Eid Orange Blossom and Pistachio Crumb Coffee Cake

Name: Eid Orange Blossom and Pistachio Crumb Coffee Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 42 min
Total time: 1 h 2 min
Yield: 10 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, at room temperature; ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar; 2 (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) orange blossom water; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (2½ g) baking soda; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) kosher salt; ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cardamom; ¾ cup (90 g) roasted unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped; ¼ cup (57 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; ½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar; ½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ½ cup (60 g) roasted unsalted pistachios, finely chopped; ⅛ teaspoon (¾ g) kosher salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, moist crumb cake with warm spices and the delicate floral notes of orange blossom water, studded with pistachios and topped with a cinnamon-pistachio streusel. Made with sourdough discard for subtle tang and complex flavor, this cake celebrates the joy of Eid gatherings with its vibrant Middle Eastern spirit.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 42 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 17 min
Makes: 1 cake (10 slices)

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Ingredients

10 servings

For the cake
1 cup (240 ml) sourdough discard, at room temperature
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (220 g) packed light brown sugar
2 (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons (10 ml) orange blossom water
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons (7 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) baking soda
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cardamom
¾ cup (90 g) roasted unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped
For the pistachio streusel
¼ cup (57 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup (110 g) packed light brown sugar
½ cup (63 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
½ cup (60 g) roasted unsalted pistachios, finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon (0.8 g) kosher salt

Equipment (7)

9×13-inch (23×33 cm) rectangular baking pan
Medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Whisk
Wooden spoon or spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Zester or microplane (optional)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Grease a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) rectangular baking pan
Have sourdough discard at room temperature
Toast pistachios if desired for deeper flavor

1
Make the streusel
- In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add cold butter cubes and use your fingertips or two forks to work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
- Fold in the finely chopped pistachios until evenly distributed.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces
Tip: Keep the butter cold so the streusel stays chunky and doesn't become dense.
2
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar together with a whisk or wooden spoon for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale.
- This incorporates air and develops a tender crumb.
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Ready when: mixture is light, fluffy, and visibly paler
Tip: Softened butter creams better than cold or melted butter; leave it out 30–60 minutes ahead.
3
Add eggs and flavorings
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Add the sourdough discard and orange blossom water, stirring until combined.
- The batter will look slightly curdled—this is normal.
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Ready when: eggs and sourdough are fully incorporated
Tip: Room-temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a more tender cake.
4
Mix dry ingredients
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.
- Make sure there are no lumps of baking soda or baking powder.
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Ready when: dry ingredients are evenly combined with no lumps
Tip: Whisk the dry ingredients well to distribute the leavening agents evenly.
5
Combine wet and dry
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in thirds, stirring gently with a wooden spoon just until combined after each addition.
- Do not overmix.
- Fold in the coarsely chopped pistachios until evenly distributed.
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Ready when: batter is just combined with no visible streaks of flour
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and toughens the cake. Mix only until no dry flour remains.
6
Pour and top
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared 9×13-inch pan.
- Sprinkle the pistachio streusel evenly over the top, pressing it gently into the batter so it adheres and doesn't fall off during baking.
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Ready when: streusel is evenly distributed and pressed into the batter
Tip: Press the streusel gently but firmly so it stays put during baking instead of sliding off.
7
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–42 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake (not the streusel) comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- The top should be golden brown and the edges may start to pull away slightly from the pan.
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Ready when: toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs; top is golden brown
Tip: Start checking at 38 minutes; oven temperatures vary. Overbaking dries out the cake.
8
Cool and serve
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- This allows it to set enough to slice cleanly without falling apart.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
- The cake can be eaten straight from the pan or turned out onto a serving plate if desired.
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Ready when: cake has cooled enough to support the weight of a slice
Tip: Cooling in the pan allows the crumb to firm up; it will still be warm and tender when you serve it.

Good to know

Tips

Orange blossom water is potent; start with the 2 teaspoons called for, then taste the batter and add a few more drops if you love the flavor.
Chopping the pistachios to different sizes—some fine for the streusel, some coarse for the cake—adds visual interest and varied texture.
For a gluten-free version, use 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum (if not already included) in both the cake and streusel.
This cake celebrates Eid traditions in Middle Eastern cuisine; serve with strong coffee or cardamom chai for an authentic pairing.

Make ahead

Batter can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate, then bring to room temperature for 15 minutes before baking. The baked cake can be made 1 day ahead and stored covered at room temperature.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature (covered): 3 days. Refrigerator (covered): 5 days. Freezer (wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil): up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours before serving. Reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes if desired.

Substitutions

orange blossom water → 2 teaspoons rose water or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract with ½ teaspoon grated orange zest. Rose water gives a different but equally floral note; vanilla and zest offer warmth instead of florality.
roasted unsalted pistachios → coarsely chopped unsalted almonds or walnuts. Almonds provide a similar texture; walnuts add earthiness but less color.
ground cardamom → ½ teaspoon ground ginger or ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg plus ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Ginger brings warmth and spice; the spice blend offers depth without florality.
sourdough discard → 1 cup Greek yogurt (non-fat or full-fat) or 1 cup buttermilk. Yogurt adds tang and moisture; buttermilk is more traditional. Both create a tender, moist crumb.