Pistachio Cream Crumb Cake (Sbriciolata)
Updated May 15, 2025, Published Mar 13, 2022
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This Pistachio Cream Crumb Cake, known as Sbriciolata, is a classic Italian dessert featuring a golden, buttery crumb and a rich pistachio cream filling—simple to make and unforgettable to eat. A taste of Italy at your table.
You’ll love my Italian pistachio cookies and pistachio gelato.
Table of Contents
- What is Italian Crumb Cake (Sbriciolata)?
- Why This Recipe Stands Out
- Recipe Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How To Make Italian Crumb Cake With Pistachio Cream
- Recipe Tips for Italian Sbriciolata
- How to Store and Freeze
- More Italian Cakes
- Italian Crumb Cake with Pistachio Cream (Sbriciolata) Recipe
What is Italian Crumb Cake (Sbriciolata)?
Sbriciolata is a rustic Italian crumb cake with buttery dough crumbles layered around a creamy filling—this version is made with our Italian pistachio cream. It can be compared to a pistachio coffee cake. It’s simple, lightly sweet, and perfectly imperfect—the kind of dessert you find on a nonna’s table. It is a lovely Italian dessert for brunch, Easter Dinner, Mother’s Day, or casual coffee dates.
Try this cake with Italian Chocolate Pastry Cream. You can also make the vanilla cream version, Italian Cream Crumb Cake.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
It’s extra buttery, perfectly crumbly, and filled with rich, nutty pistachio cream—every bite melts in your mouth and feels like a little taste of Italy.
“I made this and it was very good . I had some leftover pistachio cream I made with your recipe as well which turned out fabulous. Thank you !! It’s a keeper”
– DIANA
Here are more Italian cakes you will love: Chocolate Torte, Simple Italian Apple Cake (one bowl), and my pear cake recipe.
Recipe Ingredients
This Italian pistachio cake recipe uses simple, wholesome ingredients. You’ll love the natural pistachio flavor. There are no pistachio pudding mixes here.
For the Cake
- All-purpose Flour
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- Egg
- Baking powder
- Optional: crushed pistachios, or ground pistachios, or sliced almonds for topping
For the Italian Pistachio Cream
- Egg yolks
- Granulated Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Pistachio Paste (blended, shelled, and blanched pistachios)
- Milk
- Vanilla extract (you can try almond extract)
Variations and Substitutions
- Filling Swap: Use homemade Nutella, almond cream, or your favorite jam instead of pistachio cream.
- Add Texture: Sprinkle chopped pistachios or almonds into the crumb mixture.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for the dough. Try my Italian almond cake that is naturally gluten free.
- Citrus Twist: Add a little lemon zest to the dough for a fresh, bright flavor. You’ll love my lemon ricotta cake and orange olive oil cake. Try my Italian cheesecake.
How To Make Italian Crumb Cake With Pistachio Cream
This is a step-by-step visual guide. See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for more.
MAKE THE CRUST
Photos 1-4. In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the sugar. Stir to combine.
Photos 5-8. First, add in the beaten egg to the dry ingredients. Combine the egg and dry ingredients with your hands until roughly incorporated.
Add cold butter and start working together, with hands, to form crumble like texture.
After the cake crumble is an even mixture of pea sized crumbles place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. While the cake mixture is resting in the fridge, make Italian Pistachio Cream.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
Photos 9-13. Place a portion of the crumbly mixture into the 9-inch round cake pan and lightly pat down.
Spread the prepared pistachio cream filling on top and top with the remaining crumb mixture. Optional: add crushed pistachios or your favorite nuts on top of the final crumb layer.
Then, bake the cake for approximately 30-35 minutes until lightly golden on top. Cool the cake before serving.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving- if desired! Or, add a dollop of whipped cream.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips for Italian Sbriciolata
- Use cold butter: Essential for a crumbly texture.
- Use room temperature eggs.
- Don’t overmix: Keep crumbs loose for the best rustic look.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Overpacking the crumb dough.
- Skipping parchment paper (makes removal messy).
- Using low-quality pistachio cream (affects flavor!).
How to Store and Freeze
Freeze: Wrap slices individually for easy thaw-and-go treats!
Store: Room temp for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days (airtight).
