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Our Best Loaded Carrot Cake

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Our carrot cake is the best that I have ever tasted.  The carrots,

 

 

coconut, and pineapple keep it so nice and moist.  It will make a

 

 

layer cake or 24 cupcakes.

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I used three 9-inch pans for the cake above. If you want a higher

 

 

cake, use the 8-inch pans.  FYI, I used one recipe of the frosting.  I

 

 

would suggest you are making a cake for a group of people, mark

 

 

each serving on the top of the cake with some sort of decoration; I

 

 

used rosettes here and topped  with glazed pecans. 

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About the ingredients...

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•  Carrots-Fresh grated carrots are the key to this recipe.  If my time

 

 

    is limited, I use the prepackaged peeled carrots and grate with

 

 

    my food processor.

 

 

•  Pineapple-If you can't find the small can of crushed, it takes about 3

 

 

   to 4 slices of canned pineapple, crushed with a fork and drained to

 

 

   make ½ cup.

 

 

•  Coconut-Since it only takes ½ cup, I use the bagged kind that you

 

 

    find in your market.  I have a habit of freezing fresh grated

 

 

    coconut in ½ cup increments if I have it left from making a fresh

 

 

    coconut cake.  Use what you have, as long as it's not old and

 

 

    dried out.

 

 

•  Nuts-I like to use pecans or walnuts for this.  No need to toast

 

 

    beforehand.

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Why I like this recipe...

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•  It is a very moist and luxurious cake.

 

•  This cake recipe serves a lot of people.  

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•  You can make a layer cake, bundt cake, cupcakes or a 9 x 13-inch

 

    cake.

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I usually make my cake in three pans instead of two.  It's just a

 

 

personal choice and I like the look of the three layers, especially

 

 

when I do it "naked cake style".  BTW, We used to call that a crumb coat. 

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Loaded Carrot Cake   10 to 12 servings

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Ingredients

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•  1½ cups sugar

•  1 cup vegetable oil

•  3 eggs

•  2 cups all-purpose flour

•  2 tsp cinnamon

•  ½ tsp nutmeg

•  1 tsp baking soda

•  1 tsp vanilla

•  ½ tsp salt

•  3 cups grated carrots

•  1 small can crushed pineapple (8 0z), drained (should be about ½ cup)

•  1 cup chopped nuts, pecans or walnuts

•  ½ cup coconut

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Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray bottom of 3 9-inch pans* with non stick spray or use our Pan Release.

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Instructions

1.   In a large bowl, beat sugar, oil and eggs until blended, about 30 seconds or so.          Add flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, vanilla and salt; beat about 1 minute      on medium speed.  By hand, stir in carrots, pineapple, nuts and coconut until              combined.  Pour into pans.

2. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.              Cool completely, about an hour.  Frost with cream  cheese frosting, see below.

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*This recipe will also make a 13x9-inch cake or 20 to 24 cupcakes

  (use greased paper liners).  

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Tip

  I used pineapple in its own juice and unsweetened coconut; it tasted fine to me.       But if you want additional sweetness, use sweetened coconut.

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Cream Cheese Frosting

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Ingredients

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  •  8 oz cream cheese

  •  ½ cup butter, softened (1 stick)

  •  4 cups powdered sugar (1 lb)

  •  1 Tbsp milk

  •  1 tsp vanilla

  •  ½ cup toasted nuts, small chop (optional)

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Instructions

1.   In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, milk and vanilla until smooth.  On     

     low speed, add the powdered sugar in thirds.  Turn mixer to high speed and               beat until  fluffy.

2.  Spread frosting on cake, sprinkle with nuts or cinnamon if desired. Store covered

     in the refrigerator.​​​​​

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A large piece of layered carrot cake with cream cheese frosting topped with pecans, sits on a glass plate sits next to a smaller slice of the same cake.
Four glass bowls sitting on a blue and white checkered dish towel,  containing ingredients for loaded carrot cake-shredded carrots, chopped pecans, shredded coconut and pineapple chunks.
Loaded carrot cake batter in three stainless steel cake pans ready to be put in the oven. You can see the pieces of carrots, pecans, pineapple and coconut in the batter.
Baked layers of loaded carrot cake batter on cooling rack and in pan. You can see pieces of carrots, pineapple, pecans and coconut in the cake layers.

 

 

Here are some more

​

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great dessert recipes.

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