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Moist Pistachio Carrot Cake
This pistachio carrot cake has so much flavor from ground salted and roasted pistachios, a fragrant blend of spices and vanilla. It is so extremely soft and moist and topped with a dreamy, cloud-like whipped cream cheese. There's no butter so it is so light and airy. You will love this new take on carrot cake!
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Batter:
- 1 cup (142g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40g) finely ground salted and roasted pistachios plus extra for topping
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon each ground allspice nutmeg and ginger
- 1 cup (120g) finely grated carrots from 1 ½ to 2 medium carrots
- ¼ cup (55g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) sunflower oil
- ½ cup (120ml) plain full fat yogurt or sour cream thinned out with 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ½ teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- chopped pistachios for decorating
Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:
- ½ cup (125g) cream cheese, very soft
- ⅔ cup (160ml) 35% heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoon (40g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8-inch square metal baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side and secure the sides down on the edge of the pan with ¾-inch binder clips.
- Make the cake batter. Combine flour, granulated sugar, ground pistachios, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl and whisk to blend evenly.
- Combine grated carrots, brown sugar, oil, thinned out yogurt or sour cream, egg and vanilla in another medium bowl and whisk until combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the wet mixture. Gently fold until evenly combined. The batter will be glossy but thick.
- Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan and then transfer cake to a cooling rack.
- Make the frosting. Whip soft cream cheese in a large bowl using an electric handheld mixer until very smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of cream and mix until very smooth and there are no lumps. Then gradually add remaining cream a few tablespoons at a time and mix well between additions until it forms soft peaks. Gradually mix in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until it is whipped and thickened to a spreadable consistency, then mix in lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and then top with more crushed and chopped pistachios before serving. The frosting will be soft at first, but it will thicken further as it sets and after it is refrigerated. It is so dreamy!
- Carrot Decorations: Mix ¼ cup of cream cheese with 1 teaspoon of sugar, then mix in heavy cream a few drops at a time until it reaches a good piping consistency. Divide the mixture into two portions. Color one portion orange and the other green. Fill resealable zip-top bags with each icing and pipe little carrots onto the cake.
