TO-DIE-FOR NUTLESS CARROT CAKE

Steps:

• Place raisins in a microwave-safe bowl and drizzle with the 3 tbsp of orange liqueur; cover with plastic wrap or a lid and microwave on Medium power for 1 or 2 minutes, until the raisins are warm; remove from microwave and set aside.
• Preheat oven to 350F; lightly butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray three 9-inch round cake pans or three of the disposable 8 1/2-inch or 9-inch foil pans.
• Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper or wax paper, lightly greased; set pans aside.
• Scrape carrots and grate, using either the grating disc in your cuisinart or on the large holes of a box grater; you do NOT want to grind the carrots, you want them shredded.
• Grated carrots should measure out to be 3 1/2 cups; don't use any more than that or your cake's texture will definitely suffer.
• In a mixing bowl, with electric mixer, beat together eggs, orange zest, brown sugar, oil and vanilla; beat until smooth.
• In another mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices; I do this by sifting all through a sieve into the bowl.
• Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour in egg mixture, stirring just until moist.
• Carefully fold in carrots and raisins (and any remaining liqueur).
• Divide evenly among three prepared pans; smooth tops.
• Bake in preheated oven until a tester comes out clean when inserted in centre of cakes, 25 to 30 minutes.
• When done, remove cakes from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let cool thoroughly.
• You could now wrap the cakes tightly and refrigerate them overnight, if you wanted to ice the cake the next day.
• To make the icing, beat softened cream cheese (2 250 gram or 8 oz bars= one pound) in a large mixing bowl with electric mixer until creamy.
• Beat in icing sugar, vanilla and liqueur, combining well.
• Place one layer of cake on a plate and spread one-third of icing over cake layer, going right to the edges.
• Repeat with the next two layers.
• If desired, sprinkle the toasted coconut over the top layer of icing.
• Refrigerate cake for at least one hour before serving, and keep leftover cake in the fridge, well covered.