Chocolate creations, cakes especially, have always had a special place in my heart and in my gut. If I could eat chocolate cake for breakfast every day I would. But this love affair of mine has escalated quickly to the point where cake has become synonymous with chocolate. When I make a cake it’s chocolate. When I eat a cake it’s chocolate. When I think about cake I think about chocolate cake. Disastrous. There are too many good cakes in the world to relegate oneself to just one flavor, so today I bring you a very appropriate fall delight that tastes like the crisp autumn air we are all craving—orange, pistachio, olive oil, oh my! This cake sounds more daring than it is, with a great floral citrus flavor accompanied by nutty undertones, packaged in a light sponge speckled with green pistachio meat. With three layers and naked presentation (no frosting on the sides), this is the kind of cake that gets heads turning and mouths asking for more.
Ingredients
For the cake
1 cup of pistachios ground into a fine meal, plus some to sprinkle on top
3 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cup olive oil
1 cup sugar
Zest of two oranges
1 tablespoon of orange juice
3 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
For the frosting
8 oz cream cheese (at room temperature)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
1 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of orange juice
3–4 tablespoons of milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare three eight-inch cake pans (if you only have two, bake the first two and last layers separately) by placing discs of parchment paper on the bottom of each and greasing the sides.
Grind the pistachios in a food processor and combine with flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a standard mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together olive oil and sugar until pale. Mix in the orange juice, zest, vanilla extract, and eggs. Add the flour mixture in three stages, alternating each with half of the buttermilk.
Divide the batter evenly among the pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. While the cakes are still warm, remove them from the pans and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Prepare the frosting by whipping the cream cheese until fluffy. Add the butter and whip until well combined. Beat in sifted powdered sugar followed by orange juice. Add milk one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
To frost the cake, set the first layer on four strips of parchment to protect the serving dish as you frost. Spread a third of the frosting on top of the first layer and stack the second on top. Spread with another third of the frosting and add the final layer. Spoon remaining icing on top, allowing it to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with pistachio meal, remove the parchment strips, and enjoy!
This recipe was adapted from the blog Meats and Sweets.
