Recreate One Of Starbucks' Best New Treats With 2 Boxed Cake Mixes

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The pistachio trend that's gone into overdrive in the last couple of years has produced plenty of hits and misses — Dubai chocolate fries, anyone? But one of the greatest successes has been the Chocolate Pistachio Loaf from Starbucks. It was introduced in February 2026, along with a couple of other pistachio-flavored items, and has been one of our favorite Starbucks releases of the year (so far).

The cake has received high praise from customers, with some going so far as to say that it's the best pastry that the chain has ever made. But at almost $5 a slice, it's not surprising that copycat recipes have already appeared online. The most straightforward of these recipes comes from TikTok user @ivymade_. Instead of reverse engineering the whole process back to the raw ingredients, she simply combines a box of chocolate cake mix and a box of pistachio cake mix, alternating the batter to recreate the marble effect of the original.

What we particularly love about this idea is that you're working with the box's instructions, so it will (in theory) work with any brand of cake mix that you have access to. There's no math or ingredient substitutions to worry about. The only thing worth checking is that the two mixes use similar baking temperatures and times, which will ensure that the loaf cooks evenly.

To bake your own version of the Starbucks Chocolate Pistachio Loaf, you'll need a few things. At least one loaf tin, pistachio nuts, a box of chocolate cake mix, a box of pistachio cake mix, plus whatever quantity of eggs and oil the box mixes ask for. The recipe shared doesn't specify the brand, but the only option for pistachio we could find was this Pillsbury Moist Supreme Pistachio Cake Mix.

Start by preparing the two cake mixes in separate bowls. In a greased loaf pan, add a thin layer of chocolate cake batter followed but a thin layer of pistachio batter, repeating until you reach three quarters of the way up the tin. Dragging a toothpick or skewer across the surface will add a decorative marble effect, and adding chopped pistachios will be the finishing touch to copy the Starbucks version. At this point you can ignore the box instructions and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 50 to 60 minutes.

One viewer commented on the TikTok video that the original Starbucks loaf is sweeter and more chocolatey. So, some have taken to folding chocolate chips into the cake batter when making their own copycat recipes. Our taste test of the new Starbucks' bakery item revealed the original to be heavier on the pistachio notes, but one TikTok viewer suggested amping up the pistachio flavor with a bit of extract, so it will really come down to personal taste. That said, you'll have more than one opportunity to test any tweaks. Considering that you've started with two boxes of cake mix, you're likely going to have more than enough for one loaf. You can either make two loaves, or use the extra for marbled chocolate pistachio muffins.

@ivymade_

Chocolate Pistachio Loaf (Starbucks copycat) 🍫💚 I had to recreate that dreamy Starbucks combo at home and it turned out SO good, super moist, chocolatey, and with that subtle pistachio flavor in every bite. Bonus: the leftover batter made the cutest muffins! Recipe (so easy): • 1 box chocolate cake mix • 1 box pistachio cake mix • Ingredients listed on each box (eggs, oil, water, prepare each batter separately following box instructions) Directions: 1. Prepare both batters according to their box instructions. 2. Grease a loaf pan. 3. Alternate layering chocolate and pistachio batter into the pan. 4. Fill only halfway to no more than ¾ full (learned the hard way... but still delish 😂). 5. Use any extra batter for muffins! 6. Bake at 350°F for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 7. Let cool, slice, and enjoy with coffee ☕️ Soft, bakery-style, and honestly tastes like it came straight from the Starbucks pastry case. Would you try this combo?! #recipe #starbucks #pistacho #chocolate #baking

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