Eid Sweet Milk and Pistachio Crumb Coffee Cake

Name: Eid Sweet Milk and Pistachio Crumb Coffee Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1½ cups (360 ml) active sourdough starter, unfed, at room temperature, bubbly and at peak activity; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; ⅓ cup (100 g) honey, at room temperature; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ teaspoons (7½ g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt; 1¼ teaspoons (3½ g) ground cardamom; 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (57 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed, cold, cut into ¼-inch cubes; ¼ cup (75 g) honey; ¼ teaspoon (1½ g) fine sea salt; 1 cup (130 g) roasted, lightly salted pistachios, coarsely chopped; 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A tender, crumbly sourdough coffee cake perfumed with cardamom and enriched with warm milk, topped with a fragrant pistachio and honey crumb topping. Perfect for Eid celebrations or any festive gathering, this cake celebrates Middle Eastern flavors with a moist crumb and satisfying texture.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 40 min
Wait: 8 hr
Total: 9 hr
Makes: 1 cake (12 slices)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake
1½ cups (360 ml) active sourdough starter, unfed, at room temperature, bubbly and at peak activity
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 large eggs, at room temperature
⅓ cup (100 g) honey, at room temperature
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons (7.5 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) fine sea salt
1¼ teaspoons (3.5 g) ground cardamom
For the pistachio crumb topping
1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (57 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed, cold, cut into ¼-inch cubes
¼ cup (75 g) honey
¼ teaspoon (1.5 g) fine sea salt
1 cup (130 g) roasted, lightly salted pistachios, coarsely chopped
For the cake
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

Equipment (6)

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

Steps

Before you start

Active sourdough starter at room temperature (fed 4–6 hours prior)
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Use a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan, buttered or lined with parchment
Bring milk to room temperature and let eggs sit out 30 minutes

1
Mix wet ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the active sourdough starter, whole milk, melted butter, eggs, honey, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- The mixture should be smooth and well-blended with no visible lumps of starter.
- This base takes about 2 minutes of gentle whisking.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and uniform
Tip: Use a whisk rather than a hand mixer to avoid overworking the sourdough starter.
2
Combine dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cardamom.
- Mix thoroughly to distribute the leavening and spice evenly throughout the flour.
- This should take about 1 minute.
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Ready when: No lumps visible in the mixture; color appears even throughout
Tip: Sift the cardamom and baking powder together if you notice any lumps in the spice.
3
Fold in dry ingredients
- Pour the dry mixture into the wet ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined.
- Avoid overmixing; the batter should look slightly lumpy.
- Overmixing activates too much gluten and makes the cake tough.
- This takes about 1 minute.
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Ready when: No visible dry flour; batter has a loose, chunky consistency
Tip: Stop folding as soon as you don't see dry flour streaks. A few small lumps are fine and result in a more tender crumb.
4
Make the crumb topping
- In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup (125 g) flour, cold cubed butter, 0.25 cup (75 g) honey, and 0.25 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt.
- Use your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter visible.
- Fold in the 1 cup (130 g) chopped pistachios.
- The topping should feel moist and clumpy but not wet.
- This takes about 3 minutes.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pistachio pieces visible
Tip: Keep butter cold to achieve distinct crumbs rather than a wet paste. If the mixture becomes too warm, refrigerate it for 5 minutes.
5
Spread batter in pan
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan.
- Spread evenly with a spatula, reaching into the corners.
- The batter should be about ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick.
- Take about 2 minutes to ensure an even layer.
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Ready when: Batter is smooth and level across the pan
Tip: If batter seems thick, dampen your spatula slightly to make spreading easier.
6
Top with crumb mixture
- Distribute the pistachio crumb topping evenly over the batter, gently pressing it down so it adheres slightly without compacting it into a solid crust.
- You should see distinct crumbs and pistachio pieces across the surface.
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Ready when: Crumb topping covers the entire surface in an even layer with visible pistachio pieces
Tip: Press gently to ensure the topping doesn't shift during baking, but avoid creating a dense, hard layer.
7
Bake the cakeOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven and bake for 40 minutes.
- The cake is done when a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter), the top is deep golden brown, and the crumb topping is fragrant and lightly crisped.
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Ready when: Skewer inserted in center emerges with a few moist crumbs; top is golden brown; crumb topping is fragrant and lightly crisped
Tip: If the topping browns too quickly after 25 minutes, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil to prevent excessive darkening.
8
Cool in pan
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- The cake will firm up slightly during this time, making it easier to cut without crumbling.
- You should still feel a gentle warmth from the pan.
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Ready when: Cake is no longer piping hot but still warm to the touch
Tip: Do not skip this cooling step; cutting too early will cause the cake to crumble.
9
Final cool and serve
- Turn the cake out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 4 hours, or until the bottom is room temperature.
- You can slice and serve at room temperature, or serve slightly warm with hot tea or coffee.
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Ready when: Cake is cool to the touch throughout; crumb is set and tender
Tip: For the best flavor and most tender crumb, let the cake rest overnight before serving. The sourdough flavor and cardamom scent intensify.

Good to know

Tips

For the best results, use an active, freshly fed sourdough starter that is bubbly and has a pleasant sour aroma. If your starter is sluggish, feed it and wait 4–6 hours until it peaks with lots of visible bubbles.
The sourdough adds a subtle tang and improves the cake's keeping quality. The batter takes on a lovely fermented flavor and tender crumb as it rests after baking.
Warm milk softens the crumb and enriches the cake without making it dense. Cold milk will lower the overall temperature and slow fermentation slightly.
Toast pistachio pieces gently in a dry skillet for 2 minutes before chopping to enhance their flavor and aroma, especially if using raw pistachios.

Make ahead

Assemble the cake batter and crumb topping up to 2 hours ahead; refrigerate the prepared pan until ready to bake. Alternatively, bake the cake 1 day ahead, wrap loosely, and serve at room temperature or gently reheated.

Storage & reheating

Store at room temperature under a cake dome or loose foil for up to 2 days. Refrigerate for up to 4 days; slice cold or reheat gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 10 minutes. Freeze wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature for 4 hours before serving.

Substitutions

ground cardamom → 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon + 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves. Use this combination for a warm, spiced flavor profile if cardamom is unavailable. Adjust to taste.
roasted, lightly salted pistachios → unsalted raw almonds, coarsely chopped. Roasted almonds work well in the crumb topping, though you'll lose the distinctive pistachio color and mild nuttiness.
active sourdough starter, unfed, at room temperature → 1.5 cups (360 ml) plain yogurt mixed with 1 teaspoon instant yeast. This replaces the sourdough tang with a tangier, slightly different crumb. Add the yeast to the yogurt 5 minutes before mixing into other wet ingredients.
honey → maple syrup or agave nectar, equal amounts. These provide similar sweetness and moisture but will shift the flavor slightly. Use grade A or medium maple syrup for better cake structure.