Carrot & Squash Cake w Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

This is adapted from my mom’s recipe. She puts a secret buttermilk glaze over everything before she ices it, but I skipped that amazingness and went straight to frost. I made twelve cupcakes for a decent gaggle of kids to share, and a single layer cake, which I ate one slice of and then “accidentally” left the rest of it at my sweetheart’s house. Hopefully he’s OK.

For the cake:

2 C. all purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

½ t. sea salt

2 t. ground cinnamon

3 eggs, beaten

¾ C coconut oil, melted completely

¾ C buttermilk

2 C cane sugar

2 t. vanilla

1 C minced squash (from your stuffed squash, remember?), soaked in lemon juice

¼ C. grated, unsweetened coconut

2 C. grated carrots

For the frosting:

½ C, butter, softened

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 t. vanilla

2 C sifted confectioner’s sugar

1 t. orange juice

1 t. grated orange rind

Make the cake: Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and sugar, and beat until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture, squash, carrots, and coconut. Pour into prepared pans and bake 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pans, then on racks.

To make the frosting: Combine the cream cheese and butter. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar. Then stir in the vanilla, orange juice, and orange rind.

Frost the cakes and refrigerate before serving.