Carrot Cake

By boscobojo

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp. each baking powder & ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup oil
• 4 large eggs at room temperature, slightly beaten
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cup (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
• 3/4 cup pecan or walnuts, chopped
• 3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconuts
• Frosting:
• 1 brick (8oz.) cream cheese (not softened)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
• 1 1/2 tsp. freshly grated orange peel
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
• Green, red, and yellow liquid food color
• 1 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
• Tip: Lightly score frosting into 12 wedges to use as guide when piping the carrots.

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 2 - 8 or 9 inch round cake pans with nonstick spray.

Cake: Put first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, stir to blend. Make a well in center. Add oil and eggs. Stir with rubber spatula, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally, until well blended. Stir in remaining ingredients. Divide between pans. Spread evenly. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until pick comes clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Run a knife around cakes, then invert on rack to cool. Meanwhile make frosting.

Frosting: Beat first 3 ingredients in large bowl with mixer on medium speed. Beat in sugar. Remove 1/4 cup to a cup. Spoon 2 tsp. removed frosting into another cup; tint green and scrape into a small ziploc bag. Using red and yellow food coloring tint remaining frosting in cup orange. Scrape into another ziploc bag. Seal bags; refrigerate until needed. To frost, place 1 cake layer, top side up on serving platter. Spread top with 1/2 cup frosting. Top with second layer, bottom side up. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides. Pat sides with chopped nuts to decorate; Briefly warm bags of frosting to pipe 12 carrots and cake. Snip a tiny upside-down V in bottom corner of bag. With green frosting; pipe carrot tops.