CAKE
4 eggs, room temperature
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons finely shredded orange peel
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup spiced rum
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 cups finely shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 – 11 ounce can mandarin orange sections, drained WELL and coarsely chopped
- Pour rum over raisins and set aside for at least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line pans with waxed paper and grease and flour the paper in 3-8 inch cake pans.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, orange peel, salt and sugar.
- In another bowl cream together the canola oil, vanilla and 1 egg. Add additional eggs and beat until well creamed.
- Add dry ingredients gradually until well blended.
- Fold in carrots and coconut blending well.
- Drain raisins and oranges WELL and fold in last.
- Spoon batter into prepared pans.
- “drop” pans to settle batter evenly.
- Bake 30-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool 10 minutes.
- Remove layers from pans and remove wax paper.
- Invert cakes onto rack and cool completely before assembling.
*As an option you could soak the raisins in orange juice instead and then substitute 1 teaspoon maple flavoring for the rum. But my favorite way is to use Parrot Bay Coconut rum.
ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FILLING
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup powdered sugar
- In a medium mixing bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy.
- Add orange marmalade and powdered sugar.
- Spread half the filling between each layer.
- Frost top and sides of cake.
PINEAPPLE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
- In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until blended.
- Add powdered sugar gradually until well blended and smooth.
- Ice first layer and then add 2nd cake top and ice again including sides of cake.
- Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing before serving.