The pineapple makes the cake very moist.
| 3 medium | carrots, finely grated |
| 2 cups | all purpose flour |
| 2 tsp | baking powder |
| 1 tsp | baking soda |
| — | pinch of salt |
| 1 tsp | cinnamon (add to flour or to carrots later) |
| ½ tsp | nutmeg (ibid) |
| 1 cup | sugar |
| 4 eggs | (medium) at room temperature |
| ¾ cup | oil |
| 1 tsp | vanilla |
| 1 cup | walnuts chopped small (plus a bit to decorate at end) |
| — | zest of 2 oranges |
| 3 oz | pineapple chopped very fine |
| Glaze | |
| — | juice of 1 orange strained |
| 2 tbsp | sugar |
| 3½ oz | softened butter |
| 12 oz | cream cheese |
| 1 tsp | vanilla |
| 1 cup | powdered sugar |
1. Grate carrots in a huge bowl, set aside. Prepare two 8" spring form pans with butter. Use parchment on bottom if desired. Preheat oven to 320°.
2. Sift together dry ingredients, then whisk to combine.
3. In a separate, very big bowl, combing sugar and eggs and whisking thoroughly, but not introducing a lot of air. Add in the oil and vanilla and fold in using a spatula or scraper.
4. Introduce the dry ingredients by batches to the wet folding carefully with a spatula or scraper in order not to over-work.
5. In the bowl of carrots, add the walnuts, zest of 1 orange, pineapple bits and toss well.
6. Add the carrot mixture in batches folding them into the bowl of batter.
7. Pour completed batter into spring form pans equally. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and unmold carefully.
8. In a sauce pan, place the (2 tbsp of) sugar, the remaining zest, the juice and place it over medium heat. Stir and bring to a boil, reduce and allow to simmer until sugar dissolves. Strain into a cup. This is the syrup.
9. Beat the butter until pale, light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and incorporate on low speed for a minute. Add in the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar in batches beating on low to incorporate, then at medium speed to finish the frosting.
10. Turn cakes over and brush syrup over their top faces. Spread frosting over bottom layer, then crown with top and frost the top as well. Frost sides as you wish. Decorate the top with some of the walnuts.
11. Refrigerate a few hours before serving.