Preheat your oven to 350°F. It’s essential to ensure your oven is hot and ready to create the perfect bake.
Butter three 9-inch cake pans and line them with parchment paper. Dust the pans with flour to prevent sticking. If you like, you can wrap each pan with damp cake strips for even baking.
In a food processor, combine ½ cup of all-purpose flour, coconut flakes, macadamia nuts, and crystallized ginger. Process until finely chopped; this mixture will bring wonderful flavor to the cake.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 cups of all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. This dry mix is essential for the cake’s rise and flavor.
In a large mixing bowl, blend sugar and vegetable oil with an electric mixer until well combined. This mixture should be light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This step helps to incorporate air into the batter, making it fluffy.
Gradually add the dry flour mixture to the sugar and oil mix. Stir until just combined; be careful not to overmix.
Gently fold in the chopped mixture of coconut, ginger, macadamia nuts, followed by the grated carrots and crushed pineapple (with juice). Make sure everything is well incorporated but still retains some texture.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and smooth the tops with a spatula, ensuring even baking.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The cakes should be golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed.
Once baked, cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for about an hour. After cooling, run a knife around the edges to loosen, then turn them out onto racks to cool completely.
For the frosting, beat together the cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and both extracts, mixing until fluffy.
Place the first cake layer on a cake platter, flat side up. Spread about 1 cup of frosting over the top, then add the second cake layer and repeat.
Finish with the third cake layer, pressing gently to adhere. Ice the sides of the cake and sprinkle the top with toasted coconut flakes. Enjoy your beautifully crafted Carrot Cake!
