Easy Homemade Easter Pistachio Carrot Cake

What do you think of when you think of dessert for Easter? I think carrot cake. I know there are many recipes for carrot cake out there, but I think this one is really good. It has a little something extra with the addition of pistachios. So it’s really a Pistachio Carrot Cake that is homemade and perfect for Easter or spring.

I love pistachios – I like to eat them out of hand for a snack.

They are good for you, too.

When I found this rich, moist cake Pistachio Carrot Cake in a Barefoot Contessa cookbook (sorry, forget which one), I thought, why not use pistachios in a cake or cupcakes?

This easy cake recipe is perfect for Easter or spring.

Delicious Pistachio Carrot Cake for Easter

Since I love to take a recipe and make it my own, I started adapting it.

• The original recipe had walnuts. Obviously, I switched out walnuts for the pistachios – much prettier and crunchier.  
• I also used golden raisins instead of regular; golden raisins are moister, juicier, and sweeter.  
• The original frosting included crystallized ginger which I omitted.

Adjusting the Frosting

As you can see by the picture, the original recipe only makes enough frosting to cover between the 2 layers and on top of the cake.

If you want to cover the sides:

• Increase the cream cheese to 6 ounces.
• Increase the mascarpone to 18 ounces.
• Increase the confectioner’s sugar to 3 cups.
• Increase the cream to 3 tablespoons.
• You can safely double the vanilla extract and half again as much kosher salt.
• Also, be sure to sift the confectioners’ sugar for the frosting BEFORE you measure.  

How to Make Paper Rounds for Cake Pans

One procedure I learned in culinary school was grease, paper, grease.

That means to grease your pans with oil, then place a parchment paper round in the cake pan, and grease again. This method makes it so easy to remove your cakes from the pan. And it’s easier than lining the pans with flour.

You can buy round parchment paper for cake pans or you can use a standard 11 X 16-inch sheet of parchment paper. I use a regular sheet of parchment paper and make it into rounds. I’m going to show you how to do this next.

Personally, I buy my parchment paper at the restaurant supply store in a package of 3500 sheets. Fortunately, it is also available online.

Fold a sheet of parchment paper in fourths.

Then fold the open side to the folded side.

Keep folding over the paper until you can’t fold anymore – think of making a paper airplane.

Using your cake pan as a guide, place the pointed end in the center of the cake pan and bend where the paper meets the outer edge of the cake pan.

I used 9-inch cake pans for the Pistachio Carrot Cake.

Use scissors to cut across at the bend.

Unfold the parchment and place it in the cake pan. If the parchment round is too big, re-fold and trim off the excess.

Then spray the cake pan with cooking spray, return the parchment round and spray again.

If you would rather just buy parchment cake paper rounds, here is my suggestion.

You can also use these paper cake rounds in another favorite cake recipe – this delicious Cinnamon Layer Cake.

Now you’re ready to prepare your cake batter and the mascarpone frosting, which is delicious.

Ready to bake this cake? Here is the recipe.

Don’t forget that you’ll need a good electric stand mixer for this cake recipe.

If you are hosting an Easter lunch and want to make this cake ahead of time, go right ahead. It’s so moist and delicious, it will keep covered and in the fridge for a couple of days before you serve it.

You can also wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and foil and freeze them. Take them out of the freezer in the morning and frost them. By serving time, the cake will be thawed and taste so fresh.

But be careful. You might have to sneak a slice right now!  Blame it on the Easter Bunny. 

I hope you enjoy this cake. Please save me a piece. PIN so you can keep all the instructions for the cake.