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A soft pistachio olive oil cake layered with raspberry jam and finished with a lightly sweet thyme buttercream. Topped with fresh raspberries, it’s simple, balanced, and feels just a bit special.
This cake started as a mix of two different recipes but slowly turned into something of its own. The base is an olive oil cake, which gives it a really soft, tender crumb that stays moist for days.
To bring in more flavour, I added toasted pistachios to the batter. It doesn’t make the cake heavy, but it gives it a deeper, slightly nutty taste that works really well with the olive oil.
The layers are wrapped and frozen overnight, then levelled the next day. It’s a small step but makes assembling the cake much easier and gives you clean, even layers.
For the filling, I used raspberry jam and kept it fairly thin so it doesn’t overpower the rest of the cake. The thyme buttercream is lightly sweet with a subtle herbal flavour. It took a bit of adjusting, but increasing the thyme makes it come through without being too strong. The cake is finished with fresh raspberries on top for a bit of brightness.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, tender crumb from the olive oil
- Toasted pistachios add depth without heaviness
- Raspberry jam balances the richness
- Thyme buttercream adds a subtle, unexpected flavour
- Freezing the layers makes assembly easier and neater
- Not overly sweet, but still feels like a proper cake
Ingredients and Substitutions
Grab all your ingredients! View the recipe card below for a full list of all the ingredients and measurements.
Pistachios: Toasted and ground for a deeper flavour
- Substitute: Almonds or hazelnuts
- Variation: Leave out for a plain olive oil cake
Olive oil: Keeps the cake soft and moist
- Substitute: Use a neutral oil if needed
- Variation: Use a mild fruity olive oil for more flavour
Raspberry jam: Adds brightness and contrast
- Substitute: Blackberry jam or a mix of both
- Variation: Use a homemade berry compote
Thyme: Gives the buttercream a light herbal note
- Substitute: Leave out for a classic buttercream
- Variation: Infuse thyme into warm cream for a stronger flavour
Fresh raspberries: Used for topping
- Substitute: Blackberries or mixed berries
- Variation: Keep it simple or add chopped pistachios
Pistachio Olive Oil Cake with raspberry Jam & Thyme Buttercream
Ingredients
Olive Oil Pistachio Cake
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups 300g sugar
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (225g) olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups 284g milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- ½ tsp almond essence
- 3 cups 360g cake flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup 100g pistachios, toasted and finely ground
Filling
- ½ to 1 cups raspberry jam
Thyme Buttercream
- 1 ½ cups 340g unsalted butter, softened
- 3 to 4 cups 360-480g powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk or cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 to 1 ½ tsp finely crushed dried thyme or 2 tsp fresh, very finely minced
- pinch of salt
Garnish
- Fresh raspberries about 1 punnet
- Chopped pistachios
- Optional: small thyme sprigs
Instructions
Prepare the Cake
- Preheat oven to 180℃/350℉. Grease and line two 20 cm (8-inch) cake pans.
- In a stand mixer, whip eggs and sugar on high speed for 5 to 6 minutes until pale and voluminous.
- Slowly stream in olive oil, then mix in milk, vanilla, and almond extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground pistachios.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet until just combined.
- Divide batter evenly between pans.
- Bake 35 minutes, until golden and springy.
- Cool completely. Wrap cake layers tightly in cling wrap and freeze overnight for best results.
Make the Thyme Buttercream
- Beat butter until smooth and fluffy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar until incorporated.
- Add milk, vanilla, thyme, and salt.
- Beat until light, airy, and spreadable.
Assemble the Cake
- Level the cake layers.
- Place first layer on cake stand.
- Spread a thin layer of buttercream.
- Pipe a border of buttercream around the edge.
- Fill center with a layer of raspberry jam.
- Top with the second layer of cake.
- Pipe/smooth the rest of the buttercream on top of the cake.
Finish
- Top with fresh raspberries. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios, and a dusting of icing sugar.
Notes
- Wrapping and freezing the cake layers overnight makes them easier to handle and results in cleaner slices.
- Level the cakes after freezing for neat, even layers.
- Toast the pistachios before grinding to deepen their flavor and add a warm, nutty note.
- Keep the jam layer thin for balance.
- This cake tastes even better the next day as the flavors settle together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
Yes. In fact, it works better that way. Wrap the cake layers in cling wrap and freeze overnight, then level and assemble the next day.
Do I have to toast the pistachios?
You don’t have to, but it makes a big difference. Toasting brings out a deeper, nuttier flavor in the cake.
Can I use a different jam?
Yes. Raspberry works really well, but blackberry or a mix of both would also be good. Just keep the layer thin so it doesn’t overpower the cake.
Why can’t I taste the thyme in my buttercream?
It’s easy for thyme to get lost. Use about 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, or infuse it into warm cream first for a stronger flavor.
