Carrot cake

By grammadot

Adapted from J. Alexander’s.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup canola oil, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 2 cups julienne carrots
• 3 ounces shredded coconut, about 1 cup
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 recipe Cake syrup (see recipe)
• 1 recipe Cream cheese frosting (see recipe)

Preparation

Step 1

1 Generously grease a 9x13-inch cake pan, set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda, cinnamon, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl.

2 Mix remaining ingredients in a separate medium bowl. Combine the wet ingredients with the flour mixture, mixing well.

3 Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake approximately 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake should be 1 ½-inch thick.

4 While the cake is still hot, poke holes all over the top with a large fork. Pour the Cake syrup over the top, allowing it to soak up the syrup. Refrigerate cake until completely cool.

5 Frost with Cream cheese frosting. Refrigerate cake to let frosting set.

Makes 12 servings.

Cake syrup
1 cup sugar

½ cup buttermilk

6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Using a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.

Cream cheese frosting
6 ounces (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Using the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, combine ingredients, mixing until smooth and free of lumps.

Makes about 2 cups, or about 12 servings