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1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour 2 (8-inch) round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
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2
Butter the parchment well too.
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3
Pulse the pineapple in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until it is finely chopped.
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4
Put the eggs in a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
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5
Beat the eggs for 10 seconds.
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6
Add the oil, 1/4 cup melted butter, vanilla, carrots, chopped pineapple and grated fresh ginger and mix until combined.
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7
Whisk together the flour, sugars, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a bowl until combined.
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8
Add the wet ingredients and beat on low speed just until combined.
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9
Remove and fold in the crystallized ginger and pecans.
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10
Divide the batter between the 2 pans.
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11
Bake until the tops are a very golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 40 to 55 minutes.
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12
Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack and let them cool completely.
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13
Remove the parchment from the bottoms of each cake.
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14
Cool completely before frosting.
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15
In a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer, bring the water, corn syrup, 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar and vanilla bean to 246 degrees F. Before adding the syrup to the egg whites below, carefully remove the vanilla bean.
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16
In the meantime, in a completely clean, dry mixing bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites, salt and cream of tartar until creamy and foamy, about 2 minutes.
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17
Still whisking, sprinkle in the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar and continue to whisk until the whites hold very soft peaks, about 2 minutes.
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18
While mixing on slow speed, carefully drizzle in the hot syrup.
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19
Turn the mixer to high and whisk until thick, fluffy and just warm, about 7 minutes.
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20
Turn the mixer to low and whisk in the reserved vanilla seeds.
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21
Scrape the fluff into a bowl.
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22
Wash the bowl and whisk and return them to the machine.
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23
Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of the mixer and mix until light and fluffy.
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24
Add the powdered sugar and mix on low until combined.
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25
Increase the speed and whip until light and fluffy.
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26
Add about 2 cups of Fluff and the vanilla and whip until combined.
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27
Refrigerate for 15 minutes if too soft to use as frosting.
