Vegan Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

A must try dessert for any happy occasion, Vegan Pistachio Olive Oil Cake! This delicious and vegan nutty cake is prepared with good quality olive oil and pistachio nuts. This sublime, moist and dense cake is can be just done in a few tics. Serve slightly warm with ice cream of your choice or fruit sorbet.

 

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade and when life gives you olive oil you make olive oil cake, must have thought Italians. Cake with olive oil, I was intrigued when I had it the first time in one of the leading restaurants Ask Italian in London a few years back. We tasted and instantly wanted more. Since then, this cake was on my to-do list and I looking for an opportunity to bake in my own kitchen. 

Recently my baby brother had his birthday, a perfect opportunity for me to bake this so easy and simple, no frill cake for him. A generous amount of pistachios, good quality olive oil and polenta make this cake extra special. It turned out just how we wanted. Just don't limit yourselves to serve this fabulously nutty cake only for birthdays, mother's day or father's day, I think it would be perfect for afternoon tea or morning coffee as well. 

A cake with full of flavours and with an Italian heritage! So now you have decided to make this pistachio olive oil vegan cake, you must have some questions to ask, am I right? 

My son's favourite baked goodies - Cashew and Amaranth Nankhatai ( Indian style spiced shortbread ) | Eggless honey cake | Eggless strawberry pastel de Tres Leches cake

What type of olive oil can I use to make an olive oil cake? 

For olive oil cake, you'll need mild or light extra virgin olive oil, but if you don't mind strong overpowering flavours in the cake then you can use the stronger flavoured olive oil, which I used. 

Can I make this cake gluten-free? 

Yes, you can. Use instant fine polenta and gluten-free plain flour that is easily available in the market.

Can I use salted pistachio for this cake?

No, you'll need normal raw pistachio for this recipe, with or without skin doesn't matter. 

Can I frost pistachio and olive oil cake?

Usually, this cake is served as it is, maybe a little icing sugar sprinkled on the top when the cake is completely cooled.

Ingredients in vegan pistachio olive oil cake? 

Because of the main ingredients of this cake are pistachio, olive oil, so let's start with them. If you are trying this cake first time, try to use light or extra light, extra virgin olive oil. You will need fine polenta aka maize flour too, and in India, you can use Makki ka atta and get unsalted and unroasted pistachios. 

So, now we have all the main three ingredients out of the way, let's talk about how to make this cake vegan. I have used flax eggs - the flax egg is perfect natural vegan egg replacer. It's inexpensive and works great in any baking recipes. To make flax egg at home, you will just need flax seeds, grind it in a coffee blender and use 1 tbsp + 3 tbsp water when recipes require 1 egg. Leave the mix for at least 15 minutes and then add in your wet ingredients. Next on the list is milk, and we used rice milk but you can use almond, hazelnut, soy or oat milk. All that's left is sugar, plain flour, orange or lemon zest and good quality baking powder.

What do I serve with Pistachio Olive Oil cake? 

This cake tastes so delicious on its own even when it is cold, but you can serve warm with ice cream, sorbet or any poached fruits such as apricot, strawberries or rhubarb. I loved it with espresso :) Just to let you know that olive oil and pistachio make this cake heavy and rich, so a small piece is more than enough! 

How easy to make Pistachio Olive Oil Cake?

I'm a novice baker, who ponders over any baking, if I can bake, definitely you can and with this recipe, I am sure your children, partner or husband could make this for you. (hint hint Mr JCO) There are no advanced baking skills required to bake this cake, just add dry ingredients into wet, mix it and bake, but still, you'll have this showstopper cake ready!

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Cake, Bake, Baking,vegan baking, dessert, pudding

Italian

Yield: 6-8 piecesAuthor: Hayley Dhanecha

Vegan Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

A must try dessert for any happy occasion, Pistachio Olive Oil Vegan Cake!

prep time: 15 minscook time: 50 minstotal time: 65 mins

ingredients

200 g unsalted pistachio kernels

200 ml extra virgin olive oil

125 g  fine polenta

75g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

3 flax eggs ( 3 tbsp flax seed powder + 9 tbsp water mix and leave it for 15 minutes)

200g caster sugar 

Pinch salt

1 tbsp. orange or lemon zest

60-80 ml vegan milk

For topping

2 tbsp. vegan sugar

30 ml orange juice

handful of slivered pistachio

instructions

First mix flax seeds powder and water and leave it aside for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4, 180C or 350F.

Grease a  20cm/7" cake tin with extra virgin olive oil.

Add pistachio into Froothie optimum vac 2 and grind till you get finely crushed pistachio.

In one bowl add crushed pistachio, polenta, plain flour, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt.

In another bowl mix olive oil, caster sugar and flax eggs and 60ml milk. 

Then add dry ingredients and mix gently, if you need to, then add more milk.

Pour the cake mixture into the greased cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Remove the cake from the oven and leave it to cool on a wire cake.

To finish

In a one cup mix sugar and orange juice, and heat it in the M/W until sugar dissolves. 

Pour it over the cake, then garnish the cake with pistachio slivers or crushed pistachios.

Serve with ice cream, sorbet or poached fruit.

Enjoy!

NOTES:

For an eggless version use normal dairy milk, cut down on olive oil and add some butter.

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I used Froothie Optimum Vac 2 to grind pistachios and I was happy with the results.

If you fancy owning your own Optimum Vac 2, you can buy it from this link here. This is an affiliate link, and if you buy through this link then I may get a commission on your purchase at no extra cost to you. Simply add 5457 ambassador code in the comment box when purchasing or mention the code if ordering over the phone. This way, they know you have ordered through JCookingOdyssey. Additionally, add AMB20 in the promo code box, you will get £20 off your purchase.