Recipe courtesy of Zoe Francois
Recipe courtesy of Zoe Francois
Watch how to make this recipe.
Coconut-Frosted Carrot Cake
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- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 30 min
- Yield: one 9-inch cake
Too often carrot cake seems like a throw back to the 70s, when they were dense and tasted ultimately too good for you. This version is moist, sweet and has a complex combination of spices and zest that all come through. Adding a bit of lemon to the icing brings out the bright flavors of the cake and the Lyle's Golden Syrup kicks over the top. I think the creamy topping is key to the success of the carrot cake! In fact, I make a really large batch and always have a bit left over to spread on toast.
- Level: Intermediate
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 30 min
- Yield: one 9-inch cake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Directions
- Grease two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment circles. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grate the carrots using the grater attachment on a Food Processor , or use a Box Grater (if using the box grater, use the finer side) .
- After they are grated, use the blade on the food processor to chop the carrots more finely.
- In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and zest. Whisk in the dry ingredients, just until combined. Using a spoon, stir in the carrots and dried fruit.
- Fold in the coconut.
- Divide the batter into the two prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.
- Let cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.
- Make the icing by blending the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, confectioners' sugar and Lyle's Golden Syrup, until smooth.
- Put one of the layers of cake on a 9-inch cardboard round and then top it with 1 cup of the cream cheese icing.
- Cover the cake with a thin crumb coat. Then finish with a smooth coat of icing on the cake. I ran my spatula tip around the icing to create the swirls, but you'll be pressing coconut on the outside, so don't worry about getting this effect.
- Before moving the cake to the platter, lift it and gently press the shredded coconut onto the top and sides.
- This cake is wonderful the next day or even the following. Just wrap it well and refrigerate....if there is any left!
