The Best Carrot Cake – Ever

Ingredients

For the cake:
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup raw cane sugar
• 3/4 cup canola oil
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
• 3 cups finely grated carrot
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 8 ounces crushed pineapple, drained well
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

For the frosting:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 pound confectioners’ sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla

Instructions

For the cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray three 8-inch pans or two 10-inch pans with oil. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl or the bowl of a mixer, beat the eggs and sugars until fluffy. Add the oil and applesauce and mix well, until thoroughly incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add to the wet ingredients and beat until smooth.
4. Stir in the carrot, coconut, pineapple, raisins, and walnuts, and mix well.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the pans, and bake 40-45 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.
6. Cool slightly, then invert onto a rack to finish cooling completely.

For the frosting:
1. In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the confectioners’ sugar, a cupful or so at a time, mixing well after each addition. If the frosting seems too thick, add a tablespoon or two of milk to thin it out. It should be creamy and spreadable, but not runny.

To frost:
1. Place the bottom layer on a cake plate or serving platter. Using an offset spatula, spread a layer of icing on top, the add the second cake layer. Repeat if you’re adding a third. Frost the top, and then the sides.
2. Decorate with curls of carrot, a sprinkling of coconut, and a few walnut halves.