Ingredients

• 1 pound finely grated carrots
• 4 extra large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups cane sugar
• 1 1/4 cup canola oil
• 2/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
• Finely grated zest of 1 large orange
• 2 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups shredded coconut
• 1 cup golden raisins

Instructions

1. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and oil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Coarsely grate the carrots in a food processor using the grater attachment.
3. Next, chop them into finer pieces with the medal blade attachment in the food processor
4. Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, brown sugar, vanilla extract and orange zest.
5. Mix together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture.
7. Add the finely chopped carrots, coconut, and golden raisins.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
9. Bake cakes for about 30-35 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
10. Let cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla
• 2 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. To assemble the cake: Once the cakes have completely cooled, remove from the pans and peel off the parchment paper from the bottom.
3. Put the cake on a cake turn table.
4. With a thin serrated knife, slice off the very top of the cake by using a sawing motion.
5. Then cut the cake in 2 equal layers.
6. Slide the layers onto a cardboard round or any other flat surface.
7. Put about 1 1/2 cups of the cream cheese icing.
8. Using an offset spatula spread the frosting evenly over the surface of the first layer.
9. Repeat for the rest of the layers.
10. Place about 2 cups of the icing on the top of the cake and spread evenly.
11. Spread the icing onto the sides of the cake.
12. Lift the cake off the turn table and place on the serving platter.
13. Using the spatula spread the frosting and create swirls on the cake.
14. Press coconut onto the sides and sprinkle the top.{Note: I don't have any fancy cake decorating tools/equipment, so I just place the cake on a large plate and frosted it using the back of a large spoon :)}