Preheat your oven to 350°F. Finely shred the carrots and set aside—I find using the fine side of a box grater or a food processor gives the most tender texture in the finished cake. Drain the pineapple well and chop into small pieces. Coarsely chop the pecans for the batter and set aside separately from the toasted pecans you'll use for topping. Measure out all remaining dry ingredients and have everything ready before you start mixing, as the batter comes together quickly.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted and cooled butter, coconut oil, sugars, eggs at room temperature, and vanilla. Mix for about 1 minute until the mixture is well combined and slightly lightened in color. The room-temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly and create a better emulsion with the fats. Add the cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix for 30 seconds just until combined. Then add the flours and stir until no dry streaks remain—don't overmix as this can toughen the cake.

Fold the shredded carrots, drained pineapple, coconut, and chopped pecans from Step 1 into the batter using a rubber spatula with gentle, sweeping motions—folding rather than stirring keeps the cake tender. Pour the batter into a parchment-lined baking pan and bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before proceeding—this makes cutting the rounds much easier and prevents them from crumbling.

While the cake cools, combine the softened butter and cream cheese in a clean bowl and beat together until smooth and well blended—I always use Philadelphia brand cream cheese as it has the right consistency and doesn't have added gums. Add the powdered sugar and mix for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. The frosting should be spreadable and pipeable but still hold its shape. If it seems too soft, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes before using.

While the frosting sets if needed, toast the 3/4 cup of pecans for garnish in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden. Chop them into 1/4-inch pieces and set aside. Once the cooled cake from Step 3 is ready, use a round cutter (about 2-3 inches in diameter works well for standard jars) to cut out cake rounds. Transfer the frosting from Step 4 into a piping bag fitted with a round or star tip for easy layering.

Beginning with a small dollop of frosting at the bottom of each jar to anchor the cake, alternate layers of cake rounds and frosting, pressing gently so each layer settles. Continue layering until the jar is nearly full, finishing with a frosting layer on top for a polished appearance. Sprinkle the toasted chopped pecans from Step 5 over the top of each jar as the final garnish. These look beautiful and stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, making them perfect for gift-giving or advance preparation.