Your heart will grow three sizes larger with this darling Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake! It’s tender pistachio cake frosted with pistachio buttercream and cute little hearts & snowflake sprinkles. The flavors are beautiful and mouthwatering, but the decorations on top share the spotlight for the season. Your holiday cake is right here – so let’s get started!

10 Sheet Cakes for Christmas Series

We’re back again with another fun sheet cake recipe leading up to Christmas. Welcome to cake #8 out of 10! We still have 2 more delicious cakes to share with you. So far we have my now-viral Eggnog Tres Leches Cake with Nutmeg Whipped Cream, Chocolate Peppermint Sheet Cake,  Red Velvet Hot Chocolate Sheet Cake, Gingerbread Cake with White Chocolate Buttercream, Yule Log Sheet Cake, Christmas Funfetti Sheet Cake, and ever-popular Little Debbie Christmas Tree Sheet Cake. With 3 more still on the way, you’re sure to find a sheet cake that will fit your comfort level, as well as taste absolutely mouthwatering for your guests this holiday season. There’s so much already on your plate – lets dive right into my newest creation: Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake!

How to make a Pistachio Sheet Cake

My pistachio sheet cake (made with a doctored cake mix) simply can’t be beat! Bakers from all around the globe use it in the bakeries and home-bakes for the perfectly tasty results this recipe gives them every time. It starts with a box mix, and then we add a bunch of ingredients to it for the best taste and texture. Doctored Cake Mixes are celebrated and used by bakers all around, and I cannot wait for you to try this pistachio cake version. Let’s dive right in!

Here’s what you’ll need (the quantities are with the recipe at the bottom of this post!):

  • buttermilk
  • sour cream
  • eggs
  • vanilla
  • vegetable oil
  • pistachio pudding mix
  • white cake mix

That’s it! Whisk everything in a bowl together, sift in the cake mix then bake! Let it cool in the pan, slice it in half, fill the cake, then we’ll add on all those festive buttercream designs to resemble the Grinch theme.

What is the Grinch?

I know many of us know the story, but for those who don’t, I’ve got you! The Grinch is a fictional character created by Dr. Seuss. He is the main character of the children’s book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!” and has since become a popular symbol of the holiday season. The Grinch is depicted as a green, grouchy creature who despises the joy and festivities of Christmas. He devises a plan to steal all the Christmas presents and decorations from the Whos, the residents of the town of Whoville. However, his heart undergoes a change of heart, and he learns the true meaning of Christmas – that it’s not about material possessions but about love, togetherness, and kindness. The story of the Grinch has been adapted into several movies and adaptations, spreading its message of redemption and the spirit of Christmas.

How to make a Grinch Sheet Cake

I knew I wanted to include hearts, green, snow, and grinchy hair/fur in the design – and I love how all those elements have come together for this sheet cake! My Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake is a celebration for the season – and the heart of giving :). The pistachio is naturally green, so I didn’t have to add in a lot of gel coloring to the fur/hair to make it a touch darker shade. I used a Wilton 21/24 tip (small star) to make the fur/hair on the border (the crazier the better!). The hearts and snowflakes are sprinkles and the dragees can be picked off if you don’t want the taste/crunch of them.

How to make pistachio buttercream:

Making my pistachio ganache buttercream is pretty straightforward. Here’s what you’ll need (the exact quantities are below with the printable recipe).

  • Unsalted Butter
  • salt
  • vanilla
  • heavy cream
  • pistachio pudding mix
  • powdered sugar

The pistachio pudding gives the buttercream it’s signature flavor, so don’t skip! The full instructions are below with the recipe.

Here’s a video of the process:

I hope you enjoy my newest sheet cake here for my 10 SHEET CAKES FOR CHRISTMAS series! It’s been so fun so far, and there are 2 more to come. If you make my cake or a creation inspired by it, I’d love to see it. Make sure to tag me @bakingwithblondie or #bakingwithblondie so I can join in on all the fun.

Happy Baking!

xo, Mandy

Get the Recipe: Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake

Christmas Grinch Pistachio Sheet Cake with pistachio cake layers, pistachio "Grinch fur" buttercream, and matching hearts and snowflake sprinkles.
Servings: 12 square slices
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Ingredients
 

Pistachio Sheet Cake

  • 1 cup buttermilk , room temperature
  • 2/3 cup sour cream , room temperature
  • 3 egg whites , room temperature
  • 1 whole egg, room temperature
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 3.4oz Box Pistachio Pudding Mix , I used JELL-O Brand
  • 1 15.25oz Box White Cake Mix , I used Duncan Hines

Pistachio Buttercream

  • 3 sticks (or 1 1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter , left out at room temperature for 10 minutes
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla
  • 1 3.4oz Box Pistachio Pudding Mix (sifted so the pistachio bits are OUT)
  • 2/3 cup heavy cream , yes, that's correct – the pudding soaks up the heavy cream really fast.
  • 7-8 cups powdered sugar
  • 1-2 drops green gel coloring for the "grinch hair" border

Garnishes/Extras

  • heart sprinkles
  • snowflake sprinkles
  • silver dragees, remove before eating if desired

Equipment

  • Wilton 21 or 24 piping tip (small star tip)
  • scallop cake scraper that can fit inside the 9×13 sheet pan
  • 9×13 dish

Instructions
 

For the Pistachio Sheet Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, then prep a 9×13 pan with shortening or nonstick spray. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk up all the cake ingredients except for the cake mix. Sift in the cake mix and gently stir to combine. Spread into the prepared dish and bake for 25-27 minutes until the center is baked through. Set aside to cool completely.

For the Pistachio Buttercream

  • Whip up the butter until it's light and fluffy, then add in the salt, vanilla, pistachio mix (sifted so the pistachio nut bits are out), and heavy cream. Whip up for 1 minute, then add in the powdered sugar and whip up on high speed until it's light and fluffy. Add in a touch more heavy cream if needed. Reserve 2 cups of buttercream and tint the reserved buttercream a deeper shade of green for the "grinch hair" border.

Assembly/Decoration

  • Spread on the light green buttercream onto the baked/cooled cake, then use a scalloped cake comb to create the textured pattern (drag it from one end to the other). Pipe (using the darker green) the buttercream, using the 21 or 24 small start tip, into a "hair" border. Add on the hearts and snowflake sprinkles, then add on the silver dragees if using. Enjoy!
Author: Mandy Merriman – Baking with Blondie