This is a recipe my mother gave me probably more than 20 years ago. It sounds like the one your father had. Funny how we associate certain foods with certain people.

14 Karat Cake

3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups oil
4 eggs, beaten
3 cups grated carrots
1 small (8 1/4 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup flaked cocoanut
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts of choice (I use almonds, my mother swore by pecans) If you don't like nuts, skip them.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients. Blend well.

Beat together oil and eggs and add to dry ingredients.

Add carrots, raisins, coconut and nuts. Pour into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake for 1 hour. Check after about 45 minutes or so and if top of cake is too brown cover with foil.

As an alternative, bake in round cake pans (I need 3 for the size and depth of my cake pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Icing
3 oz package of cream cheese, room temp
1 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1/2 cup toasted coconut

Beat cream cheese till softened. Add sugar and vanilla. Add milk as needed to spreading consistency. Ice cooled cake, Sprinkle with coconut.

Icing for layer cake:
Make icing using 8 oz. of cream cheese. 6 cups of sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla. Thin as needed. Ice cake and let chill.

When frosting has cooled and set, press coconut up the sides of the cake. Enjoy.