Olive Oil Cake with Pistachio Buttercream and Blackberry Jam

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1.5 cup sugar
• 1.125 cup olive oil (1 cup + 2 tbsp)
• 1.25 cup milk
• 0.75 tsp almond extract
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 0.75 tsp baking soda
• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 stick unsalted butter (slightly softened)
• 4 cup powdered sugar
• 0.66 cup pistachio paste (2/3 cup; can be homemade with roasted pistachios, powdered sugar, water, and almond extract)
• 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk (up to 3 tbsp if needed for consistency)
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• salt (to taste)
• blackberry jam (homemade or store-bought, for layering)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease your cake pans.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk together the 3 large eggs and 1.5 cups (300g) of sugar until well combined.

3. 3

   Slowly stream in the 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225g) of olive oil and 1.25 cups (284g) of milk while whisking. Stir in 3/4 tsp of almond extract.

4. 4

   In a separate bowl, sift together the 3 cups (360g) of all-purpose flour, 5 tsp baking powder, 3/4 tsp baking soda, and 1.5 tsp kosher salt.

5. 5

   Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, whisking until just combined and no large lumps remain.

6. 6

   Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, approximately 35-45 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

7. 7

   To make the pistachio paste (if not using store-bought), process roasted pistachios, powdered sugar, a little water, and almond extract in a food processor until smooth.

8. 8

   For the buttercream, cream the 2 sticks of softened butter in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until smooth.

9. 9

   Gradually add 4 cups (454g) of powdered sugar, beating until fluffy.

10. 10

    Mix in 2/3 cup (175g) of pistachio paste, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (if using), and a pinch of salt.

11. 11

    Add 2-3 tbsp of heavy cream or milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches your desired spreading consistency.

12. 12

    To assemble, place one cake layer down, spread a layer of blackberry jam over the top, then a layer of pistachio buttercream. Top with the second cake layer and frost the exterior as desired.

Notes

The cake is described as 'aggressively salty' in a good way due to the 1.5 tsp of kosher salt. You can make the pistachio paste in under 5 minutes using a food processor. Store-bought blackberry jam works perfectly if you don't want to make it from scratch.

Nutrition per serving

• dessert
• cake
• baking
• olive oil cake
• pistachio
• blackberry
• spring
• easter