This cake is version 2.0 of my original raw avocado cake, which was a big hit when I initially shared it, and it makes total sense to me -- it's raw, it's wholesome, it's delicious, it's interesting, it's super fast to make, and it's a raw cake that features no nuts or coconut oil (or any oil) -- a rare find in the sea of nutty (and coconutty) raw cheesecakes out there. However, a girl needs her options, so when I found myself longing for something a little more exotic, of course I wandered into the kitchen and a new version of the cake happened, but this time all dressed up... Hello orange blossom water and pistachios!
Check out the lovely video Janel made for it below to see how quickly it comes together:
And if for any reason you're not a fan of tasting avocado in your dessert (I know you're out there!) this version is for you, because every hint of avocado-ness completely disappears thanks to the appearance of orange blossom water.
Orange blossom water is one of those unique, incredible flavors that you'll often find in many Middle Eastern desserts, but is sadly rather neglected in North American cuisine. Personally, I think that needs to change ASAP. If you've never tried an orange blossom dessert, you are most definitely missing out. For those of you who have tried Middle Eastern treats and loved them, but just couldn't put your finger on what that incredible flavor was that you were detecting -- I bet you it was orange blossom water (or rose water -- the two are on par). It's a rather unique and fragrant flavor, and it can upscale a dessert in seconds and with just a few drops.
Before you think I'm pushing some fancy "unicorn tears" ingredient on you here, don't worry ;) -- the good news is that orange blossom water happens to be inexpensive. We're talking just a few dollars. This is the brand I use from Amazon, and if you can find it locally it's even cheaper at shops that have a decent ethnic aisle. This bottle will last you a loooooong time. And you can make amazing things with it. Like hariseh cake, or this tahini orange blossom cheesecake. Use it in this bundt cake in place of rose water... etc.
In a pinch, if you can't find orange blossom water to make this cake, use orange extract. It'll be nice. But much nicer with the orange blossom <3
I paired this flavor with my favorite nut -- pistachios. The result is extremely delicious, and I like the lightness and texture of pistachios sometimes as compared to other nuts and seeds. But most importantly I LOVED them in this cake because of the funfetti factor -- just look inside that slice -- those speckles are so pretty and yes, that's the kind of thing I get excited about :)
Of course the cake is still largely nut-free, so if you prefer to not use nuts, use pumpkin seeds in the crust in place of pistachios, and omit the pistachios in the center. You can also do an oaty crust -- gluten-free quick oats in place of nuts and seeds will work. But I must say... funfetti is where it's at ;)
P.S. If you need help with sizing this cake up for a larger audience, check out the downloadable raw multiplication guide below the recipe.
Pistachio & Orange Blossom Raw Avocado Cake
An exotic tasting orange blossom and pistachio raw vegan cake made with an avocado base. Oil-free.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 5" cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Raw
- Cuisine: Dessert
Ingredients
Crust:
- ½ cup raw pistachios
- 6 soft medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- ⅛ tsp salt
Filling:
- 2 medium avocados, de-seeded and peeled
- 6 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp orange blossom water
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ¼ cup raw pistachios
Optional Toppings:
- Chopped pistachios for sprinkling, edible flowers (I used white Chrysanthemums for the cake in photos)
Instructions
- Place all crust ingredients, except maple syrup, into a food processor and process into a crumble. Add maple syrup and process again into a sticky crumble. Transfer this mixture into a 5" springform pan and press into a crust along the base and sides. Place in the freezer while working on the next step.
- Blend all filling ingredients, except pistachios, in a power blender until a smooth mixture forms (you may need to pause and scrape down the sides, or use your Vitamix tamper). Add in pistachios and pulse or blend so that they are not fully blended and you can still see visible specs in the filling. Transfer the mixture into your prepared crust shell. Carefully smooth out the top to even it out. Sprinkle with any decorative toppings. Freeze for 4-5 hours or overnight. Enjoy! Keep leftovers frozen.
Ralu says
Hello, Audrey. Could you tell me why you used more than 2 avocados in the video, because I’m a little bit confused. Also to be sure, I have to keep the cake all the time in the freezer, not in the fridge, correct? And for how many hours after I finish?
