A much requested dessert has once again been requested -my scrumptious carrot cake! It doesn’t matter if there’s a special occasion or not. Someone will call, email, text, or sky write (okay, a slight exaggeration there) asking for me to bake one up and bring it on over -it never fails! It is just that good. This carrot cake has a few special kick-it-up-a-few-notches ingredients that make it like no other:  pineapple and coconut!

I know! So not the norm for a carrot cake. But let me just say, you will be floored with the surprise, and filled with the happiness only this amazing flavorful treat can bring. Any doubts will be chewed right up as you inhale this confectioner’s paradise!

Know what else? As we all should be looking for more ways to work veggies into our diet, there are two cups of carrots in this recipe.  Score!  Why split hairs about what part of the meal the veggies are in as long as we’re eating them

Scrumptious Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

¾	Cup Vegetable Oil
3	Eggs
¾	Cup Buttermilk
1	Cup Sugar
½	Cup Brown Sugar
½	Tbs. Pure Vanilla
2	Cups Flour
2	tsp.  Baking Soda
¼	tsp. Salt
2	tsp. Ground Cinnamon
¼	tsp. Ground Nutmeg (freshly grated is best)
2	Cups Shredded Carrots
1	Cup Coconut Flakes
1	8 Oz. Can Crushed Pineapple  (with juice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.   Grease the sides of two 8” round pans and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Or use one 9×13” pan and grease sides and bottom.  Set aside.

2. Mix the oil, eggs, buttermilk, sugars, and vanilla until thoroughly combined.

3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix together. Then gradually pour those dry ingredients into the wet mixture above, until mixed well.

4. In a medium bowl, combine carrots, coconut, and pineapple together.  Using wooden spoon or strong spatula, add carrot combination to above batter, folding in well.

5. Pour batter evenly into both 8” pans or into 9×13” pan.

6. Bake for approximately 45 minutes for 8” pans or 50 to 60 minutes for 9×13” pan or until a toothpick comes out almost clean.

7. Cool completely in pans on wire racks.  Frost when cool.

Tips… Don’t have buttermilk? No Problem! Make your own buttermilk by adding 1 Tbs. White Vinegar to 1 Cup of regular Milk, then let it sit for 5 minutes to get good and sour. This recipe only calls for 3/4 cup buttermilk, so you will not use all of it, but we want to make sure the portions of milk to vinegar are correct to make that perfect tangy flavor that we need.

Also, if you like nuts and raisins in your carrot cake, feel free to add a cup of each along with the carrots mixture.  I have personally found this carrot cake works wonderfully without them, but make it to your tastes.

Finally, I frost the cake with our Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting from our eBook: Cookin’ Up Sweet Treats: Cookies, Brownies, and Bars available now in Amazon Kindle Store. The cake and frosting make the perfect pair!

Try this for yourself and let me know how you like it. Shoot me off some comments because I’d love to hear what you think of the ‘secret’ ingredients.

This post is partying over at:Savvy Southern Style

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