This incredible Pistachio and Rose Olive Oil Cake is made with ground pistachios, rose water and cardamom and is finish with a rose scented glaze! It's unbelievably delicious and SO moist!
This pistachio olive oil cake is one of my favorite bundt cakes! It's so light and refreshing and makes the perfect breakfast treat, afternoon tea snack, and an after dinner dessert.
For more Bundt cakes, be sure to check out our Chocolate Olive Oil Bundt Cake, Lemon Poppy Seed Honey Cake, and Marble Bundt Cake!
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♡ Why You Will Love This Pistachio Olive Oil Cake
- Texture. The crumb is incredibly MOIST! In fact, it stays moist for at least 4 days.
- The flavor is so unique. The combination of pistachios, rose water and cardamom is a winning combination.
- SO easy to make. There are very minimal steps and the batter takes less than 10 minutes to make.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes about all the ingredients used in this Pistachio and Rose Olive Oil Cake. Quantities and full instructions are in the recipe card below!
Pistachio and Rose Olive Oil Cake
- Pistachio Nuts - You can use roasted or raw pistachios. I didn't find a huge difference in flavor or texture between roasted or raw.
- All-Purpose Flour (Plain Flour)
- Baking Powder - Helps the cake rise and creates a moist crumb.
- Cardamom - Do not skip this ingredient. It adds such a unique flavor to the cake and works so well with the pistachios and rose water.
- Salt - Helps enhances all the flavors.
- Olive Oil - Makes the cake SO moist! You can use light olive oil or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Sugar - We are using white granulated sugar. The cake is not too sweet, so refrain from cutting the amount of sugar as it will result in a dry cake.
- Eggs - Adds structure and helps emulsify the batter.
- Rose Water - Make sure you're using culinary rose water. Sadaf is my favorite (not an affiliate link). Rosewater can be an acquired taste, so you can use less if you'd like.
- Buttermilk - Adds moisture and tenderizes the cake.
Rose Glaze
- Powdered Sugar - Also known as Icing Sugar or Confectioners' Sugar.
- Milk - I used whole milk, but you can use any kind of milk you have on hand.
- Rose Water - You can add as much rose water as you'd like.
*See recipe card for quantities.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Here are step-by-step photos and instructions on how to make this Pistachio Olive Oil Cake! Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Step 1. Finely pulse pistachios in a food processor fitted with an "S" blade. Do not over pulse, as it can turn into a paste.
Step 2. In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add olive oil, sugar, eggs and rose water. Whisk on medium speed for 2 minutes.
Step 3. Add half of the dry ingredients and mix on the lowest speed until nearly combined.
Step 4. Add all of the buttermilk and mix on low until just combined.
Step 5. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until nearly combined.
Step 6. Gently fold the ground pistachios into the batter with a rubber spatula.
Step 7. Pour batter into your prepared pan and bake at 350ºF (180ºC) for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The top should be nicely domed and springs back. Allow to cool on cooling rack for at least 10 minutes before inverting.
Step 8. Once the cake is completely cooled, make your glaze. In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, 1 to 2 teaspoons of rose water and 1 tablespoon of milk. For a thinner glaze, add more milk as needed.
Step 9. Pour the glaze on top of your cake and garnish with roses if you'd like. Enjoy!!
Substitutions & Variations
- Olive Oil - You can use other light oils such as, avocado oil, canola or vegetable. I have also made this cake with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, and it's amazing!
- Buttermilk - If you do not have buttermilk, you can substitute by mixing ¾ cup of whole milk with 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to curdle for 10 minutes before using. You can also just use whole milk if you're in a pinch.
- Cardamom - If you don't have cardamom on hand, try substituting with a mixture of ¾ teaspoon of cinnamon and ¾ teaspoon of nutmeg.
- Rose Water - I highly recommend using rose water if you can, but if you do not like rose scented desserts you can try using orange blossom, adding orange zest or lemon zest. You can also substitute with 2 to 3 teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Key Equipment
- Food Processor or Grinder
- Bowls
- Electric Mixer - You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer.
- 10-Cup Bundt Pan
- Whisk and Rubber Spatula
Storage
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or 1 week in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before enjoying.
⭐️ Expert Tips
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh all your ingredients. Baking in grams, rather than volume, is the best and most accurate way to bake! All my recipes include gram conversions based on King Arthur's Weight Chart.
