Preheat oven to 177°C (350°F) and line a 9" x13" inch rectangle baking pan or two 8-inch round pans.
Pop the pecans on a rimmed, lined baking tray and toast them in the preheated oven for around 5 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from the oven and, once cooled enough to handle, transfer them to a cutting board and chop them into small pieces. You can set a quarter cup aside to garnish the cake , if you like. Otherwise, we're going to fold them into the cake batter.
Combine the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and spices in a large mixing bowl.
Combine the milk, apple cider vinegar, sugar, sunflower oil, apple sauce and vanilla in a separate bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined.
Add the grated carrot, coconut and pecans and mix to combine. Don't overmix.
Transfer the batter to the pan and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes (25-30 minutes for the two round cakes) or until a skewer comes away clean from the centre.
Remove from the oven and allow it to sit for 10-minutes before turning it out on to a cooling rack or plate. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.