Obsessed Cakes
Pistachio Donut Loaf
A soft pistachio donut loaf with buttery roasted pistachio streusel, a thin vanilla glaze, and the warm middle crease that makes donut loaves so good.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Bake
- 55-90 min
- Total
- 1 hr 55 min
- Yield
- One 9x5-inch loaf
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Ingredients
Pistachio Streusel
- 80 g (about 2/3 cup) all-purpose flour
- 35 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons) granulated sugar
- 35 g (about 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 54 g (about 3 tablespoons + 2 1/2 teaspoons) cold butter, cubed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 60 g (about 1/2 cup) roasted, lightly salted pistachios, coarsely ground (measure before chopping or grinding)
Pistachio Loaf
- 260 g (about 2 cups + 3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
- 15 g (about 2 tablespoons + 1/2 teaspoon) cornstarch
- 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 220 g (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
- 120 g (about 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons) neutral oil
- 200 g (about 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature
- 135 g (about 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon) milk, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional but recommended
- 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 70 g (about 1/3 cup + 4 tablespoons) roasted, lightly salted pistachios, coarsely ground (measure before chopping or grinding)
Vanilla Glaze
- 250 g (about 2 cups + 1 tablespoon) powdered sugar, sifted
- 60 g (about 1/4 cup) milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- Pinch fine sea salt
Topping
- 25 g (about 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon) roasted, lightly salted pistachios, finely chopped (measure before chopping or grinding)
Before Baking
- Coarse sanding sugar, for sprinkling
Pan used
I personally prefer a light-colored aluminum pan for these loaves. Here is the one I use. Not sponsored. I don't earn a commission from this link.
Glass holds heat longer, so the edges can overbake before the center is done. If you use glass, loosely tent the loaf with foil early, as soon as the top starts to brown. The foil helps protect the top, but it does not stop the sides or bottom from baking too quickly.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and fully line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt. Add the cold butter and vanilla bean paste. Work together until crumbly with a mix of small crumbs and larger clusters.
- Fold the coarsely ground pistachios into the streusel, then refrigerate while preparing the batter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, oil, yogurt, milk, vanilla bean paste, almond extract, if using, and apple cider vinegar until completely smooth.
- Add the flour, coarsely ground pistachios, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg. Whisk just until combined and no dry streaks remain.
- Spread just under half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan, keeping the pan no more than 2/3 full once all layers are added.
- Sprinkle half of the chilled streusel evenly over the batter.
- Carefully spread the remaining batter over the streusel until completely covered.
- Top evenly with the remaining streusel, leaving plenty of large clusters.
- Sprinkle the top lightly and evenly with coarse sanding sugar just before baking.
- Bake for 55-90 minutes, checking around 35 minutes and covering loosely with foil if the streusel is browning quickly.
- 12
Before you take the loaf out
Baking time is a guide, not a deadline.
Check the center: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the cake in the center, avoiding the streusel layer.
Ready to come out: The center no longer jiggles and the tester comes out clean or with moist crumbs. No wet batter.
Keep baking: Thick, paste-like batter: bake 3-5 minutes more. Wet batter: bake 7-10 minutes more. Then test the center again.
The 205-210°F (96-99°C) range is an extra check. Batter on the tester still means keep baking, even at that temperature.
An underbaked center can collapse as the loaf cools.
- Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully lift the loaf onto a wire rack. Let it cool until warm but no longer hot.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla bean paste, and salt until smooth and pourable.
- Once the loaf is on the wire rack and feels warm but no longer hot, spread the glaze evenly over the top and sides.
- Immediately sprinkle the chopped pistachios evenly over the wet glaze.
- Let the glaze set before slicing.