Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Carrot cake. Yummy. My Uncle Norm used to serve carrot cake at his sandwich shop near the courthouse. I have adapted his recipe. I baked a lot of carrot cakes when I had the cafe.

• Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Preheat oven to 325
• Place rack in center of oven
• Place 1 cup of walnuts on one side of a rimmed baking sheet and 1 cup of pecans on the other side.
• Toast for 8 minutes
• Set aside to cool
• Place 2 cups of flaked coconut on a rimmed baking pan and toast for 7 minutes.
• Stir and toss. Then check to see if it’s dry or not. If still moist continue to toast in 1 minute intervals until it’s done.
• Stir and set aside to cool. (1 cup goes into the batter and 1 cup will be added to the frosting)
• With a food processor and the shredding attachment grate 3 cups of carrots(about 6 med size carrots) or grate by hand.
• Set aside
• Measure, whisk together and set aside:
• 3 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• In a large bowl beat: (I use a Kitchen Aid Mixer with the paddle attachment)
• 4 eggs
• Add and mix for 1 minute
• 2 & 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
• Slowly mix in:
• 1 & 2/3 cups of oil  (like Wesson oil)
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• Slowly add the flour mixture and beat until combined.
• Chop the walnuts and add to the mixture. Pieces should be very small.
• Add and stir by hand with a sturdy spoon until well combined:
• Grated carrots
• 1 (8oz) can of crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 cup of the toasted coconut
• Pour batter into the baking pan and level the top

• Bake 55 minutes at 325
• A tooth pick inserted should come out clean if its done
• The cake will slightly pull away from the sides of the pan when done

• Completely cool in the pan
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature (DO NOT MICROWAVE to soften)
• Butter should be at room temperature as well
• Cream: until smooth (no lumps)
• 12 oz of Philadelphia brand cream cheese
• 3/4 stick of unsalted butter (6oz)
• Slowly add 1-1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (see Note below)
• By hand stir in the toasted coconut and chopped toasted pecans (tiny pieces)
• Spread frosting over the cake when it is completely cool
• Store in the refrigerator if you won’t be serving this within a few hours.

Note: To avoid runny cream cheese frosting.
Sugar is hydroscopic. It attracts water molecules and tends to melt when it comes into contact with moisture. Cream cheese has a lot of moisture in it. (Also-salted butter has more moisture than unsalted butter.) Powdered sugar doesn’t melt as much as granulated sugar, but you’ll always have a soft icing when using cream cheese. The more powdered sugar you add the softer the icing becomes. If you want to frost a cake with cream cheese frosting stick to the ratio of cream cheese to butter to powdered sugar as follows: for every 8 oz of cream cheese use 4 oz of unsalted butter and 1 cup powdered sugar.