INGREDIENTS

for the cake

• 2½ cups of plain flour
• 1½ cups caster sugar
• 250g unsalted butter (softened)
• 6 eggs (7-8 if small)
• 1 cup dessicated coconut
• 2 cups coarsely grated carrots
• seeds from 1 vanilla bean (do not discard the pod, use it to make home-made vanilla sugar)
• 1 tbs baking powder

for the strawberry icing

• 125 g of unsalted butter or margarine / half a bar
• 6 tbs strawberry Nesquick powder
• few drops of red food colouring
• 1 tbs or a little bit more milk or water
• handful / about ½ cup of dessicated coconut

EQUIPMENT

• hand mixer – optional
• large bundt baking pan (I used silicone one placed on baking tray)
• whisk to beat the egg whites (I used manual one)
• two mixing bowls, small for egg whites and bigger one for the rest of the ingredients
• wooden skewer

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
2. Separate egg yolks from the whites.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine sugar, egg yolks and butter and mix until well combined.
4. In smaller bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff and leave aside.
5. Gradually add to the large mixing bowl flour mixed with baking powder, vanilla seeds, carrot, coconut and egg whites.
6. Transfer cake mixture into baking pan.
7. Bake for about 50 minutes, reducing temperature after 25 minutes to about 160°C (320°F), check with the skewer if the cake is baked through and dry inside.
8. Once the cake is ready remove it from the mould and start preparing the icing.
9. Melt butter in a small saucepan, add Nesquick powder, milk and continue heating and stirring until the icing have smooth texture.
10. Remove from fire, continue stirring to cool down the icing a bit until it is starting to have quite thick consistence.
11. Pour icing over the cake and sprinkle with shredded coconut.
12. Let it cool down completely before sharing.

Make about 10-16 pieces of cake.

NOTES

This cake is based on similar cake with spices, walnuts and chocolate: Spiced Carrot Cake with Coconut & Chocolate Icing.