Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cupcake pan with liners.

Using your electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat vegetable oil and sugar until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat until well combined. Add vanilla and beat to combine.

In a medium size bowl, add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine. With your mixer on LOW speed, add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (do not overmix).

With a spatula, fold in shredded carrots, coconut, crushed pineapple, and walnuts. Again, do not overmix.

Pour batter into each cupcake liner until ¾ full and bake for 18-24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, beat the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla paste with your electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. Add salt and 3 cups of powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined. Add an additional 3 cups of powdered sugar and beat on low until combined. If desired, add another 2 cups of powdered sugar, then add 1 or 2 tablespoons of hot water and mix on low to medium speed for 5-10 minutes, or until frosting is light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add another tablespoon of water. If frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

To decorate, spread out toasted coconut and walnuts on a baking sheet. Add 75% of the frosting to the large piping bag fitted with tip #1M. Starting in the middle of the cupcake, make a circular motion around the top. Roll the edges of the frosted cupcake in the coconut and walnuts. Repeat with each cupcake.

Using the remaining frosting, divide into two small bowls. Add a few drops of green coloring to one bowl, and orange to the other. Add the orange frosting to a small piping bag fitted with tip #12, and add the green frosting to a small piping bag fitted with tip #103. In a back and forth motion (to resemble ridges of a carrot), pipe orange frosting on top of each cupcake to make a carrot shape (larger at top, smaller at bottom). With the green frosting, pipe two lines to resemble the top of a carrot.