PQ: Tropical Carrot Cake

Are you a coconut type of person? I really love coconut. I remember my Dad trying to open one. It is hard work especially if you don't want to spill any milk. If I was stranded on a desert island, I think we would be having coconut nightly. We would be having bananas soaked in coconut milk. Fish brushed with coconut oil, etc. Please share any of your suggestions. You never know if you will be stranded on a tropical, deserted island. I don't want you to say hey, I wish I could remember some of the ideas suggested for the use of coconuts because it is really hard to reach those bananas. Good thing, the majority of my children like coconut. We could make it like the Swiss Family Robinson.

The carrot cake is tropical with macadamia nuts, coconut, and pineapples. Doesn't this cake make you want to travel to some tropical island? The island could be in the Pacific or Atlantic. The island can be made of entirely volcanic rock or man made. I wouldn't care. It just would have to be warm. 

 This weeks pick for Project Pastry Queen was picked by Emily of A Gilt Nutmeg. I made cupcakes so I could share which I'm glad since the recipe made about 20 cupcakes. I really liked these recipe. I highly recommend using fresh pineapple. (You may want practice cutting one up just in case there are any on your deserted island.) Please make sure to check out the other members blogs and for the frosting. I used different topping for the cupcakes like shredded coconut, pineapple, and shredded carrots.

Tropical Carrot Cake
1 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
3 cups all purpose flour
3 cups sugar
1 Tbsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cups sweetened flaked coconut
4 large eggs
2 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups carrots, peeled and shredded
1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple, diced
1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line the muffin tin with about 20 cupcake liners.
3. Arrange the nuts on a baking sheet and toast them for about 7 to 9 minutes. Set aside to cool.
4. In a large bowl, stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, coconut, and nuts. Set aside.
5. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, oil, carrots, pineapple, and cream of coconut.
6. Pour the egg and carrot mixture into the flour mixture.
7. Fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full.
8. Bake the cupcakes about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting if you can wait. 

Recipe adapted from The Pastry Queen.

A single serving cupcake holder to go

Did you already know.....
-The Swiss Family Robinson was written by Johann Wyss.
-It was published in 1812 in German.
-The family were on their way to Australia.
-The first animal to greet them on the island were penguins.