When you want a cake that's not overly sweet, this delicate, gluten-free treat is an elegant answer. It's also dairy-free and comes together in a single bowl.
Serve with creme fraiche or yogurt and extra strawberries.
You'll need a 9-inch round cake pan.
Make Ahead: The baked cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Where to Buy: We've had the best luck finding shelled raw pistachios at Trader Joe's. They're also widely available online.
Servings: 10 - 12 When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
When you scale a recipe, keep in mind that cooking times and temperatures, pan sizes and seasonings may be affected, so adjust accordingly. Also, amounts listed in the directions will not reflect the changes made to ingredient amounts.
Tested size: 10-12 servings; makes one 9-inch cake
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups (225 grams) shelled raw pistachios
- Scant 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/4 cups (150 grams) fine cornmeal or polenta
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 7 ounces (200 grams) strawberries, hulled and coarsely chopped, plus more for serving
- Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking oil spray and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Put about 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) of the pistachios in a food processor and process until finely ground, about the consistency of almond meal.
Using a hand mixer, beat the sugar and eggs together on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer running, add the olive oil, beating until thoroughly combined.
Gently fold in the ground pistachios, cornmeal or polenta, baking powder and salt. Fold in the strawberries, then scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spoon or offset spatula. Roughly chop the remaining 1/4 cup (25 grams) pistachios and scatter over the top.
Bake for 45 to 50 minutes (middle rack) until the cake is golden and well-risen and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. The sides of the cake will just be starting to pull away from the walls of the pan. If the top is darkening too fast before the cake is cooked through (nuts burn easily), loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil.
Transfer to a wire rack and let the cake cool to room temperature. Turn it out of the pan, the flip it back over so the top side is facing up again, and dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Recipe Source
Adapted from a recipe on bbcgoodfood.com.
Tested by Becky Krystal.
Email questions to the Food Section at food@washpost.com.
