Orange and Pistachio Cake
A moist Middle Eastern orange and pistachio loaf cake finished with a sticky honey glaze and crunchy pistachios.
20Prep min
55Cook min
75Total min
Serves 8Serves
Middle EasternCuisine
EasyDifficulty
There is something deeply comforting about a loaf cake that stays moist for days and tastes even better with a cup of tea. This orange and pistachio cake is exactly that: tender, fragrant with citrus zest, and studded with vivid green pistachios that toast slightly as the loaf bakes. It leans on olive oil for its soft crumb and a whole orange for a bright, rounded flavour that never turns bitter.
The honey glaze is the finishing touch. It soaks into the warm cake and sets to a gentle sheen, while a final scatter of chopped pistachios adds crunch. You can serve it plain, with thick yogurt, or alongside a pot of mint tea. It also travels well, which makes it a quiet hero for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon slice.
A note on oranges: you want a thin-skinned, juicy variety so the zest releases plenty of oil and the juice gives the glaze a real kick. Blood oranges work beautifully when in season, lending a faint blush to the crumb.
The honey glaze is the finishing touch. It soaks into the warm cake and sets to a gentle sheen, while a final scatter of chopped pistachios adds crunch. You can serve it plain, with thick yogurt, or alongside a pot of mint tea. It also travels well, which makes it a quiet hero for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon slice.
A note on oranges: you want a thin-skinned, juicy variety so the zest releases plenty of oil and the juice gives the glaze a real kick. Blood oranges work beautifully when in season, lending a faint blush to the crumb.
Ingredients
- 2 large oranges (about 400 g total), preferably thin-skinned
- 150 g shelled pistachios, plus 2 tablespoons extra for topping
- 200 g plain flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 180 g caster sugar
- 120 ml olive oil
- 120 ml whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice (from the zested oranges)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, for greasing the tin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin with the melted butter and line the base with baking parchment.
- Zest both oranges directly into a small bowl, then juice them. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the juice for the glaze and reserve the rest for the cake batter.
- Spread the 150 g pistachios on a baking tray and toast in the oven for 5–6 minutes, until fragrant. Tip onto a plate to cool, then pulse in a food processor until you have a coarse meal — some fine powder and some small pieces is ideal. Do not over-process into a paste.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and the ground pistachios.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar for 2 minutes until pale and slightly thickened. Whisk in the olive oil, milk, vanilla, orange zest, and the reserved orange juice (about 80 ml).
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet in three additions, folding gently with a spatula after each until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine; overmixing will make the cake tough.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 50–55 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
- While the cake bakes, warm the honey and 1 tablespoon orange juice in a small pan over low heat until fluid and combined. Remove from the heat.
- Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack set over a plate. Prick the top all over with a skewer and brush the warm honey glaze over the surface, letting it soak in.
- Roughly chop the 2 tablespoons of pistachios and scatter them over the glazed cake while it is still warm so they stick. Cool completely before slicing.
Cook’s tips
- Weigh your flour rather than scooping it; 200 g is roughly 1⅔ cups if you must measure by volume.
- Toast the pistachios ahead and store them in an airtight jar for up to a week.
- For a stronger citrus hit, rub the orange zest into the sugar with your fingertips before whisking.
Substitutions
- Swap the olive oil for a light sunflower or rapeseed oil if you prefer a neutral flavour.
- Use almonds or walnuts in place of pistachios, though the colour will be less striking.
- For a dairy-free version, replace the milk with oat milk and brush the tin with oil instead of butter.
- Maple syrup can stand in for honey in the glaze.
Storage & reheating
Keep the cake in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate for up to a week; bring to room temperature before serving.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make this cake without a food processor?
Yes. Put the toasted pistachios in a sturdy zip-lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin until you have a coarse meal. Some larger pieces are fine and add texture.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
This usually means the batter was overmixed or the oven temperature was too low. Fold the dry ingredients in gently and check your oven with an oven thermometer if possible.
Can I use bottled orange juice instead of fresh?
You can, but the zest is where most of the flavour lives, so you still need fresh oranges for zesting. Bottled juice will work in the batter and glaze in a pinch.
How do I know when the cake is done?
A skewer inserted into the deepest part should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. The cake also pulls away slightly from the sides of the tin.
