Ten Layer Carrot Cake

Ocean Prime Carrot Cake

This recipe for the cake and icing makes one 13”x9” 10-layer cake.
The recipe for the cake and icing divided in half make one thick 2-layer carrot cake. 

4 ½ Cups Sugar
2 ¼ Cups Corn or Vegetable Oil
8 Eggs
1 ½ Tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract
6 oz Finely Shredded Dried Coconut
7 oz Crushed Pineapple
2 ½ Cups Carrot Puree
5 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
1 ½ Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 ½ Tablespoon Cinnamon

1) Place whole carrots in a large sauce pan with water, bring to a boil and cook until very soft
2) Drain and reserve some of the cooking liquid. Puree carrots in food processor using reserved liquid as needed to yield 2 ½ cups. Refrigerate.  Puree must be cold before using.
3) Place coconut in food processor and pulse until fine if the pieces are large
4) Place drained pineapple in food processor and blend until fine (no large chunks)
5) Prepare 10 13 x 9” rectangle baking pans with cooking spray and line them with parchment paper. Spray parchment paper a second time. 
6) Mix sugar and oil together, then whisk in eggs.  Then whisk in puree, extract, pineapple, and coconut. 
7) In another bowl mix the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Then gently fold into to the first mixture.  Mix until smooth but not for an extended period of time. Don’t over mix. 
8) Place ¾ pound (or about one heaping cup) of batter on each prepared pan, spread out to an even layer with an offset cake spatula
9) Bake in 350 degree oven  for 7 minutes, rotate and cook another 5-7 minutes or until edges pull away from the side of the pan and cake lightly springs back to the touch in the center. 
10) Cool to room temperature

Notes:
The cake is easier to build if you refrigerate or even freeze layers overnight. 
If you do not have a lot of pans. you can look for cheap disposable pans and bake some layers in batches.  Just don’t let the batter sit for too long or it may lose its leavening power. 
Another great option is to skip the many layers and still make a great carrot cake.  Just cut this recipe in half to fill just 2 13x9 pans evenly.  The cake will need to bake longer until cake springs back, most likely about 20 minutes. You can cut the icing in half as well and make a great and thicker two layer iced carrot cake!

Carrot Cake Icing 
12 oz or 3 Sticks Butter
2.5 pounds Powdered Sugar
30 oz Cream Cheese
1 ½ Tablespoons Vanilla Extract
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice 

1) Using the paddle attachment on a mixer, cream the butter until pale yellow in color.
2) Add the powdered sugar to the butter, a cup at a time, until it releases from the sides of the bowl. Scrape down sides and paddle.
3) Add cream cheese and beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
4) Add lemon juice and vanilla, mix just until incorporated.

Assembling Carrot Cake 
1) Place first layer on a cardboard cake rectangle. Or on a serving platter. 
2) Top with about ¾ cups of icing, spread evenly with an offset cake spatula. 
3) Top with second layer and repeat until all ten layers are completed. Press each layer slightly to even entire cake before adding icing.
4) For the top layer use about a full cup or more of icing. 
5) Place cake in refrigerator for 3-4 hours for icing to set.
6) Remove from freezer and trim edges to get a clean edge.
7) Mark cake into 12 squares - approximately 2 ¾” x 2 ¾”. Then cut cake. 
8) Serve or wrap cut edges of cake with plastic wrap if planning to refrigerate.

Notes:    If the cake is soft you can build five layers and freeze for 30 minutes. Then build remaining layers and freeze for 30 minutes.