Carrot Cake with Coconut and Pecans and a Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

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This is definitely one of my favourite cakes ever! Moist and bursting with flavours from spices, carrots, pecan nuts, coconut and vanilla, this foolproof cake can be eaten as is or enhanced with a deliciously, smooth and creamy Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting.

Based on my Spicy Cake with Vegetable/Fruit and Nuts – Core Recipe, the cake batter is not overly sweet so I often make both a cake and also bake some of the mixture into muffin cases which are fabulous for breakfast or a mid-morning snack. Adding the Cream Cheese Frosting adds a silky, smooth, creamy layer and you end up with a richer and sweeter cake ideal for afternoon tea, dessert or a special treat.

Please do not be put off by the length of this post – it really is very easy.

Please do not be put off by the long post – I have given lots of very specific guidance for cakes, cupcakes and freezing options.

How to make Carrot Cake with Coconut and Pecans

Collect all your ingredients for the cake together:

For the carrot and nut mix:

• pecan nuts or walnuts, plus 12 – 16 extra for topping the cake
• carrots, washed, peeled and sliced into thick chunks

Wet ingredients:

• sunflower or vegetable oil
• natural yoghurt
• eggs
• vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:

• whole wheat or plain/all-purpose flour
• bicarbonate of /baking soda
• baking powder
• cardamom powder
• cinnamon powder
• fine salt
• light muscovado or light brown sugar
• desiccated coconut

Softening Brown Sugar:

Have you ever gone into your kitchen cupboard for brown or muscovado sugar to find it is rock solid? There is a really simple solution to this, and it doesn’t involve a hammer and chisel! See here.

NB – The pictures here show cake quantities for 3 layers, each baked in 20 cm/8 inch round cake tins. Alternative quantities are also given in the Recipe Notes. Please allow the 1 egg quantity per 18cm/7 inch layer or it will make 7 – 8 cupcakes. The recipe below is for a 2 egg version which is sufficient for 2 x 18 cm/7 inch round cakes or 14 – 16 cupcakes/muffins.

Make the cake:

1. Roast the pecan nuts in the oven for 10 minutes.
2. Whilst they are cooking, collect together the rest of the ingredients.
3. Take the nuts out of the oven. Remove the whole pecan halves for the topping of the cake and place ⅔ of the rest in the food processor. Blitz until the they are the texture of ground almonds.
4. Add the carrots and blitz until broken down.
5. Add the wet ingredients – the oil, yoghurt, eggs and vanilla and blitz until thoroughly mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
6. Add the dry ingredients – the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, sugar and coconut. Pulse until nearly mixed in.
7. Add the remaining ⅓ of the pecans. Pulse briefly to mix in and slightly chop. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Alternatively, fold into the batter by hand.
8. Transfer the batter equally into lined and greased baking tins. Cook in the centre of the oven.
9. When cooked, leave in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

NB I doubled the ingredients in the recipe below and made 3 x 20cm/8inch round cakes.

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How to make Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting

Collect all your ingredients for the Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting together:

• unsalted butter
• cream cheese
• icing sugar
• vanilla extract
• fine salt

When the cakes have cooled, make the Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. Put the butter into the bowl of your electric whisk and beat until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add the icing sugar whisking well in between each addition. (NB You may wish to first fold the icing sugar in with a spoon before whisking – this will help to stop the icing sugar clouding up and making a mess of your kitchen!)
3. Beat until very light and fluffy – this can take up to 5 minutes.
4. Add the vanilla extract with the final addition of sugar.
5. Finally beat in the cream cheese. Taste and add more vanilla, if necessary.

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Single layer, double layer or triple?

This cake freezes extremely well so I always make a 3 or 4 egg version and freeze one or two layers of the cake as well as the extra frosting for future use. I freeze the cake and the frosting separately and then assemble the cake when it has defrosted. Feeding a crowd? Then make a triple layered cake.

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Muffins/Cupcakes

If you would like to make cupcakes, follow the recipe below. The 2-egg quantity will make 16 cupcakes.

1. Line a muffin tin with 16 paper cases and fill each paper case until around ⅔ full or roughly 60g of cake batter per cupcake. You should get 15-16 cupcakes
2. Cook in the centre of a pre-heated oven for 20 – 25 minutes.

Frost the cakes

When the cakes are cold, you can ice them with this delicious frosting.

Ice the cakes generously with the Cream Cheese Frosting and decorate with the pecans or walnuts – see below.

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Made this recipe?

If you make this recipe, do please tag me on instagram @daffodil_kitchen. You could also leave a comment in the box directly below the recipe.