Pistachio carrot cupcakes

Moist carrot cake, soft creamy icing and the nutty crunch of pistachio and seeds praline, these pistachio carrot cupcakes are perfect for a special occasion…go on, you know you want to.

  • Prep Time

    30 Minutes
  • Cook Time

    25 Minutes
  • Makes

    12 Cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil (olive oil or walnut oil)
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup self raising flour, sifted
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup carrot, grated
  • 1 cup mixed pistachios and pepitas

For the cream cheese icing

  • 175g cream cheese, softened
  • 100g butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
  • 1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted

For the pistachio and seed praline

  • ½ cup mixed chopped pistachios, pepitas and sesame seeds
  • ½ cup caster sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water

You'll Need

  • Multix large patty pans
  • Multix Piping Bags
  • Multix Bake

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 170C.
  2. Line a 12 hole patty pan tin with Multix patty pans.
  3. First make the carrot cake. In a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, add the sugar, eggs and vegetable oil. Mix until thick and foamy. Add the salt, sifted flour and cinnamon, then mix again until you have a smooth batter, scraping the mixer bowl down at least once. Remove the bowl from the stand and using a large metal spoon fold in the grated carrot and chopped nuts.
  4. Using 2 dessert spoons, divide the batter evenly between the 12 patty pans (each should be about half full of batter) bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen, golden and cooked through (you can check this by inserting either a metal skewer or thin knife. If it comes out clean the cakes are ready). Remove from the oven and allow to cool totally before icing.
  5. To make the praline, line a 20 x 30cm baking tray with Multix Bake and scatter loosely with the mixed seeds and nuts. In a heavy bottomed small pan on a medium heat, add the water and ½ cup of caster sugar. Cook without stirring until the mixture boils, the sugar has melted and has turned a clear golden colour. Working quickly pour the toffee onto the lined baking tray over the nuts and seeds. Allow to cool fully and break into shards.
  6. To make the icing. In a stand mixer, add the softened butter and cream cheese then beat until smooth and fluffy, add the lemon juice, vanilla extract and the sifted icing sugar, mixing again until smooth. Transfer to a Multix piping bag with the star nozzle fitted, pipe the icing topping on the cakes and finish with shards of the praline.