Mastic and Pistachio Morning Loaf Cake

Name: Mastic and Pistachio Morning Loaf Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 6½ oz (185 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into 1-inch cubes; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided (1 tablespoon for mastic grinding, remainder for creaming); 3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ¼ tsp (1 g) mastic resin tears (gum mastic), ground with 1 tablespoon sugar to a fine powder; 1¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour; 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine sea salt; ¾ cup (100 g) unsalted roasted pistachios, coarsely chopped; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant Middle Eastern–inspired butter cake infused with mastic resin's subtle floral notes and studded with roasted pistachios. The mastic creates a delicate, almost perfume-like aroma while the pistachios provide bursts of toasty flavor and color. Tender and moist, this loaf is perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a light dessert.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr 25 min
Makes: 1 loaf (8 slices)

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Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center
Bring eggs and butter to room temperature (about 1 hour)
Grind mastic tears with 1 tablespoon of the measured sugar to prevent clumping
Line a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal

1
Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat the room-temperature butter and the remaining sugar (not the 1 tablespoon reserved for mastic) with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 3–4 minutes, until pale, fluffy, and the mixture increases in volume by about 50%.
- Scrape down the bowl halfway through.
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Ready when: Mixture is pale, light, and increased in volume
Tip: Do not skip this step—creaming incorporates air that makes the cake tender. Cold butter won't cream properly, so ensure it's truly soft.
2
Add eggs one at a time
- With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating for about 1 minute after each addition until fully incorporated.
- The batter may look slightly curdled at first—this is normal.
- After adding all three eggs, continue beating on medium-high for another minute until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
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Ready when: Batter is smooth, homogeneous, and slightly increased in volume
Tip: Adding eggs slowly and beating between additions ensures they emulsify with the butter-sugar mixture, creating a stable, light batter.
3
Mix in mastic, vanilla, and milk
- Reduce the mixer to low speed.
- Add the ground mastic powder and vanilla extract, beating for 30 seconds until the mastic is evenly distributed (the batter may have a faint greenish-beige tint).
- Alternate adding the milk and the dry ingredients in two additions: add half the milk, mix for 15 seconds, then add half the flour mixture (see next step), mix for 15 seconds, repeat with the remaining milk and flour mixture.
- Do not overmix—stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
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Ready when: Batter is uniform, no visible dry streaks, mastic is evenly distributed
Tip: Overmixing will develop gluten and make the cake tough. Stop mixing the moment you see no white streaks of flour.
4
Combine dry ingredients
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt to aerate and distribute the leavening evenly.
- Set aside.
- (This step is done before mixing into the wet ingredients in step 3.)
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Ready when: Dry ingredients are evenly mixed with no lumps
Tip: Whisking the dry ingredients ensures the baking powder is distributed, preventing dense patches in the cake.
5
Fold in pistachios
- Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the chopped pistachios into the batter with 8–10 strokes, turning the bowl as you fold.
- Be gentle to avoid crushing the pistachios further and keep the batter light.
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Ready when: Pistachios are evenly scattered throughout the batter
Tip: Folding (not stirring or mixing) preserves the airiness of the batter. Chop pistachios coarsely so they don't sink to the bottom and get lost.
6
Transfer to prepared pan
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
- Tap the pan on the counter a few times to release any large air bubbles.
- The batter should reach about three-quarters full.
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Ready when: Batter is evenly distributed and tops are level
Tip: Do not overfill the pan, or the cake may rise above the edges and brown too much on the sides.
7
Bake the loafOven 350°F / 175°C
- Place the loaf pan in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven on the center rack.
- Bake for 48–52 minutes.
- The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- The top should be golden brown and spring back lightly when gently touched.
- If the top is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs; top is golden brown
Tip: Oven temperatures vary. Start checking at 45 minutes if your oven runs hot. A cake tester is more reliable than relying on time alone.
8
Cool in pan and turn out
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes at room temperature.
- The residual heat continues to set the crumb gently.
- Then, run a thin knife around the edges to loosen the cake, grip the parchment paper overhang, and carefully lift the loaf from the pan.
- Set it on a wire cooling rack (or a baking sheet) and let it cool completely for at least 5 minutes before slicing, though it can be served warm or at room temperature.
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Ready when: Cake is firm enough to handle and transfer to a cooling rack
Tip: Cooling in the pan for a few minutes prevents the cake from breaking apart. If you remove it too soon, it's fragile; too late, and moisture can condense on the surface.

Good to know

Tips

Mastic resin (gum mastic) is sold in specialty Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, and Indian markets, often in small containers. It is expensive but lasts for months when stored in a cool, dry place. Grinding it with a small amount of sugar prevents it from clumping or turning oily when mixed into the batter.
Room-temperature ingredients—butter, eggs, and milk—emulsify evenly and create a lighter, more uniform crumb. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to curdle and make the final texture dense.
Resist the urge to overmix once the dry ingredients are added. Mixing past the point of visible dry streaks develops gluten, which toughens the cake.
This cake is at its best served slightly warm with a cup of tea or coffee. The mastic's subtle perfume-like aroma is more pronounced when the cake is warm.

Make ahead

Prepare the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) and grind the mastic with sugar up to 1 day ahead. Store the mastic powder in an airtight container. Soften the butter at room temperature for 1 hour before you begin mixing.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 days in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. The cake dries out slightly but remains pleasant. Refrigerator: up to 5 days in a sealed container; slice and serve at room temperature or warm gently. Freezer: up to 3 months wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and foil; thaw at room temperature for 2–3 hours. Do not freeze after frosting or glazing (none in this recipe).

Substitutions

mastic resin tears (gum mastic) → 0.5 teaspoon of ground cardamom or a pinch of anise seed (ground). These warm spices echo the floral note of mastic but are more assertive. Reduce the amount slightly and taste the batter if adjusting.
unsalted roasted pistachios → 0.75 cup (100 g) of coarsely chopped roasted almonds or hazelnuts. Almonds are milder, hazelnuts are richer and earthier. The cake's structure remains the same; only the flavor profile changes.
whole milk → 0.5 cup (120 ml) of unsweetened Greek yogurt or sour cream (thinned with 2 tablespoons water). Yogurt or sour cream add tanginess and moisture, resulting in a slightly denser, more tender crumb. Adjust water as needed for proper batter consistency.
all-purpose flour → 1.75 cup (215 g) of cake flour or a blend of 1.5 cup all-purpose flour mixed with 2.5 tablespoons cornstarch. Cake flour or cornstarch reduces protein and tenderizes the crumb, making it more delicate. Do not use whole-wheat flour, as it will overpower the subtle mastic flavor.