Name: Pistachio Olive Oil Bundt Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 2½ cups all purpose flour; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 cup ground pistachios; 2½ teaspoons baking powder; ¾ teaspoon salt; 2 large eggs (room temperature); 1¼ cups whole milk; ⅝ cup olive oil; 1¼ teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted); 2 Tablespoons whole milk; ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

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Kicking off the new season on a little bit sweeter note with this Pistachio Olive Oil Bundt Cake with sweet vanilla glaze. Extra light and fluffy, this nutty olive oil cake is so moist, rich, and even more delicious than any butter cake. Made with freshly ground pistachios and a splash of vanilla to bring out a wonderful flavor in every bite…SO GOOD! Bonus? This cake is made in one bowl with no specialty equipment. Be sure to enjoy this delicious cake as an extra special brunch or sweet dessert all year long.

angled shot of pistachio cake on upside down plate with three slices laying beside on plate with cake knife and a small plate of cake slices beside, eucalyptus branches, white flowers, and white cheesecloth behind.

About The Recipe

I know what you’re thinking…olive oil? In a cake? Well, trust us on this one! This cake is definitely one of our best and I am SO excited to finally share it with all of you.

It’s rich, moist, sweet, and decadent…with little effort!

bundt cake on upside down white palte with icing on top and pistachios, with eucalyptus leaves behind, stack of plates, empty glasses, and white flowers.

overhead shot of bundt cake on white plate with three slices of cake laying on plate with two slices on small plate beside, bowl of pistachios, cake knife, cheese cloth, and eucalyptus branches around on marble surface.

A little something you guys might not know about me, but I absolutely adore pistachios. They are one of my favorite snacks to have!

It’s something we almost always keep on hand. Though, when my mom and I were talking about recipes to share this week, we kind of realized that we never really share anything with pistachios!

Plus, an olive oil cake has been something my mom and I have been wanting to make for years.

We actually have a list of recipe ideas from when we started the blog and one of the first treats on the list is an olive oil cake!

close up of sliced pistachio bundt cake on upside down white plate.

The combination of the two flavors may sound weird, but it actually creates SUCH a delicious treat! The olive oil creates a richness in this cake, while not leaving any real flavor, allowing the pistachios to really shine.

I am seriously OBSESSED with this cake.

I could eat the whole cake on my own. It’s that good.

Though, my favorite part about this cake (besides the flavor!) is that it’s made in one bowl and requires no mixers or specialty equipment to make.

Honestly, this may have just become our new go-to cake for any and every occasion! SO. GOOD.

pistachio cake with slices missing on upside down white plate with two branches of eucalyptus behind, with bowl of pistachios and cake knife beside.

What is an Olive Oil Cake?

An olive oil cake is just like any oil based cake, but made with olive oil instead. The use of olive oil in a cake not only makes the cake more moist than a butter based cake, but it also provides a light fruity flavor to the cake.

With this recipe, we opted to use ground pistachios to compliment the flavor of the olive oil to provide a cake that not only tastes GREAT, but has some added health benefits 😉

Reasons You Will LOVE This Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

Made in one bowl!!
Rich, moist, nutty, and perfectly sweet.
Requires minimal effort to make.
Ready in about 1 hour!
Naturally colored green from the ground pistachios.

front shot of pistachio bundt cake with three slices leaning against cake with white flowers and eucalyptus branches behind.

Equipment Needed

Mixing Bowls
Whisk
10 Cup Bundt Pan
Cake Tester
Wire Cooling Rack

Ingredients

(Full ingredient amounts and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post)

For The Cake:

All-Purpose Flour – Creates the perfect structure for this cake!
Granulated Sugar – Adds just the right amount of sweetness.
Ground Pistachios – This is essential! We ground roasted, lightly salted pistachios to give this cake the best flavor.
Baking Powder – Provides the perfect amount of rise to this cake.
Salt – Cuts some of the sweetness, while also enhancing the flavor of this cake!
Large Eggs – Remember to set the eggs out ahead of time to allow them to come to room temperature.
Whole Milk – Creates a light, but moist and strong structure that makes for a crave-worthy cake.
Olive Oil – Keeps this cake moist, but also provides a light fruity flavor.
Vanilla Extract – A splash of vanilla to round out the flavors in this cake!

ground pistachios, olive oil, flour, eggs, baking powder, vanilla, milk, sugar, and salt on marble surface.