More Italian Cakes
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Italian Crumb Cake with Pistachio Cream (Sbriciolata)
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups All purpose Flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons butter, very cold and cut into cubes
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- Optional: 1/2 cup crushed pistachios for topping
Pistachio Cream
- 4 medium egg yolks, discard whites
- 80 g granulated sugar, ⅔ cup
- 45 g cornstarch, ⅓ cup+ 1 tablespoon of
- 100 g blanched pistachios, 3 ½ ounces
- ½ liter whole milk, 2 cups
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a round spring form pan (22 cm) or deep dish pie pan with parchment paper. Press parchment to fit sides of the dish (the cake will weigh it down when you put it in the dish).
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Add the sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add in the beaten egg and begin to combine with hands until roughly incorporated.
- Add cold butter and start working together, with hands, to form crumble like texture. Once the cake crumble is an even mixture of pea sized crumbles place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make pistachio cream.
Pistachio Cream – For the Pistachios
- Bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil and add the shelled pistachios. Let them boil for 4 minutes then drain them and place them on a clean kitchen towel.
- Fold the towel over and rub the pistachios in the towel to loosen the skins. Separate the pistachios from the skins and discard the skins.
- Add the pistachios to a food processor (or high power blender) with only ¼ cup (60ml) of the milk. Keep pulsing on high on and off for 5 minutes until the pistachios turn into a smooth paste. Stop the food processor 3-4 times to scrape down the sides.
- Leave pistachio mixture in the blender. Cover and set aside. Start making the cream.
Pistachio Cream – For the Cream
- In a medium mixing bowl whip the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch with an electric mixer until light and foamy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Add the egg and cornstarch mixture to the blender with the pistachio cream. Mix until combined and smooth- this is your pistachio mixture. Set aside.
- In a sauce pan heat the milk. Turn heat to medium and warm milk until a soft boil (little bubbles on the sides and steam starts to form).
- When the milk is hot, remove from heat. Using a whisk- start adding the pistachio mixture, a little at a time into the milk. It’s very important to stir constantly until you achieve a unified mixture.
- Put the saucepan back on low heat and continue whisking. Simmer for about 3-4 minutes until the cream begins to thicken. It’s very important that the cream NEVER BOILS. In this way you have a smooth cream without lumps and without chunks of cooked egg.
- If you have a cooking thermometer you can check that the temperature never exceeds 85°C (185 F). Otherwise, as soon as you see that bubbles begin to form in the cream, lower the heat. You can even remove it from the heat for a few seconds and put it back.
- Keep cooking on low medium heat until cream is thickened. When the cream is well thickened (it will stick to the back of a spoon and not drip off), remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
- Immediately pour it into a cold glass container. Important to remove the pistachio cream immediately from hot saucepan to prevent it from cooking longer.
Assemble cake and cream:
- Take cake crumble out of the refrigerator. Layer half of the mixture in the prepared cake pan. gently press to form an even layer on the bottom and about 1/2" inch on the sides of the pan.
- Add the prepared Italian cream on top of the crumb layer and spread evenly to make a uniform layer.
- Add the rest of the cake crumb on top of the cream layer. Gently form a uniform layer with hands. Do not press down. Optional: sprinkle with almonds.
- Bake 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Let cake cool before cutting and serving. Before serving dust with powdered sugar, Store leftovers in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Also, I have a jar of pistachio butter, is that the same as the cream everyone is mentioning below? its more like a Nutella-type spread but green. If i use that spread in the middle is it ok? I will mix it with some cream.
Yes! You can use that.
Can you make this cake without eggs and if so, what can you use as a substitute?
I am sorry I have not tested it this way! You would have to try and see for the substitutions.
HI!! is the butter that you use salted or unsalted? could we use either or?
Thanks, Lolita
I made this and it was very good . I had some leftover pistachio cream I made with your recipe as well which turned out fabulous .
Thank you !! Itโs a keeper
Yay! Happy you loved it!
I have store bought pistachio cream, I can’t see how much the recipe calls for just the ingredients in how to make it. Do you have a ml amount of pistachio cream that I should add?
Store bought pistachio cream is much thicker and will result in a more dense layer in the middle. You can spread an even layer about 1/2 thick as directed before adding the crumble layer.
The best crumble cake with pistachio flavor!
Could I use a jar of prepared Pistachio Cream from the store as the filling?
Would that affect the baking time?
Yes, you can! It will not affect the baking time. Some store-bought pistachio creams can be very thick. You can always dilute it a little bit with heavy cream to make it easier to spread. Enjoy!
If you have pistachio cream already prepared, how much would you use?
I would use the same amount as the recipe calls. I hope that helps!