Orange Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

Gluten-free 

It may be a new year and there are plenty of ways to start the new year, but I will always start it with something sweet. Perhaps a superstition, but I believe if it starts sweet, it will stay sweet and end sweet. Now, what better way is there to celebrate a new year? Cake,. We all like cake right? OK, so I like cake, but there is one type of cake that I do like as much: super sweet cake. 

A lot of cakes are sweet on their own, but then with the addition of frosting, it is a sugar overload. I think that the best way to combat the sugar attack is to add citrus to the mix. The acidity and natural floral flavor offset the sweetness. This cake was some sort of mix of a few recipes that I have tried over the past few years. I also tested this cake on my dad. My dad does not have a sweet tooth. He, like my sister, firmly sit in the salt camp. I gave my mom and dad a slice of this cake and my dad loved it. High praise from my dad.

The secret to this cake is the flavor trifecta: fat, acidity and sweetness. The fat and acidity come from three sources: olive oil, honey and whole milk greek yogurt. These three ingredients pair with the floral-sweet zest of a whole orange and buttery pistachios. The resulting cake has a super tender and moist crumb that will seemingly never dry out and a nutty flavor from both the pistachios and almond flour. 

As usual, let’s talk about a few important parts of this recipe in detail. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra virgin olive oil is what makes this cake. Yes, the yogurt, citrus, honey and pistachios are delicious, BUT extra virgin olive oil gives this cake a unique flavor and delectably moist crumb. Extra virgin olive oil has not been heated in any way so it retains the natural fruity acidity from the olives. In this cake, that acidity gives not only a moist cake, but also balances out the sweetness of the cake. 

Extra virgin olive oil can be pricey, so if you don’t want to spend the little bit extra, use a neutral flavor oil and add 1 tsp of lemon zest. 

Honey

Citrus and honey are an ideal match. They each are floral and acidic, but in different ways. Honey can vary in flavor depending on what the bees feed on. This is why there is clover, wildflower, buckwheat and other honey flavors. Each looks and taste slightly different, but all are the same in some ways. Honey, along with other liquid sweeteners, is sweeter per unit than cane sugar. For example, 1 cup of cane sugar would be about the same as 1/2 cup honey. So, you do not need to add as much honey to this cake to get the right sweetness level, but you get the flavor and the moisture it provides. 

When looking for a honey, try to find one that is produced locally. Honey bees are very important insects and local apiarists do their part in maintaining the bee population. You may pay a little bit more, but you’re supporting your community! 

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt, like buttermilk in pancakes, adds that sour-cream-like tang without a lot of the moisture. Greek yogurt is strained yogurt, meaning the whey has been strain from the solids, which gives you a denser yogurt. I love adding yogurt to cakes, but I will always add greek yogurt so that I can control the moisture a bit. 

When it comes to yogurt, I always get whole milk yogurt and look for grass fed when possible. First, fat is flavor and will add to the moisture of the cake and second, grass fed yogurt has a more pungent flavor that is slightly reminiscent of goat cheese. It is all delicious and will give you a wonderful cake. 

Recipe

113g (scant 1 cup) unsalted pistachios 

110g (1 cup) almond flour 

50g (1/4 cup) white rice flour 

35g (1/4 cup) tapioca flour 

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp salt 

70g (1/3 cup) olive oil 

95g (1/3 cup) honey 

45g (about 3 tbsp) organic cane sugar 

41g (1/4 cup) coconut sugar 

Zest of 1 navel orange 

3 eggs 

141g (1 individual size container) whole milk greek yogurt 

Icing: 

2 cups confectioner’s sugar 

2-3 tbsp orange juice 

Pinch of sea salt 

1/2 tsp meringue powder (optional; this helps the icing set harder than without)

Preheat the oven to 350F and liberally grease a 9 inch round cake pan. 

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the pistachios, almond flour, white rice flour, tapioca flour, salt and baking powder.  Process on high until the pistachios have broken down and resemble the almond flour, takes about 5-8 minutes. It’s ok if there are some bigger bits if pistachios in there, just make sure there isn’t a lot. 

In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, honey, cane sugar, coconut sugar, yogurt, eggs and orange zest. Add the dry ingredient to the wet and whisk together, making sure to get out any lumps in the almond flour. 

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, give the filled pan a few thwacks against the counter to get out any big air bubbles. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center springs back to the touch. Let cool completely before removing from the pan. While the cake is cooling, make the icing by sifting the confectioner’s sugar into a medium bowl. Add the salt and orange juice (start with 2 tbsp and add more if it is too thick).

Spread the icing over the top of the cooled cake. Get fancy and sprinkle some orange zest over the top before the icing sets. 

Slice and enjoy with a mug of tea, maybe make it for a party or just have it ready in your fridge when you feel like you need some cake.