For The Icing:

Powdered Sugar – Remember to sift the powdered sugar to have a smooth icing!
Whole Milk – We added just enough milk to have a slightly thick, but still runny icing.
Vanilla Extract – Gives this icing just the right amount of flavor.

powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla on marble surface.

How To Make This Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

Step 1: Prepare the batter

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla.

eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla in glass bowl.

Add flour, sugar, pistachios, baking powder, and salt. Whisk well.

ground pistachios, sugar, flour, salt, and flour added to oil mixture.

Step 2: Bake

Pour into prepared pan. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until done.

Cool in pan 15-20 minutes before turning out.

Step 3: Make icing

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.

powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla in glass bowl.

Spoon over cooled cake.

pulled back shot of pistachio bundt cake on upside down plate with icing and pistachios on top, with bow of pistachios beside with white flowers and eucalyptus around.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best way to grind the pistachios?
For us, we found using a small food processor was the best (and easiest!) way to grind the pistachios. You can also place the pistachios in zip-top bag and roll a heavy rolling pin over it to crush them. This may not result in the a fine grind, BUT it will crush them enough to still provide flavor.

Why is my batter lumpy?
If your batter is lumpy, it may be one of two things. The flour may not be completely incorporated or the pistachios are in slightly larger chunks. Be sure that the flour is completely incorporated before baking, but if it’s the pistachios, don’t worry!

Why did my cake stick?
If your cake is stuck, it could be one of two things. Either the pan wasn’t greased enough (it happens to all of us!) or the cake is still a little too warm to be turned out. If you suspect it’s still too warm, let it cool for a little longer and try to turn out again. If it’s stuck because the pan isn’t greased enough, place on a cooling rack and tap the top and sides of the pan. The cake may tear, but it will still taste delicious!

How To Store

You can keep this cake covered on a cake plate for about a 3-5 days at room temperature. You could also store this cake whole or in individual slices in either the fridge or freezer!

Substitutions

Vegetable oil can be used instead of olive oil.
To make this recipe vegan, you can use your favorite non-sweetened plant based milk with your favorite vegan egg substitute. Our favorite is aquafaba!

Looking for more recipes like this? Here are a few you may like: Cranberry Pistachio Slice and Bake Cookies, Blackberry Apple Spice Cake, Blueberry Muffins, Lemon Crinkle Cookies

angled close up of three slices of cake laying beside bundt cake on upside down white plate.

Expert Tips

Make sure to not use flavored pistachios in this recipe!
This cake works best if the pistachios are finely ground.
Be careful to not over-mix the batter.
If you’re unsure if the cake is baked after 50 minutes, you can use a tooth pick or a cake tester to test if the cake is done. If the tester comes clean, the cake is baked!
Let the cake cool about 10-15 minutes in the pan, or until it’s cool enough to handle. If the cake cools completely in the pan, it may stick.
The icing is optional, but highly recommended!

When you make this Pistachio Olive Oil Bundt Cake, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.

– Still Hungry? –

Here are a few recipes may like!

four square slices cut into chocolate sheet cake on parchment paper with flowers, sprinkles, plates, and a white cheesecloth around.

2 Comments

Rsp says:

March 24, 2023 at 10:42 am

Thanks for providing weight measurements — the best way to bake! But (sorry) way too much text to slog through. Yes it’s there to give as much space to ads as possible. But I for one completely ignore all that popping and flashing. Don’t expect to use this site much.

1. Caylie says:
  
  March 24, 2023 at 10:48 am
  
  Hi! Thank you for your feedback! We do our absolute best to provide the best content we can that’s free and accessible to people at any skill level. The additional information included in the post above (as well as with each of our recipes) contains tips and tricks, troubleshooting, answers to frequently asked questions, and more! We realize not everyone may need the extra info, which is why we also have a jump to recipe button at the top of every post to make sure those needs are covered too. It sounds like you may not need the extra info and that’s awesome! Feel free to use that jump to recipe button and if you ever run into an issue while making our recipes, be sure to check out the additional information included with the recipe. We hope you love this Pistachio Cake recipe 🥰 x, Caylie

Pistachio Olive Oil Bundt Cake