the oven and naturally settles slightly as it cools.