Pineapple Coconut Carrot Cake

Ingredients

for the cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 3/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
• 1 8oz can crushed pineapple with juice

for the icing:

• 2 8oz packages brick cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour three 8" round cake pans and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until combined. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, add milk and 1 tsp. lemon juice and let side for 5 minutes. This creates a buttermilk substitute.
4. In a large bowl, add the buttermilk mixture, eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla until thoroughly combined. Add in flour mixture and mix well.
5. Using the now empty flour bowl, combine shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts and pineapple. Add the carrot mixture into the batter and mix.
6. Pour into the three prepared cake pans and gently tap on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake in preheated oven for 30-35 mins or until cake is baked through and springs back when you touch it.
7. While cake is cooling, in a medium bowl cream together cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until combined well. Add in vanilla and mix, then add in confectioner's sugar one cup at a time. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and store in fridge for at least 20 mins.
8. To assemble, carefully remove cooled cakes from pans. Stack one layer on a plate or cake base, and spread with ? of the frosting. Add second layer and repeat. Add third and final layer, and pipe small dollops of frosting around the top edges with a frosting bag or strong Ziplock bag. To get the rustic 'naked' look, pipe a small line of frosting in between layers like you're filling in the gap and then smooth and spread out with a flat knife.
9. Serve immediately, or keep refrigerated until serving.