Excellent Carrot Cake

Description: Chock full of flavor, this is the best carrot cake! It tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld. A tad more time consuming than the average carrot cake, but well worth it!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 1/4 cups coconut
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or 1/2 cup solid margarine, softened
• 1 (16 ounce) package powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Steps:

1. Combine first 5 ingredients; beat well.
2. Mix flour, soda, salt and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture; stir well.
3. Add carrots, walnuts, pineapple and coconut; stir well.
4. Pour batter into greased and floured 13x9 baking pan.
5. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes, or until pick comes out clean.
6. Buttermilk Glaze: Combine first 5 ingredients in large saucepan.
7. Bring to a boil; cook 4 minutes on medium heat.
8. Remove from heat; add vanilla.
9. Pour buttermilk glaze over warm cake; let cake cool.
10. Cream Cheese Frosting: Mix cream cheese and butter; beat until smooth.
11. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.
12. Stir in vanilla.
13. Spread cream cheese frosting on top of cooled cake.