Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I made this carrot cake for my daughters 2nd birthday, thinking our guests might not like carrot cake. To my surprise every single person there loved it, had seconds and asked at least twice for the recipe. I know the birthday girl liked it (who I was trying to please), but didn't think others would find it a favorite... I'm glad I was wrong! It's still my daughters favorite. And I made it last night for dessert! yum yum!!!

3 eggs
3/4 c. Buttermilk
3/4 c. Canola oil
1 1/2 tea vanilla
11/2 c. sugar
2 tea. cinnamon
1/2 tea salt
2 c. Flour
2 tea. baking soda
2 c. shredded carrots
1 c. shredded coconut
1 c. Chopped walnuts
1-8oz. crushed pineapple w/ juice
1 c. raisins (optional)

Cream cheese frosting
2pkg (8oz) softened cream cheese 
1/2 c. butter softened
1 tea. vanilla
2 c.powdered sugar
1/2 c ground walnuts

Heat your oven to 350, than grease and flour 2 round cake pans 9"x 9".
In a large bowl, beat eggs, buttermilk, oil, sugar and vanilla. In a medium bowl mix together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Slowly add flour mixture to egg mixture, mixing well.
Add in shredded carrots, coconut, walnuts, pineapple and raisins.
Pour half the mixture into each cake pan, and bake for 40 min, and check with a toothpick
Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before frosting. I like to remove the cakes onto a cooling cookie rack, and place those in the frig (ya, I'm THAT impatience!)
I DONT like raisins...so I don't add them. To me, raisins are just an obstacle you have to maneuver around while your eating the cake...worth it!

 For the frosting:

In a mixer, beat together the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Slowly add in the powered sugar. It will be somewhat thick, since its a thicker recipe. If you want it to be a thinner recipe (not calorie wise lol!) just add a tablespoon of milk at a time while mixing it. Frost cake, and sprinkle on the ground walnuts-my daughter wanted chopped walnuts-she decorated this cake with the walnuts, and helped frost it...I may have a little baker in the future!!!