This easy, full-flavored Olive Oil Pistachio Cake is the perfect dessert to make when hosting a dinner party or brunch. It is incredibly rich in flavor with a soft and moist crumb, and it is simple yet sophisticated. Roasted pistachios pair so well with fruity olive oil to create a rich earthy flavor that is impossible not to love, and a sweet vanilla glaze ties it all together. You will love how vanilla pairs so beautifully with pistachio and olive oil. It is simple to make with basic ingredients and it all comes together in one bowl with a whisk and a spatula. You can have this cake ready in less than 30 minutes without any specialty ingredients, special equipment or skilled technique. I like to make it all year round since it is light and fresh for Spring and Summer, and then also festive with pistachios during the holidays. If you love baking with pistachios, make my very popular Salted Pistachio Chocolate Chunk Cookies.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - I love single layer cakes because they are fuss-free and it means less dishes!
- Soft and fluffy pistachio cake - this recipe makes a very soft and fluffy cake with a delicate crumb.
- Moist texture - the crumb is incredibly moist. Olive oil keeps the texture soft while yogurt ensures it is never dry and it actually improves with age.
- Olive oil cake - I use olive oil which is SO good here since it pairs with pistachios and so well. You can use any liquid cooking and the structural result will be the same, but the flavor will be more mild.
- Soft yogurt cake - yogurt and oil creates a very soft texture that makes this cake so easy to eat.
- Not too sweet - this cake has just the right amount of sweetness to show off the beautiful pistachio flavor.
- Vanilla yogurt glaze - the cooled cake is finished with a simple vanilla glaze made with yogurt and that's all it needs! It is so moist that it doesn't need any fancy frosting and the sweet, woody and earthy notes of vanilla complement the roasted pistachios and fruity olive oil.
INGREDIENTS FOR OLIVE OIL PISTACHIO CAKE
Here are some on the key ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- All purpose flour - unbleached all-purpose flour works great for fluffy spongy cake. You could use cake flour, but if you use bleached flour (a lot of cake flour is bleached) then it tends to absorb more water and might give the cake a drier texture.
- Pistachios - the lovely green color of this cake is naturally coming from the pistachios. For the most flavor, I like to roast the pistachios before grinding them. These roasted salted pistachios are convenient.
- Granulated sugar - simple granulated sugar keeps this cake moist and doesn't interfere with the pistachio flavor.
- Olive oil - liquid oil will keep this cake soft and helps with movement of leavening gases through the batter for a nice even rise to create a flat cake. I use olive oil because it tastes so delicious with pistachios, however you can use any neutral-tasting cooking oil. I recommend sunflower oil for the cleanest taste.
- Egg - one large egg will add nice structure but won't get in the way of the pistachio flavor.
- Yogurt - use full fat plain yogurt to add tanginess to this recipe and complement the fruity notes. I use plain full fat Balkan-style yogurt with 6% milk fat for the batter and the glaze.
- Milk - any type of milk will do. I prefer whole milk for baking.
- Pure vanilla extract - vanilla will elevate all of the flavors. The earthy note of this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract really complements the pistachios and rounds out the flavor. It is delicious in the glaze.
- Almond extract - this is optional, but almond enhances the taste of the pistachios. I don't always use it, and in fact I really like this recipe with vanilla only. However, the choice is yours.
- Lemon juice - there's lemon juice in the cake batter to balance the earthy flavors and make the texture so soft.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE OLIVE OIL PISTACHIO CAKE
- STEP 1). Make the cake batter. Place pistachios with 1 tablespoon of flour into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms fine crumbs. The flour will help prevent it from turning into a paste.
- STEP 2). Combine dry ingredients. Sift remaining flour into a large bowl. Sift in baking powder and baking soda. Add ground pistachios, sugar, and salt and whisk until evenly blended.
- STEP 3). Combine wet ingredients. Combine olive oil, egg, yogurt, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
- STEP 4). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and gently fold it all together being sure to get down to the bottom and bring up any dry pockets. Stop right when the batter is fully combined and be careful not to over mix.