Audrey says
Hi Ralu. Good eye! :) The reason Janel (who made the video for my recipe here) uses more avocados is because she has a large blender so tiny recipes like this one (5" cakes) usually work better when multiplied into a larger quantity for bigger blenders. She uses a low profile Vitamix, and if you try to blend a very small quantity of ingredients they sometimes just won't blend through properly because there's not enough substance in the pitcher for the blades to catch (so stuff just sticks to the sides and doesn't blend through smoothly). I personally use an older traditional Vitamix model (the taller kind) and make small batch recipes like this one with ease. So my recommendation for people who use bigger blenders / wide bottom pitchers is to triple the recipe and make a few smaller cakes or one larger 6" cake, etc. (refer to the multiplication guide for other sizes). And that is indeed what Janel is doing in this video.. Hope this makes sense and sorry if this is confusing. I've been sharing my recipes online for more than a decade, but in the meantime the most classic power blender of all (Vitamix) introduced a new bigger / wider form pitcher and so some of these older recipes might require a bit of tweaking (in the form of making more cake) to make them work smoothly.
As for freezing time, initially the cake needs to set in the freezer for 5-6 hours or overnight to set (or until close to serving time). And any leftovers after serving should be stored in the freezer.
Hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions. Happy baking!
Khanh says
Hello Audrey from Singapore! Thanks for the recipe. I’ve kept mine in the freezer over night and when I tried to slide it, it got very hard and the avocado got a bit icy inside. Do you think the temperature was too high? Should I have taken the cake out earlier? Will try to make it again for the baby’s first bday this wkend :)
Audrey says
Hi Khanh, sounds like it was just thoroughly frozen, in which case I recommend briefly thawing it out for 5-15 minutes on the counter before slicing. Another thing is to make sure the avocados are ripe and creamy (not overripe and darkened though) -- sometimes when they're not 100% ripe the water content in them is higher so they can lead to a more hard frozen cake because the water turns to small bits of ice inside. I've also find some avocado varieties (like the giant ones) to be more watery in general. Go for creamy ones if you have the choice. Hope round 2 goes over better! :) Enjoy.
ildikó deák says
Hi, this looks really gorgeous! Can I substitute orange blossom water for rose blossom water? Unfortunately, I don't have orange blossom water at hand.. thanks!
Audrey says
Yes, absolutely :) I think that would be lovely.
Agnes Dombovari says
Any substitute suggestion for orange blossom water?
Audrey says
Rose water would be the closest substitute.
Bee says
I am thinking of taking this to a birthday dinner celebration, if it is out of the freezer for a couple of hours, will it start to melt/run?
Audrey says
Hi Bee, yes, unfortunately if it's not kept frozen it will start to melt. I do bring these types of cakes for parties with me all the time though. I just put a few ice packs in a cooler bag and put the cake in still in the springform pan (the metal pan touching the ice packs keeps things cold). So you can always do that if you like. It should be good for several hours.
Inna says
I absolutely love this recipe! It's so simple to prepare and I had so much fun. And the best: it's so delicious. Thank you. Full of anticipation for the next cakes i will do "with you"
All the best & kind regards from germany
Inna
Audrey says
Hi Inna, thank you so much for the kind feedback :) I'm really glad you're enjoying the cakes on the site!
Lurlene Mitra says
I like your awesome website design and your content. I am a busy Mom and love making cakes on the weekend when time allows me to bake.
Audrey says
Thanks very much :) I'm glad you're enjoying the site and recipes.
Aryane @ Valises & Gourmandises says
I'm looking for some ideas to use up my beautiful Italian pistachios and this cake is definitely inspiring!
Your recipes never disappoint 😊
Audrey says
Thanks Aryane! :) Enjoy it.
Hang says
Hi Audrey! Is it possible to use the crust from the recipe "grapefruit pistachio cake"? they are very similar, but the other recipe calls for one date + coconut oil instead of 6 dates here:) would that be ok?
Audrey says
Hi Hang, sure thing -- you can def mix and match here :)
Cassie Tran says
What a beautiful cake! Pistachio and oranges probably taste glorious together. Such a lovely recipe that, I think, would be such a crowd-pleaser!
Audrey says
Thanks Cassie. It's definitely a flavor combo I adore.
