The crumb in this stunning pistachio carrot cake is impossibly tender and flavourful, and the pistachios shine through in harmony with the sweet carrot and sultana flavours.
Meanwhile, a beautifully smooth white chocolate cream cheese frosting makes this cake even more special - the two textures complementing each other perfectly.
In my opinion, carrot cake is best when it is decidedly carroty in flavour, and has bags of texture. So, I haven't been shy about the quantities of carrots, sultanas and pistachios in the recipe, and it's all the better for it.
To make this beautiful cake, you'll cream golden caster sugar and butter together, then whisk in eggs before folding in flour and mixed spice (or pumpkin spice).
You'll use a combination of wholemeal and white flour to give a beautiful, soft crumb with lovely nutty flavour.
You'll then pile in the grated carrot, sultanas and pistachios and fold together to complete your carrot cake batter, which is then piled into a pair of cake tins and baked.
While the cakes cook and cool, you'll make the frosting by simply whipping butter, cream cheese and icing sugar together with a splash of lemon juice, and then whipping in melted which chocolate to give a super smooth frosting that is surprisingly robust once chilled.
I recommend you decorate the outside of your cake with a scattering of pistachio slivers. It really completely the look.
Read on for the full recipe with detailed instructions and a helpful photograph for every step. And if you have any questions, just leave me a comment. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Pistachio carrot cake sponge
- 200 g (7.1 oz) golden caster sugar
- 175 g (6.2 oz) salted butter softened
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g (3.5 oz) wholemeal self-raising flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white self-raising flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 150 g (5.3 oz) carrot grated
- 200 g (7.1 oz) pistachios
- 100 g (3.5 oz) sultanas
White chocolate cream cheese frosting
- 500 g (1.1 lb) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) salted butter softened
- 165 g (5.8 oz) full fat cream cheese chilled
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (half a lemon)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate melted
- 50 g (1.8 oz) pistachio slivers
Equipment
- 2 20cm round baking tins
- Greaseproof paper
- Small heatproof bowl
- Spatula
Instructions
Make the pistachio carrot cake sponges
Grease two 7-inch round baking tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper.
Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan).
Measure the golden sugar and softened butter into a large bowl.
Beat with an electric whisk until combined and creamy.
Add the eggs.
Whisk again.
Add the flour and mixed spice.
Fold through with a spoon or silicone spatula.
Add the grated carrot, roughly chopped pistachios and sultanas.
Fold through.
Share the mixture between the two prepared tins.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the sponge springs back when a finger is pressed lightly on top.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Make the white chocolate cream cheese frosting
Melt the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave in 15 second bursts. Set aside to cool.
Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the softened butter, cream cheese and lemon juice.
Whisk until well combined.
Add the white chocolate.
Continue to beat until light and creamy.
Assemble your pistachio carrot cake
Place the first sponge on a board and cover with about 1/3 of the frosting.
Place the other sponge on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
Sprinkle with pistachio slivers on top and the sides to finish.
Enjoy!
Once you've given my recipe a go, I'd love you to come back and leave a comment letting me know how yours turned out.
I'd love to see your videos and pics, too! Just tag me on social media. I'm @emilylearycooks on Twitter and TikTok or @amummytoo on Instagram.
Print this pistachio carrot cake recipe
Pistachio Carrot Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Pistachio carrot cake sponge
- 200 g (7.1 oz) golden caster sugar
- 175 g (6.2 oz) salted butter softened
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100 g (3.5 oz) wholemeal self-raising flour
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white self-raising flour
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 150 g (5.3 oz) carrot grated
- 200 g (7.1 oz) pistachios
- 100 g (3.5 oz) sultanas
White chocolate cream cheese frosting
- 500 g (1.1 lb) icing sugar (powdered sugar)
- 200 g (7.1 oz) salted butter softened
- 165 g (5.8 oz) full fat cream cheese chilled
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (half a lemon)
- 100 g (3.5 oz) white chocolate melted
- 50 g (1.8 oz) pistachio slivers
Equipment
- 2 20cm round baking tins
- Greaseproof paper
- Small heatproof bowl
- Spatula
Instructions
Make the pistachio carrot cake sponges
- Grease two 7-inch round baking tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan).
- Measure the golden sugar and softened butter into a large bowl. Beat with an electric whisk until combined and creamy.
- Add the eggs and whisk again.
- Add the flour and mixed spice and fold through with a spoon or silicone spatula.
- Add the grated carrot, roughly chopped pistachios and sultanas. Fold through.
- Share the mixture between the two prepared tins and bake for 30 minutes or until the sponge springs back when a finger is pressed lightly on top.
- Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Make the white chocolate cream cheese frosting
- Melt the white chocolate in a small heatproof bowl in the microwave in 15 second bursts. Set aside to cool.
- Sift the icing sugar into a large bowl and add the soften butter, cream cheese and lemon juice. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the white chocolate and continue to beat until light and creamy.
Assemble your pistachio carrot cake
- Place the first sponge on a board and cover with about 1/3 of the frosting.
- Place the other sponge on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the top and sides of the cake.
- Sprinkle with pistachio slivers on top and the sides to finish.
Nutrition
More cake recipes to try
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