Olive Oil + Pistachio Cake Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan (or 9x5 loaf pan) with the butter or oil spray, then dust lightly with 1 tsp flour, tapping out the excess.

Dry ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp fine sea salt until evenly combined.

Wet ingredients

In a large bowl whisk 1 cup granulated sugar and 3 large eggs until pale and slightly thickened (about 1–2 minutes by hand or 30–45 seconds with a mixer). Add 1 cup light-flavored extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 1 cup whole milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 tbsp finely grated kumquat zest, and 1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary; whisk until homogeneous.

Combine and add pistachio

Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions, mixing gently until just combined. Fold in 1/3 cup finely ground pistachios, scraping the bowl so there are no streaks of flour. Do not overmix.

Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. If using, sprinkle 1 tbsp coarse sugar or demerara over the top for a crunchy finish. Bake on the center rack for 35–45 minutes (9-inch round) or 50–60 minutes (9x5 loaf), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no raw batter and the top is golden.

Cool

Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto the rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour) before adding the mascarpone topping.

While the cake bakes, warm a small skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup chopped pistachios and toast, stirring, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in 1 tbsp demerara sugar and 1/2 tsp finely chopped rosemary so the sugar begins to melt slightly and herbs release aroma. Spread on parchment to cool. Use to scatter over the finished cake for texture.

Prepare kumquats

While the cake cools, thinly slice about 6 fresh kumquats, removing any seeds. If kumquats are very tart, you can quickly macerate them with 1 tsp powdered sugar (from the measured 2 tbsp) for 10 minutes to soften bitterness.

Mix mascarpone

In a bowl, gently stir 8 oz mascarpone cheese with 2 tbsp powdered sugar, 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp finely grated kumquat zest until smooth and slightly spreadable. Do not overwhip — mascarpone will split if beaten too vigorously.

Assemble topping and finish cake: Once the cake is completely cool, spread the mascarpone mixture evenly over the top. Arrange the sliced kumquats on top in a single layer or decorative pattern. Sprinkle the cooled pistachio crunch over the kumquats and a few additional whole or chopped pistachios if desired. Optionally garnish with a few tiny rosemary leaves for fragrance.

Serve: Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature. The mascarpone topping is best served within 2–4 hours of assembly for optimal texture; the cake itself keeps well.

Store: Refrigerate any leftover cake with mascarpone topping, covered, for up to 3 days. If you anticipate longer storage, remove sliced portions of cake without mascarpone and wrap tightly — cake keeps at room temperature for 1–2 days or refrigerated for up to 4 days.