Maddie says
Amazing flavours and textures, unusual and makes a big impact
Audrey says
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Maddie :) I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Iva says
Great recipe! Thank you! I wonder should I pre-soak the pistachios before I start?
Audrey says
Hi Iva. No, I didn't pre-soak the pistachios for this one because I wanted them to remain like little flecks of pistachio inside the cake. If you want, you can pre-soak them and then they'll just blend right into the texture though. Up to you :)
Ruta says
And how about the texture? For me greatest part of avocado cakes besides the taste is that melting in the mouth smoothness , doesn't those sparkles inside feel a bit off?
Audrey says
Hi Ruta. Yes, I know what you mean. I guess it depends what I'm in the mood for -- I do so many different cakes and I love variety. I love the pistachio "sprinkles" and don't mind the extra texture they add in in this particular cake (just like regular funfetti in a cake in a way), but I do love a smooth cake also. There are other avocado cakes on the blog that have a solid smooth texture (if you search "avocado" in the search bar you can find them easily).
Pegasusy says
Dear Audrey, I made your avocado cake and it not only tasted but looked "goddessy", too (not as perfect as yours, mind you…)
How inviting, utterly feminine, and caring your work is. Thank you very much for sharing.
Do you have a "donation button" I could press for a little contribution?
Audrey says
Aw, thank you very much. I'm so happy you liked the cake and those are the values are ones I indeed appreciate very much.
No donation function, no -- your lovely feedback and support is plenty to keep me sharing :)
Anaa says
Hi Audrey,
Firstly, my sister sent me to your site for the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake recipe. I had requested she make me one for my birthday and we topped it with guava jelly. It was the best thing ever. Between three sisters and our mom, there wasn't enough to to go around. Instead of making said cheesecake on my own, this recipe caught my eye!
So my question is this--I'm considering making this in individual tart pans. I noticed your French Silk Pie utilizes a tart pan, but most of your other raw cakes use springform. Would you suggest any amendments to the crust so that it would work in a tart shell?
Many thanks!
Audrey says
Hi Anaa. So happy to hear you loved the cake. The guava jelly twist sounds amazing :)
The crust should be the same for tart & cheesecake, so I wouldn't change anything -- it'll be durable enough. I alternate between tarts and springforms, but mainly just as I feel inspired visually -- the essentials are still the same.
Lesya says
Hi, I only have a 9 inch pan. How much of each ingredient should I use to make it fit?
Audrey says
Hi Lesya,
You'll need to multiply it by 6 for a 9" cake.
Nina says
Hey Audrey! I just made your cake and the "batter" already tastes great! But I was wondering, how do I serve it? Right out of the freezer or is it also okay to leave it out for half an hour or so? Thanks!
So excited to eat it tomorrow
Audrey says
Hi Nina,
I serve it right out of the freezer, but you could briefly thaw it out. I find it thaws out quite quickly on the plate. Enjoy it! :)
Bianca @ ElephantasticVegan says
This cake is a piece of art, Audrey! I love that it gets its green color from avocados and pistachios. I am absolutely intrigued by this recipe because pistachios are my favorite nuts and I love anything green ^.^
Audrey says
Aw, thanks so much, Bianca! I'm loving green things too -- such a pretty and happy color.
Natalia says
How much I love your avocado's cakes!
Audrey says
Thanks Natalie -- I love working with them a lot too. So many flavors and options :) I loved seeing your chocolate mint take on it on Instagram -- beautiful!
Melissa says
Oh wow! This cake looks and sounds like pure heaven! I'm a big pistachio fan, but I don't use them enough in dessert recipes. I feel inspired now! I've gotta buy that orange blossom water. Must taste wonderful in this dessert. Nice work, Audrey :)
Audrey says
Yes, orange blossom makes extraordinary things :) Thanks so much, Melissa!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
O well it just sounds so fancy! And I love the pistachios in the crust! Extra studded green!
Audrey says
Pistachios sport the prettiest colors :)
Angelika says
I'm about to prepare this, seems awesome. But I don't have as much maple sirup. Could I substitute with some sort of powdered sugar?
Audrey says
Hi Angelika, yes you can try experimenting with adding a bit of another sweetener. The maple gives the recipe some flavor + moisture.