An Elegant Carrot Cake With A Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting.

Elegant Carrot Cake

Ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted three times
1/2 cup ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
Finely grated peel of an orange
2 cups grated carrots
1 cup grated unsweetened coconut
1 cup crushed pineapple, well drained

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the solids seperate and brown to a dark golden color, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove it from the heat and let cool at room temperature about 30 minutes. Don't chill it.It needs to remain in liquid form. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly grease and flour two 9inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda into your mixer bowl. Add the ground almonds. Mix it lightly to combine. Combine the sugars and cinnamon in a bowl and stir to blend. In another bowl whisk the eggs lightly. Add the sugar mixture, the vanilla and the orange peel. Mix together quickly to combine well. Mix at a low speed while you are adding the dry ingredients. Once lightly incorporated increase the speed to whip for 2 minutes. Add the melted butter at a low speed and then increase the speed for 3 minutes. Gently fold in the carrots, pineapple and coconut. Pour the batter into prepared pans. Bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pans on a rack for 5 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Wrapped airtight carrot cake will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days.When the cake is completely cool, top with the frosting and spread evenly to coat. The frosted cake can be stored for 1 day at room temperature.

Cream cheese frosting

Ingredients:

1 lb.(two 8oz packages) cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
21/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

With a mixer cream the cream cheese and butter on a low speed for 4 minutes. When the mixture is smooth and lump free slowly add the powdered sugar. Beat for two minutes. Then add the orange zest, juice and vanilla. Mix to combine. The cream cheese frosting can be used right away or stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.