Carrot Bundt Cake w/ Dates & Coconut Oil

I'm still not sure how I feel about this coconut oil craze.

So far, I like using it on my dry feet in the winter (yummy thought early a.m.), it works like a charm, but cooking with it?
Not so sure.

The Trader Joe's brand of organic coconut oil smells like suntan lotion (coconuts), and the Tourangelle brand from California has no odor at all.

I usually would use vegetable oil in a carrot cake recipe, but I was out, so saw online that you can substitute coconut oil in for the veg oil......and if you read it on the internet, then you know it's true!

Make sure your melted coconut oil is fully cooled, or when you add the eggs, they will be curdled. ew.

This recipe is really good. Perfect for fall, and you all know how much I love a carrot cake.

You can use any nuts you like, or raisins. I used chopped dates and pecans.

This cake was super moist and the icing w/ just a smidge of coconut sent this one over the top.

Ok, so I liked the coconut oil in this recipe, it turned out a fragrant and super moist cake.

Carrot Bundt Cake w/ Dates, Pecans & Coconut Oil:

3/4 cup organic coconut oil, melted & cooled
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
3 cups grated carrots (about 5 medium)
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cinnamon
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts
big handful of dates, chopped

Make sure the melted coconut oil is totally cooled.

Add in the eggs, sugar, vanilla and carrots with the oil in a large bowl.

Mix in the dry ingredients and your nuts and chopped dates.

The batter will be nice and moist.

Brush your baking pan w/ coconut oil.

I used my glass Simax bundt pan, which makes a nice flat round cake and comes out of the mold perfectly every time. I love it.

If you don't have the Simax cake pan yet, then I would suggest greasing an 8" x 10" rectangle pan for this cake, not a tall bundt, or it might not cook in the middle.

Trust me.

Bake at 350F for 40-45 minutes.

Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then unmold.

I made an icing with 1 cup of confectioners sugar mixed w/ a tablespoon of water. Drizzle on the cake while still warm.

Sprinkle w/ coconut or nuts.

Even better the next day. So good!