Banana - Ginger Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Icing

I joined the Secret Recipe Club last month and this is my first post!  I was assigned to Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives.  Hello there, Lisa.  If you're reading this, your blog is fantastic!  There were so many yummy recipes to choose from that I only made my final decision on Friday!  They give you a month, in case you were wondering.  It was between her Peanut Butter Pie, Hamburger Buns or Carrot Cake.  I chose her Carrot Cake.

Why, you ask?  Well, I have master Carrot Cake recipe in my files.  I'm talking Grand Master of all Carrot Cake Recipes!  When I was running Deelcious Sweets as a business, I made it for The Tenderloin Room.   It was my most requested dessert from my customers and it still is with family.  I wanted to see how hers compared to mine.  A little friendly competition never hurt anyone! 

It's all made with love, anyway!

Here is Lisa's recipe with just a couple of my adjustments:

Banana - Ginger Carrot Cake with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
Yield: 1 9-inch layer cake

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Ingredients for the Cake:

• 2 1/3 cups sifted all-purpose unbleached flour 
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup dry-roasted macadamia nuts, toasted
• 3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 3 t. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 t. fresh, grated or ground nutmeg
• 2 1/2 t. baking powder
• 1 t. salt
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 2 cps sugar
• 1 cup melted Kelapo Virgin Coconut Oil, or vegetable oil - I used applesauce
• 4 large eggs
• 2 t. vanilla extract
• 2 cups finely grated peeled carrots
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed, with some chunks remaining
• For a less spicy cake, reduce crystallized ginger to 1/2 cup or just add 1 T. fresh grated ginger, and reduce cinnamon to 2 teaspoons.

Ingredients for Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 4 1/2 (8-ounce) packages (36-ounces total) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup (2 sticks), plus 2 T. unsalted butter, room temperature - I used 2 sticks
• 3 cups powdered sugar - mine needed a lot more - I used 4 cups and could have use 5 if I hadn't run out.
• 1 cup plus 2 T. canned sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco Lopez or Goya)
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 3/4 t. (scant) pure coconut extract - I used 2/4 banana extract

Garnish ideas:

• 14 whole dry-roasted macadamia nuts, candied
• 1/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger, cut into strips
• Toasted coconut shreds
• Marzipan or Frosting piped carrots

Instructions for the Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper. Combine 1/3 cup flour and next 3 ingredients in processor. Process until nuts are finely chopped. Whisk remaining 2 cups flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in medium bowl to blend.
2. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and oil (or Applesauce) in large bowl to blend. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour-spice mixture. Stir in coconut-macadamia mixture, then carrots and mashed bananas.
3. Divide batter among pans ( I weighed out close to even layers..about 1 lb 6 oz batter per pan). Bake until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 1 hour. Run knife around edge of pans to loosen cakes. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely.

Instructions for the Frosting:

1. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, then cream of coconut and both extracts. Chill until firm enough to spread, about 30 minutes.
2. Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread heaping cup frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer, flat side up. Spread another heaping cup frosting over the top. Top with third cake layer, pressing slightly to adhere. Spread thin layer of frosting on top and sides of cake. Chill cake and remaining frosting 30 minutes. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Arrange whole nuts and ginger (or whatever decor you decide on - I used toasted coconut) around top edge of cake. Chill 1 hour. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and chill. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before serving.)

Are you wondering who's was better?  I asked my hubby who is always honest with me and he said they were both excellent!  I will definitely be making this recipe again.  I loved the use of ginger and macadamia nuts.  I have a ton of icing left-over so I need to find something to do with it.  Looks like cupcakes are in my future!  Thank you, Lisa!