Easter Egg Hunt Carrot Cake

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups shredded carrots (about 3/4 pound)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 lb cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• green food coloring (optional)
• easter eggs malted milk decorative candies or m&m's peanut chocolate candies or jelly beans, for garnish

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 butter and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans or doughmakers 9-inch cake pan.
• 3 with a electric mixer, beat the sugar, oil and eggs until smooth.
• 4 sift together the flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, add to egg mixture and beat until smooth.
• 5 stir carrots and walnuts and pour into prepared pan (s).
• 6 bake the 9 inch cake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or the two 8 inch layers for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
• 7 run a knife around edges and invert cake onto a rack, let cool completely.
• 8 make frosting; with electric mixer cream butter, add the cream cheese and vanilla and beat until smooth.
• 9 gradually add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth and fluffy.
• 10 if using one layer, split it horizontally with a long serrated knife.
• 11 spread the bottom layer with 1/3 of the frosting, top with the other layer and frost top and sides with the remaining frosting.
• 12 in a bowl, stir the coconut with a few drops of food coloring until all coconut is evenly tinted green.
• 13 cover with coconut and scatter the candies on top to resemble hidden easter eggs.