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Barb’s Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

An Insanely moist and flavorful Pumpkin Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting! The combination of pineapple and pumpkin adds so much moisture. It’s perfect for holidays or any time of year! Barb made this for our Halloween Tea Party in 2015.
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings 12 Servings

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/4 cups solid packed pumpkin
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
  • 8 oz. can 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
  • 1 cup grated carrots about 3 medium
  • 1 cup shredded sweetened coconut
  • 1 ¼ cup chopped walnuts divided

Barb’s Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 11- ounces cream cheese VERY soft
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter VERY soft
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla pure extract
  • 2 teaspoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 3 ½ cups confectioners' sugar sifted

Instructions

Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set flour mixture aside.
  • Combine milk and lemon juice in liquid measuring cup (mixture may appear curdled).
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine brown sugar and granulated sugar. Beat in pumpkin, eggs, and oil until combined.
  • Mix in pineapple, carrots and milk mixture until combined.
  • Gradually add in the flour mixture and beat until just combined. Don’t over beat.
  • Fold in coconut and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
  • Divide batter evenly between two greased 9-inch round cake pans. Tap pans on the counter to get rid of any air pockets.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes, or until edges are golden, and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
  • Cool in pans for 10 to 20 minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
  • Don’t forget to remove the parchment paper from the tops of each layer.
  • Meanwhile, prepare cream cheese frosting.

Barb’s Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until creamy.
  • Gradually beat in 3 ½ cup sifted powdered sugar until well blended.
  • Beat in vanilla extract, orange juice and grated orange peel until fluffy.

To Assemble Cake:

  • Place one cake layer on a serving plate.
  • Spread with cream cheese frosting, about 3/4-inch thick.
  • Refrigerate for about 20 minutes, or until frosting is mostly firm.
  • Top with remaining cake layer.
  • Frost top and sides of cake with remaining cream cheese frosting.
  • Garnish sides with remaining walnuts.
  • Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to set frosting before serving.
  • Store covered in refrigerator.