A Recipe for Pistachio Olive Oil Cake With Lemony Whipped Cream

In my view, olive oil cake is a dessert that’s surprisingly difficult to get simply proper. The poster baby of bowl-and-whisk desserts is a simple one to whip up, however my Google search historical past (“can cake be too moist?” “olive oil cake too oily!!!”) reveals how issues don’t all the time end up in addition to anticipated. That’s why up so far, I’ve been content material getting my repair at native locations like Abraco that do get it proper, however I knew I couldn’t keep away from do-it-yourself olive oil cake eternally. Perhaps it’s the spring cleansing power within the air, however I made a decision that it was time to lastly verify it off on my (lengthy, endless) to-do listing.

There are tons of olive oil cake recipes on-line (this side-by-side comparability is a superb cheat sheet, in the event you’re curious), however I knew I needed to create one thing that was extra “cake” than “olive oil” — scented with good high quality extra-virgin olive oil, sure, however neither overwhelmingly fragrant nor clearly a textbook olive oil cake upon first chunk. I envisioned a crumb that was mushy however structured, and an total easy and homey dessert that had sufficient happening to immediate folks to ask what precisely they have been consuming. If this sounds imprecise, that’s as a result of it was — however it was the blueprint I wanted to get myself off the sofa and into the kitchen.

After a number of rounds of testing, I’m glad to have landed on this pistachio olive oil cake. It is probably not essentially the most “basic” model, however I personally prefer it higher that means. Finely floor uncooked pistachios are whisked into the dry substances for an fringe of nutty taste, and although olive oil provides moisture and taste to every slice, it’s not pulling all the burden in terms of the feel (cue bitter cream, an additional yolk, and a spoonful of honey). In contrast to plenty of different olive oil desserts, there’s truly no citrus zest or juice within the batter itself, however a dollop of lemony whipped cream on prime is simply the refined contact of brightness that’s wanted to drag every part collectively. The flavors aren’t loud or overly pronounced, however they don’t should be to make the cake memorable, pleasing, and worthy of a second serving.

Because the climate lastly warms up, this cake is a enjoyable (and simple!) recipe so as to add to your spring baking repertoire. Neither wholly a pistachio cake nor an olive oil cake, it’s a balanced hybrid that jogs my memory of sunshine, civilized mornings, and dinner events the place nobody is in a rush to go away — a cake, in different phrases, that I’d take into account it successful.

Pistachio Olive Oil Cake with Lemony Whipped Cream Recipe

Makes one 8-inch spherical cake

Components:

For the pistachio olive oil cake:

1 cup (120 grams) cake flour
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup (60 grams) uncooked shelled pistachios, plus extra for garnish
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
½ cup good high quality extra-virgin olive oil
⅓ cup entire milk, at room temperature
⅓ cup (75 grams) full-fat bitter cream, at room temperature
1 giant egg plus 1 yolk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon honey
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

For the lemony whipped cream:

1 cup heavy cream, chilly
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 325 levels. Grease an 8-inch spherical cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the underside with a parchment circle and grease the parchment.

Step 2: Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt right into a medium bowl and whisk to mix. Pulse the pistachios in a meals processor till floor to a high quality powder, then whisk the nut powder into the dry substances.

Step 3: In a big bowl, whisk collectively the sugar, olive oil, milk, bitter cream, egg and yolk, honey, and vanilla extract till the combination is easy and absolutely mixed. Progressively add within the dry substances whereas whisking and blend simply till no flour streaks stay and the batter is easy (take care to not over-mix).

Step 4: Pour the batter into the ready pan and faucet the pan towards the counter a number of instances to launch any air bubbles on the floor. Bake the cake for about 1 hour, till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear.

Step 5: Let the cake cool within the pan for 15-20 minutes, then gently run a small offset spatula across the fringe of the cake to loosen. Invert the cake and switch to a rack to chill utterly.

Step 6: Whereas the cake cools, make the lemony whipped cream: Utilizing an electrical mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, powdered sugar, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt simply till medium peaks type (attempt to not over-whip it).

Step 7: When able to serve, minimize the cake into slices and prime with a beneficiant dollop of lemony whipped cream. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped pistachios, if desired.

Pleasure Cho is a contract author, recipe developer, and pastry chef primarily based in New York Metropolis.
Dina Ávila is a photographer in Portland, Oregon.
Recipe examined by Ivy Manning