A new spin on a classic favorite. This pistachio macadamia nut carrot cake is frosted with brown sugar cream cheese buttercream.
I love carrots, especially with ranch dip or hummus. I like carrots raw, steamed, roasted, or grilled.
Any which way you serve them, I’ll be eating it. Perhaps my affinity towards carrots stems from its sweetness, and I have the world’s biggest sweet tooth.
Pistachio Macadamia Carrot Cake
This is the third carrot cake on my blog! (see: Carrot Nut Cake and Tropical Carrot Cake)
Sure, you can easily take the healthy route and just toss carrots into your salad or enjoy them steamed with other vegetables for dinner, but I prefer carrots in my cake.
Carrots in a moist cake smothered with brown sugar cream cheese frosting. The addition of pistachios and macadamia nuts results in a rich, hearty, and wholesome cake.
The cake has plenty of contrasting textures from the shredded carrots, the crunch from the multitude of nuts, and the creaminess from the smooth frosting.
Best best thing about this pistachio macadamia nut carrot cake recipe– you can easily scoop the batter into a loaf pan for a delectable breakfast carrot bread or bake them up as muffins!
Pistachio Macadamia Nut Carrot Cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅔ cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or pure vanilla extract
- 2¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ pound carrots, peeled and shredded (or grated)
- 1 ½ cup roughly chopped pistachios, roasted and unsalted
- 1 ½ cup roughly chopped macadamia nuts, roasted and unsalted
Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 16 oz cream cheese, room temp
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, room temp
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1¼ cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Carrot Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Butter and lightly flour two 8-inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil. Add eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Mix until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Add flour mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed until just combined. Next, add all the shredded carrots, 1 cup of pistachios and 1 cup of macadamia nuts. Fold until evenly distributed.
- Divide cake batter evenly between two prepared cake pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Rotate pans midway thru baking. Let cakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before unmolding. Turn cakes out on a wire rack and let cool to room temperature.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and powdered sugar and beat until combined. Scrape down bowl as needed to ensure even and thorough mixing. Add salt and mix until combined. Chill in fridge until ready to frost cake.
Assembly:
- If the cake tops are not level, use a serrated knife to trim. Place one cake layer on cake turn table. Add about 1/3 of frosting on top and smooth into even layer Place other cake layer on top. Repeat with about 1/3 of frosting.
- Use remaining frosting to coat the sides of the cake. No need to try to keep it smooth, you will be covering it with chopped nuts. Just make sure that the frosting is even on the sides.
- Take remaining 1/2 cup pistachios and 1/2 cup macadamia nuts and mix together. Press nut mixture into the sides of the cake until covered. Once finished, let cake chill in fridge until ready to serve. Let cake sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Hi can i use pecan instead of pistachio?
Hi! Yes, you may use pecans or walnuts instead of pistachio.
wow…this looks gorgeous!!!!
Thank you, Eva!
A sinful delicious luscious carrot cake! The pistachio macadamia coating looks outrageously tempting!
I will disagree here, i have a pet rabbit and let me tell you, he looooves carrots! they are his favourite treat, like he goes completly crazy when I get him some… maybe it’s just mine? haha
i dont know about being good to vision, but my mom always told me it gives a nice glow to your skin! another lie to get me to eat what was in my plate?
cakes looks beautifuk!
M.
Well Margaret, there is always the exception! Maybe your rabbit just has a much more refined palette than the rest! :)
Oh, the lies adults tell children. I think at summer camp, I was told carrots make your teeth stronger.