The Ultimate Carrot Cake

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2/3 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 (1 lb) bag carrot, grated
• 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup butter, at room temp
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, at room temp
• 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange zest, no pith attached
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 (12 ounce) package pecan halves

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger onto a sheet of waxed paper.
• 3 mix the sugars together in a large bowl.
• 4 stir in the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.
• 5 stir in the flour mixture, grated carrots, chopped pecans, coconut and raisins.
• 6 stir until well blended.
• 7 grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.
• 8 line each prepared pan with wax or parchment paper that has also been greased and waxed.
• 9 pour equal amounts into each of the cake pans.
• 10 bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each comes out clean.
• 11 remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
• 12 turn out onto cooling racks, remove wax paper and allow to cool completely.
• 13 in a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until light.
• 14 add the confectioners sugar, orange peel and vanilla mixing until smooth.
• 15 spread frosting between layers and stack evenly.
• 16 frost the top and sides of cake.
• 17 decorate with perfect pecan halves.