Plate Expectations: Spanish coconut and pistachio cake

If you are looking for a new cake recipe this Pesach, put this one on the menu! Carrots and pistachio nuts work well together to produce a moist cake that all the family will enjoy.  Buying the pistachio nuts in their shells is a lot cheaper. Although shelling them is a little time consuming, it is well worth the effort.

Makes 1 cake

Preparation time: 20 mins

Cooking time: 40 mins

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

3 large eggs

120g caster sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200g ground almonds

100g desiccated coconut

2 teaspoons cinnamon

150g unsalted butter / non-dairy margarine – melted

2 large carrots – peeled and coarsely grated

100g pistachio nuts – roughly chopped

1 handful raisins

Icing sugar for decoration (optional)

Sliced pistachios for decoration (optional)

METHOD:

1 Preheat the oven to 160ºC/140ºC fan and line a 24cm springform cake tin with baking paper (enough to cover base and also sides).

2  In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together.

3 Then add the ground almonds, coconut and cinnamon and stir before adding in the butter and giving the ingredients a thorough mix.

4 Add the grated carrots, pistachios and raisins, and mix again until all ingredients are evenly incorporated, and then gently pour the mixture into your cake tin.

5 Bake for one hour.

6 Allow the cake to cool overnight before cutting it (this ensure it is much more moist).

7  Decorate with sifted icing sugar and sliced pistachios before serving.