Carrot King Cake

inspired by The Joy of Cooking Makes a 9-inch round 2-layer cake

Author: Roseanne Carrara, The Lunchbox Season

3 large eggs
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 1/2 c finely grated carrots about 3-4 whole
2-3 tsp lemon or lime zest
2/3 c finely diced fresh or canned crushed pineapple for a measuring guide, see How To below
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp tsp salt
1 tbs ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
3/4 c flaked coconut [sweetened or unsweetened] lightly toasted if desired, see How To below
1 generous cup chopped pecan pieces, roasted if desired, see Hints below
8-10 Large Foil Wrapped Chocolate Coins [Optional] Cleaned, see How To below
2 9-inch round circular pans

2 c [2 80z packages] light cream cheese
1/2 c butter
2 tsp vanilla
4+ c icing sugar
[optional] Coloured Icing sugars or additional chopped nuts or toasted coconut for decoration.

Soak dollar or two dollar coins in strong [pickling] vinegar overnight and/or place in utensil holder and run through the sterilize setting of your dishwasher.
You can also wrap them in pieces of parchment paper before inserting into the cake.

Place nuts evenly on a baking pan and roast at 350 for 6-8 minutes, until pecans begin to darken slightly.

If you are using fresh pineapple, finely dice pineapple until you have .66 cup. Try to scrape at least a tbs of the juice from your cutting board into your measuring cup as you go. If you are using canned, strain crushed pineapple, reserving juice. Add .66 c of pineapple and about 1 tbs of the juice to the recipe.

Heat oven to 350.
Line each pan with a circle of parchment cut to size.
Grease and flour lined baking pans or coat with baking spray.
Place eggs, carrots, pineapple, zest, sugars, oil, and vanilla into a large bowl and stir until combined.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cardamom.
With a spatula, fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture until just combined.
Fold in roasted nuts and coconut.
Pour evenly into 2 9-inch circular pans.
Drop your coins evenly around the circumference of one layer of your cake. [We used the 8 traditional points on a compass as our guide.]
Bake layers 25-30 minutes or until a skewer or thin knife inserted into the cake comes out almost clean.
Cool cakes completely.

Add vanilla and sugar by the .5 c until you have the consistency you desire.
Ice and layer the cakes.
Decorate with traditional Louisiana Mardi Gras coloured sanding sugars or with chopped nuts or coconut.
Enjoy!!