Carrot Cake or Cupcakes

Carrot Cake or Cupcakes

3 eggs
3/4 C buttermilk
3/4 C vegetable oil
1 1/2 C sugar
2 t vanilla
2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t salt
2 C flour
2 t baking soda
2 C shredded carrots
1 C flaked coconut
1 8oz can crushed pineapple with juice

Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In mixer bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla.  Mix well.  Add flour mixture and mix well. Add carrots, coconut and pineapple.  Mix in with wooden spoon.

Bake at 350.

**Mine were mini cupcakes, so they only took 15 minutes or so. The original cake recipe that I have already modified, baked theirs in an 8x12 for an hour.  I prefer two 9 inch rounds for 30. It is quite moist and a bit hard to slice in the double layer, so I get why they did theirs in an 8x12.
**My most favorite carrot cake I've ever had, but it really is nothing without the coconut cream cheese frosting.
**My little carrot topper is white chocolate dyed and piped onto parchment paper. Cutesy.

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
4 C powdered sugar
2 T heavy cream
1/2 t salt
1/2 t coconut extract
1 t vanilla extract
1/2 C coconut (optional)- sweetened shredded of course
1 C toasted coconut, toasted (optional) sweetened shredded of course

Beat the cream cheese and butter in mixer until light and fluffy.  Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream.  Beat in the salt coconut flavoring and vanilla. Continue beating until smooth.  Add additional powdered sugar to thicken, or more cream to thin. Stir in coconut if desired and top with toasted coconut, also optional.

**My dear friend Melody served me this cake at her house and I died over it.  I've always loved the flavor of carrot cake but have been put off by so many chunks.  No chunks here, just all flavor! The frosting takes it to a whole new level!
** Truman thought the frosting was HEAVEN!