Pistachio, carrot and almond cake is like a carrot cake but even better. It is gluten free and substitutes ground almonds for the flour. Unsweetened shredded coconut and roughly chopped raw pistachios spiced with a little cinnamon give this dense cake layers of flavor and texture.
What type of cake do you prefer? There are so many different types of cake each having its own specific methods for preparation resulting in different textures and flavors: angel food cake, butter cake, pound cake, red velvet cake and sponge cake or genoise are a few of the types of cakes. Flourless chocolate cakes and cheesecakes are in a bit of a unique category because they are baked in a water bath and are usually very dense and heavy .
Whatever cake you choose it can be flavored with fruit, roasted and ground nuts, liquors and liqueurs, coffee and vanilla, and a host of other spices and essences of your choice.
Begin the process of making the pistachio, carrot and almond cake by beating whole eggs and sugar with a little vanilla until creamy and pale in color. The melted butter is the fat that helps bind the cake and it is added later. Just like making a carrot cake, the grated carrots, roughly chopped pistachios, ground almonds and shredded coconut are gently mixed into the batter. A touch of cinnamon adds the final bit of spice to the batter.
You will need a 9″ springform pan and a round of parchment paper for this recipe. The cake needs to bake for about an hour at 320 degrees. It will develop a thin golden crunchy crust on top. That’s the best part!
While the cake is cooling, make the orange flower water whipped cream. I purchased my orange flower water at a middle eastern grocery store. I also use the flower water to season my Moroccan salata letchine that you can find on the Sur le Plat blog. The zesty whipped cream with orange flower water has a gentle sweetness and is highly aromatic. The cream highlights and pairs well with the nutty carrot cake.
I like to place a dollop of the cream on the plate next to the cake and sprinkle the cake and cream with chopped pistachios. This cake is delicious after a meal, for breakfast, or with afternoon coffee or tea.
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