CARROT CAKE WITH BUTTERMILK GLAZE

Steps:

• For Cake:
• Grease three 8 or 9-inch round cake pans and line with parchment paper.
• Stir together first all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, & ground cinnamon in a medium sized bowl.
• In your mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, and vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended.
• Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients, crushed pineapple, flaked coconut & chopped pecans
• Pour batter into prepared pans.
• Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Buttermilk Glaze:
• Bring 1 cup sugar, 1.5 teaspoons baking soda, .5 cup buttermilk, & .5 cup butter to a boil in a medium to large saucepan.
• Boil 4 minutes, stirring constantly until glaze is golden.
• Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla and cool slightly.
• Drizzle warm buttermilk glaze evenly over warm cake layers; cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes.
• Remove from pans, inverting layers. Peel parchment; invert again, glaze side up.
• Cool completely on wire racks
• Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting:
• Beat first cream cheese and 3/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth
• Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy.
• Stir in vanilla
• Frost with Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top of sides of cake.
• Chill cake several hours before slicing.
• Store in the refrigerator.