Coconut-orange Squares

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 (16 ounce) can sliced carrots, drained and mashed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1 (8 ounce) package softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup toasted flaked coconut (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 cake:.
• 2 preheat oven to 350 degrees f.
• 3 cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. add carrots, egg, orange zest, and extracts; beat until smooth.
• 4 in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. add dry ingredients to creamed mixture; stir until well blended. stir in coconut.
• 5 pour batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan. bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. place pan on wire rack to cool.
• 6 icing:.
• 7 beat cream cheese, butter, milk, orange zest, and extracts in a medium bowl until smooth. stir in confectioners sugar until smooth.
• 8 spread icing over cooled cake. garnish with toasted coconut. cut into 2-inch squares to serve.
• 9 note: to toast coconut, place in an oven proof pan in a 300 degree f oven for about 10 minutes, stirring often until coconut begins to brown. remove promptly so coconut does not burn. this can also be done on the stove top in a dry frying pan over medium heat.