Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm not going to use best lightly here. I acknowledge everyone has different taste preferences, but for me and my family, this was exactly what we wanted. Unfortunately, the frosting didn't like me very much, so I had my cupcake frosting-less, but watching everyone else love it made me happy. I'm posting here so as not to forget, and remember I'm, at a high altitude, so I'll add my adjustments in parentheses next to the original recipes.

The cake came from Southern Living and the frosting came from Our Best Bites, both found online.

Best Carrot Cake

2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour (2 + 2T)
2 tsp. baking soda ( 1 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (I used almond milk with 1/2 tsp. vinegar)
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups grated carrot
8 oz. crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 c. flaked coconut

Line cupcake pan with paper liners or 3 round cakepans with wax paperl lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350.
Mix the first four ingredients together. Set aside.
Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended, then add liquid ingredients. Fold in carrot, pineapple, and coconut. Pour batter into whichever pans you've chosen.
For the cupcakes, bake about 20 minutes, checking for doneness. For the cake, bake for 25-30 min. or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cook in pans on wire rack for 15 min. Then remove to the desired serving plate for decorating. For the cake spread cream cheese frosting between the layers and on top and side of cake. Frosting may need to be doubled. I made cupcakes, and this was just enough.

Best Cream Cheese Frosting

2 bricks (16 oz. total) cream cheese, full fat
1/2 cup salted butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Let cheese some to almost room temperature, but still cool. (I let mine sit out about 25 min.) Slowly beat with butter, then beat at medium speed for a full minute or until mixed well. Slowly add powdered sugar, then vanilla, until blended well. This pipes really well and gives you a wonderful taste of cream cheese not just sugar. I dusted with crystal sugar on top to give it a "frosted" look to go with our "Frozen" party. More pics coming later.