Pistachio, Olive Oil & Rosemary Cake
This cake features all the green ingredients I could imagine baking up together. There’s olive oil, rosemary, pistachios, and lime. Count it: there’s nothing remotely Irish except for the color!
In fact, most of the inspiration comes from a different European country: Italy. There, bakers know that pouring olive oil into a cake instead of creaming butter results in a moist crumb with a crisp exterior. Though the oil has fruity notes, it also pairs well with savory rosemary–another of today’s greens.
There are also (green!) pistachios in the cake, but they pale in comparison to the citrusy glazed pistachios that top the cake more beautifully than an icing ever could. To make this topping, you combine lime juice (green!) with sugar and pistachios, then simmer them together until the juice and sugar get sticky enough that the nuts adhere to the top of the cake.
While the pistachios garnish the top, the glaze sinks into the cake, creating sweet and tangy bites to savor. You might be surprised by the mix of all these ingredients, but it’s a delicious combination.
As for drink pairing: a dessert wine, Kendall-Jackson Late Harvest Chardonnay, has honey notes that amplify and balance all those green flavors. Plus, a glass turns a slice of cake into a sweet after-dinner event.
- For the cake:
- 1½ cups flour
- ⅓ cups unsalted shelled pistachios, ground
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary
- Zest of 1 lime
- 1 cup sugar
- 1¼ cups olive oil
- 4 large eggs
- For the topping:
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅔ cup unsalted shelled pistachios
- Juice of 1 lime
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch cake pan with butter and parchment.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, ground pistachios, baking powder, salt, and rosemary in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar and lime zest. Add the oil and beat on low until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between additions. The add the flour in 3 additions, beating just until combined. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15, then remove the cake from the pan, set on a rack over a baking sheet. Make the topping.
- Combine all the glaze ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the liquid has slightly thickened. Then pour over the cake, distributing the pistachios around the center.
