Jeni's Carrot Cake Supreme

Cake:
2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
2 t. ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 C. sugar
3/4 C. vegetable oil
3/4 C. buttermilk
2 t. vanilla extract
2 C. grated carrots (I use my food processor to finely chop)
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 C. flaked coconut (plus more for sprinkling)
1 small package of chopped pecans (for sprinkling)
Buttermilk Glaze (see recipe at bottom)
Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe at bottom)

Grease three 9 inch round cake pans (I only use two and then make cupcakes or a small cake with the leftover batter).Cut circles of wax paper or parchment paper to line on the bottom of cake pans. Grease and flour wax paper. Set aside. Stir together first four ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and next 4 ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture to batter, beating at low speed until blended. Stir in carrots, pineapple, and coconut. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle warm Buttermilk Glaze (see below) over cake layers and allow to cool on wire racks for 15 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and transfer to a plate. Keep a layer of wax paper between layers so they don't stick and chill in refrigerator (or freezer) for a couple of hours. Remove from fridge and separate layers. Remove all wax paper. Place the first layer on your cake plate. Spread a semi-thick layer of Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting (see below) on top of bottom layer. Place the second layer on top of the bottom layer (repeat previous steps if making a triple layer cake). Frost sides and top of the cake. Sprinkle with remaining coconut and chopped pecans. Keep refrigerated.

Buttermilk Glaze:
1 C. sugar
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 C. buttermilk
1/2 C. (one stick) unsalted butter
1 T. light corn syrup
1 t. vanilla extract

Bring first five ingredients to a boil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Boil four minutes stirring constantly until glaze is golden. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool slightly.

Deluxe Cream Cheese Frosting
1 1/2 (12 ounces) blocks of cream cheese, softened
3/4 C. butter (a stick and a half), softened
1 (16 ounces) package of powdered sugar
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating at low speed until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla.