Baklava Sticky Pudding Cake With Wonderful Pistachios
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If you love the warm, sticky-sweet flavors of baklava but want something easy enough to bake on a weeknight, this Baklava Sticky Pudding Cake is the dessert you’ll come back to again and again. It’s soft, fragrant, soaked in silky honey sauce, layered with a rich date mixture, and topped with the warm spice of Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios. And great news for pistachio lovers… Back by popular demand, Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios returns for the holiday season, making this the perfect moment to bake something cozy and new.
This cake is everything you want in a fall dessert: honey, cinnamon, brown sugar, warm spices, and a dense pudding-style crumb that stays soft, even after chilling in the fridge. It serves beautifully at room temperature or slightly warm with ice cream, yogurt, or an extra drizzle of honey syrup.
And because this is a pudding-style cake, you get all the nostalgic baklava flavor without stacking filo sheets or brushing melted butter between layers. Instead, you lean on the nutty pistachios, sticky honey syrup, and a surprise date layer that adds depth and sweetness with minimal effort. Simple ingredients, big payoff.
Why Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios Are Perfect Here
This recipe depends on the pistachios for both flavor and texture. When ground, they blend into the dry ingredients like almond flour, adding structure and warmth. Chopped, they become the baklava topping, which is nutty, spiced, and crunchy. Using the Sweet Cinnamon flavor means you don’t have to add extra spices to the nut mixture. The balance is already there!
And since Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios is only available seasonally, this feels like a perfect holiday dessert to make while you can still get your hands on them.
Ingredients Needed To Make Baklava Sticky Pudding Cake
Make sure you scroll down to the recipe card to see the full list of ingredients needed for this recipe.
- All-purpose flour
- Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios, finely ground
- Dates
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Honey
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Lemon zest
- Butter
- Heavy cream
- Nonstick baking spray
- Chopped Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios for topping
How To Make Baklava Sticky Pudding Cake
- Add the chopped dates and water to a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until the dates soften. Smash into a paste and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x11x3-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter for about three minutes until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the eggs, vanilla, honey, buttermilk, lemon zest, and the prepared date mixture. Stir until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, finely ground Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios pistachios, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and fold until everything is well incorporated.
- Pour the cake batter into your prepared dish and bake for 45–55 minutes. The top should be set, and a toothpick should come out clean.
- While the cake bakes, make the sticky honey sauce. Add butter and brown sugar to a saucepan over medium heat and stir until melted and smooth.
- Add honey, heavy cream, and vanilla. Warm for five more minutes, making sure it never boils.
- Pour the sauce into a glass container to cool slightly.
- When the cake comes out, let it sit for a few minutes, then poke holes all over the top with a toothpick so the sauce can soak in.
- Pour the honey sauce over the entire cake and let it rest for at least an hour so it absorbs fully.
- Sprinkle chopped Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios on top just before serving.
Tips for the Best Baklava Sticky Pudding Cake
- Use a food processor to grind the pistachios until fine, almost like almond meal.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest. It brightens up the honey and brown sugar.
- Avoid boiling the honey sauce, or it can crystallize. Gentle heat is best.
- Check doneness with a toothpick or skewer. This cake sets from the edges inward!
- Let it soak fully. The hour-long rest transforms the texture from simple cake to true sticky pudding.
- Cut with a sharp knife and wipe clean between slices for neat pieces.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Absolutely. This cake actually gets better as it sits because the honey syrup continues to soak into the crumb. You can bake it the day before, let it absorb the sauce, and store it covered at room temperature or in the fridge. Just add the chopped pistachios right before serving so they stay crunchy.
What’s the best way to store leftover baklava pudding cake?
If you have leftovers, cover the dish tightly or transfer slices to an airtight container.
- Room temperature: up to 24 hours
- Refrigerator: up to 4–5 days
Since this is a sticky pudding-style dessert, chilling helps it firm up without drying out. Bring slices back to room temperature or warm them briefly before serving for the softest texture.
Do I really need to poke holes in the cake?
Yes, this is what transforms a simple cake into a sticky pudding cake. Using a toothpick or skewer to poke holes lets the honey sauce seep through the layers so every bite is soaked, tender, and full of flavor. Without the holes, the sauce would sit mostly on top.
Can I grind the pistachios by hand instead of using a food processor?
You can, but it’s tough to get them fine enough without a processor. For the best texture, aim for a consistency similar to almond meal or fine crumbs. If grinding by hand, use a sharp knife or a bag and rolling pin, and chop in batches until very fine.
Why is my honey sauce grainy or separated?
This usually means the mixture boiled or the sugar didn’t dissolve fully. Keep the heat on medium or medium-low and stir often. The sauce should look silky and smooth, not bubbling. If it starts to boil, turn the heat down immediately.
Can I freeze this cake?
Yes, you can freeze it after soaking. Wrap slices individually in parchment and store them in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring to room temperature before serving.
What should the texture of the cake be like when it’s done baking?
This cake is supposed to be dense, soft, and moist. A toothpick should come out clean, but the crumb will feel heavier than a typical cake. It shouldn’t jiggle in the center, but it won’t be as springy as a light sponge cake.
How do I serve this for a crowd?
Cut it into squares using a sharp knife, wiping it clean between slices. It sits nicely on a serving platter and pairs well with ice cream, whipped cream, yogurt, or even a spoonful of extra honey syrup.
Baklava Sticky Pudding Cake
Equipment
- 9x11x3 inch deep baking dish (or similar size)
- Mixing bowls (1 large, 1 medium)
- Medium saucepan/stock pot
- Whisk + spatula
- Toothpick for doneness
- Glass container for cooling sauce
- Measuring cups and spoons
- nonstick baking spray
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 5.5 ounces Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios finely ground
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 lemon zested
- 8 tbsp butter softened
Date Mixture
- 1 cup dates chopped
- 1 cup water
- Topping: Chopped Sweet Cinnamon Wonderful Pistachios
Sticky Honey Sauce
- 8 tbsp butter
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ⅓ cup honey
- ¾ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Date Mixture (Add to Batter)
- Add the chopped dates and water to a small pot.
- Cook over medium-low heat until the dates soften, then smash into a paste.
- Set aside to mix into the cake batter.
Honey Sauce Instructions
- Make the honey sauce while the cake is baking.
- Add the butter and sugar to a medium stock pot over medium/low heat. Mix well and once the sugar and butter are mixed together well, about 10 minutes, mix in the honey, heavy cream and vanilla. Cook for an additional 5 minutes. Should not boil; if it starts to boil reduce heat. Should be silky smooth. Remove, pour into a glass container to cool while the cake bakes.
Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. This cake will fit a 9x11x3 in deep baking dish. (NOTE: you can use a larger baking dish; this will affect the bake time, always check cake doneness with a toothpick.) Spray the dish with nonstick baking spray.
- Add both sugars and the butter to a mixing bowl and mix for 3 minutes. Should be light and a little fluffy. Mix in the eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, lemon zest, honey and the date paste.
- In a separate bowl add all of the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and mix until well incorporated. Pour into the baking dish and bake for 45-55 minutes. When you insert a toothpick it should come out clean. The cake will not jiggle. This is a super moist, more of a dense cake.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Poke holes using a toothpick all over the top of the cake.
- Pour the honey sauce on top.
- Let it soak in for at least 1 hour.
- Enjoy!
Baklava might have a reputation for being fussy, but this cake breaks all the rules in the best way. You get the sticky sweetness, the nutty crunch, the warm cinnamon, and that signature honey-soaked bite… all without touching a single sheet of filo. It’s bold, cozy, wildly delicious, and a dessert people talk about long after the plates are cleared. Bring this once, and it becomes your dessert, the one everyone begs you to make again next year!
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