Bea’s Carrot Coconut Cake

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups flaked coconut
• 2 cups shredded carrots
• 1 cup drained fruit cocktail
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• Frosting:
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 5 tablespoons margarine, or more to taste
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.

Whisk white sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together in a bowl; stir in flour, baking soda, and salt until batter is well mixed. Fold coconut, carrots, fruit cocktail, and 1 cup walnuts into batter; pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cake cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Beat cream cheese, margarine, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy; add confectioners' sugar and beat until frosting is smooth. Fold 1 cup walnuts into frosting; spread over cooled cake.