Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting

     I've had carrot cake on my mind, lately.  I love carrot cake!  But I don't know exactly what it is about cakes.  I wouldn't think twice about making a tart (making a tart every day, in fact).  But a cake... I don't know.  I seem to need some sort of a celebration to push me into baking and frosting a cake.  Now, is that just me, or do you feel that way too? 
     So... what to do?  Nothing of great importance happening this week that deserves a cake.  What I settled on, to get my "carrot cake" fix were these Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting.  In fact, the carrot cake that I make and love is also iced with orange frosting.  These cookies were a perfect substitution. 
    

     Now, there is a celebratory cake in LivingTastefully's future.  My father is turning 90 and will be here with us and many others the end of October; definitely an event worthy of a cake!

                   Carrot Cookies with Orange Frosting

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup cooked and puréed carrots
• 2 eggs at room temperature
• 3/4 cup flaked coconut
• Orange frosting, recipe follows

1.  Preheat oven to 400˚F.
2.  Combine flour, baking powder and salt; stir well.  Set aside.  Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy.  Add carrots and eggs, beating well.  Add dry ingredients, mixing well; stir in coconut.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheets, 2-inches apart. 
3.  Place baking sheet on a rack in the center of the oven and bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until golden brown.  Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.  Frost with the orange frosting.

                                                    Orange Frosting

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• Grated rind of 1 large organic orange
• 1 tablespoon orange juice

1.  Combine all of the ingredients; beat until light and fluffy.

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