several bright mini cakes with cream decoration close-up
Carrot Cake with Coconut Buttercream
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
3 large eggs
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots (from 2 large peeled carrots)
1/3 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts
1/3 cup golden raisins, finely chopped
Ingredients for Coconut Buttercream:
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened
2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
6 cups powdered sugar
3-4 Tbsp. well-shaken can coconut milk
For garnish toasted sweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a rimmed 17 1/2-by-12 1/2-inch baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.
Stir together flour, brown sugar, coconut, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, and nutmeg in a large bowl until combined; set aside.
Whisk together eggs, oil and milk in a medium bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture; stir until smooth.
Fold in carrots, walnuts and raisins until combined. Spread batter evenly into prepared baking sheet using a spoon or an offset spatula.
Bake in a preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes, rotating pan 180 degrees halfway through bake time. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour.
When the cake is cool, beat butter, vanilla and salt, in a large bowl with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low; gradually add powdered sugar, 2 cups at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of the coconut milk after each addition, beating until combined. Beat in remaining 1 tablespoon coconut milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed to achieve a smooth and thick consistency.
Place coconut buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a 1/2-inch fluted open star tip. Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut cake into 24 rounds.
Place one cut cake round on a plate or platter; pipe an even layer of the buttercream over top. Cover with another cake round. Pipe buttercream on top of stacked rounds as desired. Repeat with remaining cake rounds and buttercream.
