Jenna's Random Thoughts & Recipes

Cake 3

Cake Ingredients

Shredding the Carrots

Shredded Carrots

Flour

Macadamia Nuts

Coconut Flakes

Crystallized Ginger

Processing

All Processed

Adding Cinnamon to Flour

Adding Baking Powder

Adding Salt

Whisking

Removing Vanilla Beans from Sugar

Adding Sugar

Adding Oil

Mixing

Adding Eggs

Adding Vanilla

Adding Flour Mixture

Adding Coconut-Macadamia Mixture

Adding Carrots

 

Adding Crushed Pineapples

The Batter

Mom Pouring it into the Pans (I don't like doing that!)

Ready for the Oven

Cooling

Frosting Ingredients

Cream Cheese

and Butter

Mixing

Adding Powdered Sugar

Adding Cream of Coconut

Adding Coconut Extract

Yummy Frosting

First Layer

Frosted

Second Layer

Third Layer

Me Frosting the Cake

All Frosted

Adding the Macadamia Nuts and Crystallized Ginger

With the Little Carrots

Top View

Side View

Tropical Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake
2 1/3 cups flour, sifted then measured
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup macadamia nut
3/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
3 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups carrots, peeled and finely grated
2 8 ounce cans crushed pineapple, well drained
Frosting
3 8 ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract (scant)
14 whole macadamia nut
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.

Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in coconut-macadamia mixture, then carrots and crushed pineapple.

Divide batter among pans. Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, then cream of coconut and both extracts. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Spread 3/4 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer, rounded side up, pressing slightly to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill cake and remaining frosting 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange whole nuts and ginger around top edge of cake. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

Recipe found here.

NOTES- This cake was fun! It took a lot of prep work and hard work, but I think it turned out awesome. Funny thing, I don’t even like carrot cake! The frosting, to die for. My mom had to separate my from the left over bowl. I have that problem with frosting a lot!