Pistachio Olive Oil Cake with Cardamom Cream

Yield: one 9-inch layer cake, 16 servings

Cake:
1      cup shelled pistachios, plus 2 tablespoons,
        finely chopped, for serving
1      cup granulated sugar
1      cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1      cup almond meal
1½   teaspoons baking powder
½     teaspoon fine sea salt
1      cup olive oil
4      large eggs
1      teaspoon almond extract

Cardamom Cream:
8      tablespoons unsalted butter, room
        temperature
4      ounces (half standard package) cream
        cheese, room temperature
2      cups powdered sugar, sifted
1      teaspoon vanilla extract
         pinch fine sea salt
2      to 4 pinches ground cardamom,
         plus more to taste
2      tablespoons plain yogurt

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 403 (62% from fat) • carb. 33g • pro. 6g • fat 28g • sat. fat 7g • chol. 64mg • sod. 137mg calc. 101mg • fiber 2g

1. Grease 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Insert the chopping blade into the work bowl of the food processor. Add the pistachios, sugar, flour, almond meal, baking powder, and salt to the work bowl. Pulse a few times, then process on High for 1 minute, to ensure the pistachios are finely chopped and the mixture is completely combined.
3. While running on Low, slowly add the oil, eggs, and almond extract through the feed tube.
4. Scrape down and then pulse a few more times if necessary. The batter will be very thick. Scrape it into the prepared cake pan and smooth over the top. Clean the work bowl and chopping blade.
5. Put the cake into the preheated oven and bake until the cake is just coming away from the sides of the pan, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on rack and then remove from pan to cool completely before assemblying.
6. When the cake is cool, prepare the cream. Insert the chopping blade into the work bowl. Add all of the Cardamom Cream ingredients, except for the yogurt, to the bowl and process on Low to combine, then stop to scrape down the sides. Continue to process until very light and fluffy. Slowly add the yogurt and mix on Low until desired consistency is achieved.
7. Halve the cake to make two layers. Spread some of the Cardamom Cream in the center of the bottom layer, leaving a half-inch border on the side. Top with the second cake layer and then put the remaining Cardamom Cream on the top. Spread evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Put in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
8. Once chilled decorate with the finely chopped pistachios.