Email to Cat      

Tropical Carrot and Coconut Cake

Source of Recipe


From "Baking by Flavor" by Lisa Yockelson



List of Ingredients



• 2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour
  
• 1 tsp baking powder
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• ½ tsp salt
  
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  
• ½ tsp ground allspice
  
• ½ tsp ground cloves
  
• 4 large eggs
  
• 2 cups superfine sugar
  
• 1 cup vegetable oil
  
• ¼ pound (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  
• One 8-ounce can crushed pineapple in natural juices
  
• 2-1/3 cups lightly packed grated carrots
  
• 1-1/3 cups lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut
  
• Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
  






Instructions



1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
   Sift flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves onto a sheet of waxed paper; set aside. Beat eggs in the large bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed 1 minute. Blend in sugar and beat 1 minute. Blend in oil and melted butter. Beat in vanilla and drained pineapple. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently with a rubber spatula. On low speed, add sifted flour mixture in two additions, beating just until flour is absorbed. Stir in carrots and coconut.
   
   
2. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until risen and golden brown on top; a wooden pick inserted into the center of the cake should test clean. The cake will pull away slightly from the sides of the baking pan. Let cake stand in pan on a cooling rack. Cool completely.
   
   
3. Place large spoonfuls of the Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting on top of the cake; use a flexible palette knife to spread it evenly. Let frosting set 1 hour before cutting cake into squares for serving. Refrigerate any leftover cake, covered tightly with aluminum foil.
   
   Makes one 13- x 9-inch cake.
   
   ............
   
   COCONUT CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
   
   • 12 ounces (1½ 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, softened
   • 5 Tbsp (¼ stick plus 1 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
   • 2½ tsp pure vanilla extract
   • 3 Tbsp heavy cream
   • 1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
   • 5½ cups unsifted confectioners' sugar
   • ¾ cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut
   
   Using an electric hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl on moderate speed for 1 minute, or until creamy and well combined. Blend in the vanilla extract, heavy cream and nutmeg. On low speed, add the confectioners' sugar in three additions, beating until thoroughly combined before adding the next batch. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl frequently with a rubber spatula to keep the frosting even-textured. Blend in coconut.
   
   Use the frosting within 30 minutes of mixing. All baked goods topped with cream cheese frosting should be kept refrigerated after the frosting has set.
   
   Makes about 4½ cups.