Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
2. Prepare three round 8-inch cake pans by spraying with baking spray, lining with a parchment round, then spraying again for foolproof removal once baked.
3. Finely grate the carrots using a food processor or a handheld grater. If using a food processor, grate the carrots, then pulse a few more times to make an extra fine texture. Don’t over pulse -- the carrots could turn into juice!
4. In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
5. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, applesauce, crushed pineapple, vanilla extract, and oil. Whisk until fully combined and fluffffy. Add in the grated carrots and stir until well-mixed.
6. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs with the sugar, brown sugar, sour cream, applesauce, crushed pineapple, vanilla extract, and oil. Whisk until fully combined and fluffffy. Add in the grated carrots and stir until well-mixed.
7. Evenly pour the cake batter into the three prepared pans.
   
8. Bake for 25-28 minutes or, until a wooden toothpick pierced in the center comes out clean.
   
9. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans on a wire cooling rack for 15-20 minutes, then carefully remove the cakes from the pans, and continue to cool on the wire cooling rack. Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting.
10. While the cakes are baking and cooling, prepare the frosting. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter together for about 2-3 minutes until it’s very smooth.
    
11. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and powdered sugar. Continue mixing until the frosting is fluffffy and reaches the desired texture for frosting. For a stiffffer frosting, continue adding powdered sugar in 2 tablespoon increments until the desired consistency is reached.
    
12. Frost and stack the cooled cakes with frosting using a frosting knife. Add toasted coconut on the sides, if desired.
13. Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and enjoy within 2 days.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 packs of cream cheese (12 oz), room temperature
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt