The Ultimate Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons baking soda 
• 1 cup brown sugar packed
• 0.5 cup butter 
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 1 lb carrots grated
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon 
• 1.5 cups coconut flakes flaked
• 16 ounce powdered sugar 
• 8 ounce cream cheese 
• 4 large eggs 
• 0.7 cup flour 
• 0.3 teaspoon ginger 
• 0.5 teaspoon nutmeg 
• 2 teaspoons orange zest 
• 12 ounce pecans 
• 1 cup pecans chopped
• 0.5 cup raisins 
• 0.5 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract pure
• 0.8 cup vegetable oil 
• 1 cup granulated sugar white
• 1.5 cups flour whole wheat

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• baking paper
• oven
• toothpicks
• wax paper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Sift together the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger onto a sheet of waxed paper.
2. Mix the sugars together in a large bowl.Stir in the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla.Stir in the flour mixture, grated carrots, chopped pecans, coconut and raisins.Stir until well blended.Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.Line each prepared pan with wax or parchment paper that has also been greased and waxed.
3. Pour equal amounts into each of the cake pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each comes out clean.
5. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.Turn out onto cooling racks, remove wax paper and allow to cool completely.In a large bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until light.
6. Add the confectioners sugar, orange peel and vanilla mixing until smooth.
7. Spread frosting between layers and stack evenly.Frost the top and sides of cake.Decorate with perfect pecan halves.