- STEP 5). Bake. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan using a small offset spatula and bake for about 30-35 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then run an offset spatula around the sides of the cake to release it and invert onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- STEP 6). Make the glaze. Combine powdered sugar, milk, yogurt and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Place the cake on a wire rack and set the rack over parchment-lined tray. Pour the glaze over the cake letting it drip over the edges. Scrape up the glaze that drips off the cake onto the parchment and spoon it back over the cake. If you want, you can also add more powdered sugar to make a thicker icing, but I like this donut-glazed effect. Sprinkle some more chopped pistachios over top while the icing is wet and serve immediately or store covered to serve later.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR OLIVE OIL PISTACHIO CAKE
- Use room temperature ingredients. Since this is a simple dump and mix (almost one bowl) method, there is minimal mixing steps involved so it is important to have all ingredients at the same temperature (not cold!) in order to help them blend evenly together. Take your eggs out of the fridge 2 hours before baking, or place them in a bowl of warm water for 15 minutes.
- Roast the pistachios. If you only have raw pistachios, definitely roast them to bring out the flavor. Just place them in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they begin to darken and become fragrant.
- Sift the dry ingredients. This is a simple recipe that doesn't require a mixer, so to ensure you get a smooth batter that is homogeneous, it is important to sift the flour. This will help it incorporate evenly and will minimize the amount of mixing needed to combine the ingredients evenly so that you do not over-mix the batter.
- Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is combined then the batter is ready for baking. You can use a whisk and mix by hand if you are concerned about over-mixing.
- Do not over-bake. The cake is ready when it springs back when pressed gently and a skewer comes out clean. It will not get very brown on the top, just lightly golden so don't wait for browning.
- Use fresh oil. Rancid oil can ruin a cake, so ensure your oil is fresh and store it in a cool, dark and dry place.
RECIPE FAQ
Olive oil is one of the main flavors in this cake and it is lovely, so I highly recommend using it. It doesn't only add flavor, though, because it also keeps the batter more fluid so that the cake rises higher and is very soft. If you use melted butter, the crumb will be firmer.
If you'd like to make this cake without olive oil, you can use any other liquid cooking oils, such as sunflower, canola or vegetable oil. You can also use coconut oil, but it has a much higher melting fat profile so it will make the crumb more crumbly and less soft.
If your cake turns out dense, then it could be a couple of things: you over-mixed the batter, or your raising agents are not active. Make sure to use fresh baking powder and baking soda. Also, be very gentle with mixing and stop once the flour is just incorporated.
Too much flour and not enough sugar is the main reason why cake can turn out dry and dense. It is important to have the right proportions of liquid to dry ingredients in a one bowl cake recipe.
I really recommend using plain yogurt for this recipe (2-5% fat) because it gives the perfect amount of fat and acidity, however you can make this cake with Greek yogurt or sour cream. The texture will just be slightly firmer from the higher protein content.
Yes, you can make this in an 8-inch square pan and the cake will be slightly thinner.
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Video
Olive Oil Pistachio Cake
Ingredients
Olive Oil Pistachio Cake batter:
- ½ cup (60g) finely ground roasted salted pistachios
- 1 cup (142g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) full fat plain yogurt, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (60ml) whole milk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
Vanilla glaze:
- 1 cup (120g) powdered confectioner's sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) whole milk
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- chopped pistachios for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8-inch round cake pan, dust lightly with flour The flour helps the batter cling to the sides of the pan to help it climb up and rise higher. Line the base with a round of parchment paper. Sometimes I don't even grease the sides and let the batter stick and climb up - I never have issues releasing it from the pan with an offset spatula and the cake rises a bit higher.
- Make the cake batter. Place pistachios with 1 tablespoon of flour into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms fine crumbs. The flour will help prevent it from turning into a paste.
- Sift remaining flour into a large bowl. Sift in baking powder and baking soda. Add ground pistachios, sugar, and salt and whisk until evenly blended.
- Combine olive oil, egg, yogurt, milk, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with dry ingredients and gently fold it all together being sure to get down to the bottom and bring up any dry pockets. Stop right when the batter is fully combined and be careful not to over mix.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan using a small offset spatula and bake for about 30-35 minutes until lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then run an offset spatula around the sides of the cake to release it and invert onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.
- Make the glaze. Combine powdered sugar, milk, yogurt and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk until completely smooth. Place the cake on a wire rack and set the rack over parchment-lined tray. Pour the glaze over the cake letting it drip over the edges. Scrape up the glaze that drips off the cake onto the parchment and spoon it back over the cake. If you want, you can also add more powdered sugar to make a thicker icing, but I like this donut-glazed effect. Sprinkle some more chopped pistachios over top while the icing is wet and serve immediately or store covered to serve later.
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