Hawaiian Carrot Cake

A tropical twist on a dessert classic.

Serves: 12 slices

Prep Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 45 min

Total:  75 min

Ingredients

1 cup crushed or diced tinned pineapple, drained

4 cups grated carrot

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 cup butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups golden brown sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup milk or soy milk

Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

2 packages (250g each) regular cream cheese or tofutti cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup butter or margarine, room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream, plain yogurt or vegan yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups powdered icing sugar

1 cup sweetened flaked coconut (use for Option 2, layered icing)

Garnish
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease two 9-inch round cake pans.
2. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl.  Stir until combined.
3. In another large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until creamy.  Gradually beat in the sugar on medium speed, for about 3 minutes.
4. Beat in eggs, then vanilla.
5. Then, beating on a low speed, add about a third of the flour mixture and beat until mixed, followed by half of the milk.  Repeat additions, ending in flour.  The batter will be quite thick.
6. Gradually mix in the pineapple and carrots.
7. Divide batter between pans, and spread batter to pan sides.  To remove air pockets, bang pans on the counter 5 or 6 times.
8. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until centres seem set when lightly tapped.  Place on a baking rack to cool.
9. After 15 minutes, turn cakes out of the pan and cool completely on the racks.
10. Prepare the icing by cutting the cream cheese into chunks.  Place butter in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.  Beat in sour cream and vanilla.  Reduce speed to low and beat in the cream cheese, piece by piece.  Beating too much will cause thinning.
11. Add about a third of the icing sugar and beat on low until mixed.  Scrape sides of bowl and beaters occasionally.  Gradually add remaining sugar, beating until smooth.  If too thick or thin, work in a little more sour cream or icing sugar.
12. Option 1, basic icing:  Ice each cake separately and garnish with toasted coconut flakes.
13. Option 2, layered icing:  Remove about a quarter of icing to be used on the top of the cake and set aside.  Stir coconut into the remaining icing.  Slice cakes horizontally in half.  Place top of 1 cake, dome-side down on a platter.  Spread with a third of the coconut icing, leaving a narrow border of cake around the edge.  Lay the bottom of that cake, cut-side down, on top.  Spread with half the remaining coconut icing, leaving a narrow cake border.  Top with the bottom half of the second cake, cut-side down.  Spread the remaining icing, leaving a cake border.  Top with the final layer, cut-side down.  Spread with plain icing right to the edges.  Garnish with toasted coconut flakes.
14. Refrigerate until serving.

Recipe from lcbo.com