- If you are not using a kitchen scale, measure your flour correctly. Fluff and aerate your flour first, then spoon into your measuring cup and finally level off with the back of a butter knife. Do not pack it in as it will add too much flour.
- Make sure to use room temperature ingredients. Using room temperature ingredients will help the batter emulsify better, ensuring a smooth batter. Leave your eggs and buttermilk on the counter for about an hour for best results.
- Sift your dry ingredients. Sifting the dry ingredients before adding to your wet ingredients will ensure a smooth batter.
- Do not overmix. As always, refrain from over mixing the batter as it will overwork the gluten in the dough. Thus, creating a tough cake.
FAQs
If you are using light olive oil, you will not taste the oil.
Cardamom is commonly found in Indian, Arabic and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is a spice that is made from the seeds of a plants in the ginger family.
Yes you can! You can use a tube pan. I have not tested this recipe using other pans however.
More Bundt Cakes...
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📖 Recipe
Pistachio And Rose Olive Oil Cake
INGREDIENTS
Pistachio and Rose Olive Oil Cake
- 1 Cup (120g) Shelled Pistachios (measured before grinding)
- 2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 ½ Teaspoons Cardamon
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup (200g) Light or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 ¼ Cups (250g) Granulated White Sugar
- 3 Whole Large Eggs room temp
- 1 to 2 Teaspoons Rose Water (or to taste)
- ¾ Cup (170g) Low-Fat Buttermilk room temp
Rose Glaze
- 1 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons Milk
- 1 Teaspoon Rose Water (or to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven - Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to it 350ºF (180ºC). Spray a 10-Cup Bundt pan, such as Baker's Joy and set aside.
- Grind Pistachios - Finely pulse pistachios in a food processor fitted with an "S" blade. Do not over pulse, as it can turn into a paste.1 Cup (120g) Shelled Pistachios (measured before grinding)1 Cup (200g) Light or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- Combine Dry Ingredients - In a medium sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt and set aside.2 Cups (240g) All-Purpose Flour2 Teaspoons Baking Powder1 ½ Teaspoons Cardamon½ Teaspoon Salt
- Combine Wet Ingredients - With a hand or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the olive oil, white sugar, eggs and rosewater on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. 1 Cup (200g) Light or Extra-Virgin Olive Oil1 ¼ Cups (250g) Granulated White Sugar3 Whole Large Eggs1 to 2 Teaspoons Rose Water (or to taste)
- Alternate Dry & Wet - Next, add half of the dry ingredients and mix on the lowest speed until nearly combined. Followed by all of the buttermilk, mixing on low until just combined. Finally, end with the rest of the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.¾ Cup (170g) Low-Fat Buttermilk
- Add Pistachios - Finally, gently fold the ground pistachios into the batter. Do not overmix.
- Bake - Transfer the batter to your prepared Bundt pan and bake for about 40 Minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Do not overbake!
- Cool - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Rose Glaze - Once the cake is cooled, make your glaze. Whisk together powdered sugar, 1 teaspoons of rose water (or to taste) and 1 tablespoon of milk. For a thinner glaze, add more milk as needed. If the glaze is too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.1 Cup (113g) Powdered Sugar1 to 2 Tablespoons Milk1 Teaspoon Rose Water (or to taste)
- Serve - Drizzle glaze on top of the cake. Serve and enjoy!!
Maggie says
This cake was so moist and the flavors were outstanding! This was my first time making an olive oil cake and won’t be my last. Thank you for sharing!
Lisa says
Aw, I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed this cake! I'm obsessed with this cake! Thank you for your review!
Linda says
I made this cake for my dad’s birthday and it was amazing!! So moist and the rose water and cardamom was a great combination. Definitely making this again.
Lisa says
Hi Linda, I'm so happy to hear that you made this cake for your Dad's birthday! It's one of my favorite cakes! Thank you so much for trying it 🙂
Bernice Wallace says
Really moist and flavorful. Love the slight hint of rose. Can’t wait to make again! xo
Lisa says
Yay, thank you so much for trying this recipe! It's one of my favorite cakes! ❤️
Teena says
Another amazing recipe and super easy to follow. I hope everyone tries this! The sweetness of the icing with the subtle rose flavor, plus the pistachios and Cardamom to add depth makes for such a fantastic combination! And the cake is definitely moist. I will be making this again for sure!
Lisa says
Hi Teena, thank you so much for try another recipe and for your review!! I'm so happy you enjoyed it! Happy baking!😊