We love all of these flavors on their own — pistachio, olive oil, espresso — but together they make such a truly delicious pistachio olive oil cake with espresso cream. The nuttiness from the pistachio, the fruitiness from the olive oil, and the bitterness from the espresso all balance each other to create a cake that is flavorful but not too sweet. The layers are rich but still light. It’s the kind of cake you can finish a slice of and still want another bite.
The Four Components of This Cake
This dessert is built from four layers that each bring a unique flavor. We love each of them apart, and together they create a light, flavorful, and not too sweet cake.
1. The Pistachio Crémeux
At the center of the cake is the pistachio crémeux. This creamy layer is a custard made from roasted pistachios, cream, and egg yolks. It’s silky, nutty, and not too sweet. The texture is somewhere between pudding and ganache. There’s also a touch of gelatin that gives it body without being too heavy. We make it first so it has time to chill and set before assembling the cake. When you cut into the finished slice, it’s that pale green layer.
2. The Olive Oil Cake
A chiffon is one of our favorite base cakes to make. The olive oil keeps it moist while whipped egg whites ensure it’s light. It’s flavorful, not dense — exactly what you want when you’re layering it with rich cream. We love using a good extra-virgin olive oil (we used DeLallo here) because you can actually taste it in every bite.
3. The Espresso Mascarpone Cream
This layer ties everything together. Think of it as a coffee-forward whipped cream with a similar texture to tiramisu filling. The mascarpone adds richness, the espresso powder gives it incredible flavor, and the vanilla… well, vanilla just makes everything better.
4. The Cocoa Finish
A simple dusting of cocoa powder on top is how we finish the cake. It gives a touch of bitterness that balances the sweetness of the creams.
Pistachio Olive Oil Cake with Espresso Cream
Ingredients
Pistachio Crémeux
- 1 cup roasted salted pistachios shelled, 120 g
- 1 tbsp neutral oil such as grapeseed or canola
- 1 ⅛ cup heavy cream 250 g
- ½ cup whole milk 100 g
- ~1½ tsp powdered gelatin 4 g
- ~1 tbsp cold water for blooming gelatin, 20 g
- 3 large egg yolks 60 g
- 2.5 tablespoon granulated sugar 30 g
Chiffon Cake
- 3 egg yolks 55 g
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed 55 g
- 3 ½ tbsp DeLlalo Extra Virgin Olive 50 g
- ¼ cup water 50 g
- ¾ cup + 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 110 g
- ¾ tsp baking powder 3 g
- ½ tsp kosher salt 3 g
- 4 large egg whites 120 g
- ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar 55 g
Espresso Mascarpone Cream
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 30 g
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/2 tablespoon vanilla bean
- 1 tablespoon DeLallo instant espresso powder 30 ml
Assembly
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Instructions
Pistachio Crémeux
- Make the pistachio paste by blending the pistachios and neutral oil in a food processor until completely smooth and glossy, scraping down the sides as needed. The texture should be similar to natural peanut butter.
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water and stir together with a spoon. Let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes to bloom.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream and milk. Heat over medium until it is steaming
- In a separate bowl, whip together the egg yolks and sugar until slightly pale. Slowly pour in about half of the hot cream mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Then pour everything back into the saucepan
- Cook the custard over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon (180°F). Do not let it boil.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the bloomed gelatin until fully dissolved. Whisk in the pistachio paste until smooth
- Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Chiffon Cake
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.
- In another bowl, whisk yolks, brown sugar, oil, and water.
- Sift in dry ingredients; whisk until smooth.
- In a mixer, whip egg whites + cream of tartar to soft peaks. Gradually stream in sugar; whip to stiff, glossy peaks.
- Whisk ⅓ of meringue into yolk mixture to lighten, then fold in the rest gently.
- Pour into an ungreased 8” round pan. Bake at 325°F ~30 min, until golden and springy.
- Drop pan from 6 inches (helps prevent sinking). Cool completely before releasing.
Assembly of Cake & Pistachio cream layer
- Cut the cooled cake layer in half
- Line the 8” cake round with a piece plastic wrap (the goal is to cover the bottom with long “handles” so you are able to lift up the cake with plastic when it is done)
- Place half the cake in the bottom with the cut side up
- Place the pistachio cream on top and spread it into an even layer
- Top with the remaining cake layer and place in the fridge for 2 hours
Espresso Cream
- In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone cheese and heavy cream. Beat on medium speed until well combined, about 30 seconds.
- Add the sugar, salt, vanilla bean paste, and espresso powder. Continue to beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, about 1-2 minutes. Do not over mix or the mixture will split. You want to just mix until soft peaks form
Assembly
- Pour the cream over the cooled cake. Spread into an even layer so the top is flat. Cover with a piece of plastic wrap to set for at least 1 hour.
- Dust with cocoa powder and serve.
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