Moist, Incredibly Delicious, Carrot Cake

I got this wonderful recipe from a not-so-wonderful person that later divulged it came from a top-rated restaurant. I'll never know if that is true, but the fact that the cake is wonderful definitely is! Little time consuming, but WELL worth all of your efforts. The original version has been changed to update ingredients and create a substitution friendly version. Experiment & Enjoy!

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• Cake Ingredients

• 2  cups flour (white or healthier combo)
• 2  teaspoons baking soda
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3  large eggs (egg beaters are great)
• 3⁄4 cup  vegetable oil (or combo yogurt, applesauce, fat-free mayo etc.)
• 3⁄4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 2  cups sugar
• 2  teaspoons vanilla
• 6  ounces  drained crushed pineapple
• 2  cups  shredded carrots
• 1⁄2 cup  shredded coconut
• 1  cup  chopped pecans

• Glaze Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup light butter
• 1  tablespoon corn syrup
• 1⁄3 tablespoon vanilla

• Frosting Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1⁄2 cup butter or 1⁄2 cup light butter

Directions

1. Cake:
2. Mix flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, sugar and vanilla; add to four mixture, add pineapple, coconut, pecans and carrots; stir well.
4. Grease and flour 9 x 13 cake pan.
5. Pour in batter and bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until tests done.
6. Glaze:
7. Mix all but vanilla in saucepan, bring to a boil.
8. Cook for 5 minutes stirring often.
9. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
10. Poke holes in warm cake every two inches.
11. Pour glaze over cake and cool cake until syrup is absorbed.
12. Frosting:
13. Combine and beat until smooth.
14. Frost cooled cake.