Lemon is one of those dessert flavors I can’t get enough of.
Lemon cake, lemon ice cream, lemon bars… the list goes on.
And tons of flavors pair beautifully with lemon as well. Coconut, white chocolate, dark chocolate, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, bananas, lime, almond, pistachios…
I really love pairing lemon with another flavor because the two complement each other so well, and because I like mixing it up from time to time.
So when Diamond of California sent me some pre-shelled pistachios, I knew exactly what I wanted to make with them (that is, if I could manage to avoid eating the entire bag!).
Diamond’s Shelled Pistachios are a dream come true for any pistachio lover. Instead of those pesky shells, dried out fingertips and risk of nail-breakage when trying to get to your beloved pistachio, Diamond made things easier with these bags of pre-shelled pistachios. AKA, the best invention ever. (Seriously, my fingers are thanking you).
The result is all the snacking your nutty heart desires without any risks, only delicious rewards. Can’t beat that!
And when sprinkled liberally on top of this luscious, moist lemon pound cake? HEAVEN. If you’ve never tried pistachios and lemon before, please make it a priority to make this cake! If this cake doesn’t scream summertime, I don’t know what does.
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 pkg (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- FOR GLAZE:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- Shelled pistachios, for garnish
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Liberally grease two 9×5″ loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, pudding mix, milk, oil, eggs and lemon juice with a handheld electric mixer until combined. Spread the batter evenly among the pans.
- Bake for approx. 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean or with moist crumbs, no batter. Cool for about 20 minutes in the pan before inverting the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely.
- Once cooled, place the cakes over a wax paper lined surface for easy clean up. Whip up the lemon juice + powdered sugar in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the loaf cakes, then sprinkle with pistachios. Serve!
This pound cake couldn’t be more delicious! The cake itself is super dense, loaded with tons of moisture from the extra eggs, milk and oil. It has great, bright lemon flavor from the freshly squeezed lemon juice and that sweet/tart glaze. And the pistachios brighten everything up with their beautiful green color and that nutty crunch. This cake would be awesome at a summertime brunch, or even with a scoop of sorbet or vanilla ice cream after a BBQ.
Have a delicious weekend!
xo, Hayley
Full disclosure: Diamond of California generously provided me with a package of their Shelled Pistachios to sample. I created the recipe on my own for Diamond, and all opinions expressed are 100% my own. I was not otherwise compensated for this post.
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
OMG yummmmm this looks soooooo good! I love lemon and pistachios, I am ALL over this!
Jess @ On Sugar Mountain says
What a gorgeous pound cake, Hayley! I can’t get enough of lemon either, or citrus in general for that matter! And it pairs perfectly with pistachios in this pound cake!!! 😀
Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. says
Why is pound cake so damn good?!
Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking says
Oh my gaaaahhh does this look good! Love that lemony flavor. I want the whole thing for breakfast!
Laura @ Laura's Culinary Adventures says
What a great combination! The drippy glaze looks yummy!
Amy @ Amy's Healthy Baking says
My dad eats pistachios almost every night, and he always asks for lemon cake for his birthday… This sounds right up his alley! The colors in your photos really pop — so pretty!