Coconut-Frosted Carrot Cake
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: one 9-inch cake
- Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
1 pound finely grated carrots
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cup canola oil
4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmegs
1 1/4 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup chopped dried apricots and dried cherries
Cream Cheese Frosting:
28 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons pure vanilla
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract (optional)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
5 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup or honey
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut for pressing on the outside of the cake
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!