—–CAKE—– 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1 cup light brown sugar — firmly packed
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pound carrots — grated
8 ounces crushed pineapple — drained
1/2 cup (6-oz.) raisins
1 cup (4-oz.) walnuts — chopped
1 cup coconut — flaked
—–ICING—– 8 oz cream cheese — softened
1/2 cup butter — softened
2 teaspoons orange rind — grated
1 tsp vanilla extract
16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans and line the bottoms with wax paper. Grease and flour wax paper.
In a medium size bowl combine flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Set aside. Combine sugars buttermilk, oil, eggs and vanilla in large bowl; stir until all ingredients are well blended. Add flour mixture to buttermilk mixture along with carrots, pineapple, walnuts, coconut and raisins, stirring just until well mixed.
Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Loosen cake layers from edges of pans with a sharp knife and invert onto wire racks. Peel off wax paper and cool completely.
To make frosting, combine butter and cream cheese in large mixing bowl; beat until light and fluffy. Add sugar, orange rind and vanilla, mixing well. (Makes enough for 1 (3-layer) cake.
Spread frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Garnish with marzipan carrots (optional). Cover and refrigerate overnight before cutting.