Carrot Cake with Coconut and Raisins

What is ur relationship with carrot - love or hate ? 

If you are on the border line ready to like it then come fall in love.

Here is a super easy cake to make. No complications , just mix wet and dry ingredients separately and combine it gently and bake that is all.
The cake is really delicious with juicy carrot & raisins and the crunch of the coconut & pecans. The sugar syrup makes it moist too.The texture of the cake is crumbly and dense.
The baking aroma of coconut is equal to spa therapy. I bet it will elivate ur spirits.

Have you tried the Outback Steak House carrot cake OMG thats the best I have tried so far.I have been craving for that since few days so thought why not try  it at home. I am glad to have succeeded to a great extend. I should have added some canned pineapple pieces and its juice to make it complete.
 I made only 6 slices as one whole cake with two layers is too much for us to finish...Come onn ...now one piece of carrot cake is too less for me  two is the minimum I like. So exactly six  slices not less  and not more to make us feel guilty on overindulgence. 

I could take hardly 5 pics of the cake.The Sun sets before 4 p.m these days. Can u believe it !
I am yet to catch up with this routine.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Ingredients:  Makes only 6 slices
Carrot -2 medium freshly grated
Dry coconut grated / flakes-  1 cup (I used sweetened flakes)
Raisins -1/2 cup chopped
Pecan -1/2 cup chopped
Dry Ingredients :
All purpose flour - 2 cups
Baking powder- 1 tsp
Baking soda - 1 tsp
Brown sugar - 1/2 cup
White granulated sugar- 1/2 cup
Cinnamon powder- -1 tsp
Nutmeg powder-1/4th tsp
Wet Ingredients :
Egg-2
Vegetable oil/ Olive oil - 1/2 cup
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp

Sugar syrup:(This is the secret of keeping the cake moist)
Sugar- 1 tbsp and Water - 1/2 cup. Mix and keep it ready.

Frosting:
Cream Cheese - 1/2 of 8 oz pack in room temp
Unsalted butter- 2 tbsp in room temp
Fresh Cream - 1 tbsp
Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
Powdered sugar - around 2 cups


Few Pecans for decoration.

Method:
Mix the dry ingredients
Combine grated carrot,coconut , raisins and pecan chopped and mix with the dry ingredients mixture.
Beat the eggs add oil and the essence mix well.
Finally combine the dry and wet parts together.Mix until well incorporated.
Bake at 350 F for 30-35 minutes.Until the cake tester comes out clean.
Let the cake cool down on wire rack after resting in the cake pan for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile whip the frosting ingredients and keep it ready. Add fresh cream little more if u want to thin out the frosting a bit.

For assembling:
If the cake has risen in the center. Cut slightly on top to level it .Cut the cake into two in the exact middle.Sprinkle sugar syrup on both pieces.
Spread 2 tbsp or so of frosting on first  half of cake and mount the second cake half on top of it.
Spread the remaining frosting on the cake evenly. Decorate with pecans and refrigerate.
This helps the frosting to set well.

To slice:
Heat the knife in hot water and wipe with paper towel  then slice the cake. Repeat heating and wiping for every slice to get really clean edges & neat slices , no smears of frosting.

When you want just a piece of cake -Why make two cakes to layer when u can cut it into half and layer one on top of the other?

Hope u like it
Meena

Here are more ideas from Food Network friends:

Feed Me Phoebe: Honey Roasted Carrots with Thyme
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Ghost Chile Carrot Hot Sauce
The Heritage Cook: Roasted Carrot and Sweet Potato Soup #FallFest
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Carrot Cake with Coconut and Raisins
Weelicious: Spiced Carrot Cauliflower Soup
The Mom 100: Carrot Fries with Sriracha Sauce
Big Girls, Small Kitchen: Easy Slaw with Carrots & Red Peppers
Devour: Fall Fest: Carrot Recipes to Covet
In Jennie's Kitchen: Carrot "Fettucine" with Lemon Thyme Butter Sauce
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Carrots & Avocado with Cumin
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Maple Candied Carrots with Currants
Swing Eats: Bourbon Maple Glazed & Braised Carrots
Dishing With Divya: Honey Glazed Baby Carrots
Daily*Dishin: Spicy Carrot Spread/Dip (Guten Free-Dairy Free)
FN Dish: 5 New Ways to Bake with Carrots