Carrot Cake with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

Prep Time:
20 mins

Cook Time:
45 mins

Additional Time:
9 hrs

Total Time:
10 hrs 5 mins

Servings:
16

Yield:
1 (9×13-inch) cake

Ingredients

Cake:

2cupsall-purpose flour
• 2teaspoonsbaking soda
• 2teaspoonsground cinnamon
• ½teaspoonsalt
• 2largeeggs
• 1 ½cupswhite sugar
• ¾cupbuttermilk
• ¾cupunsweetened applesauce
• 2tablespoonsvegetable oil
• 2teaspoonsvanilla extract
• 2 ½cupsgrated carrots
• 1 ½cupschopped pecans
• 1(8 ounce) cancrushed pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved

Frosting:

1(8 ounce) packageNeufchâtel cheese, softened
• 1tablespoonreserved pineapple juice
• 1(16 ounce) packageconfectioners' sugar
• 1teaspoonvanilla extract
• 1pinchsalt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Make cake: Sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a second large bowl; add sugar, buttermilk, applesauce, oil, and vanilla and mix until well combined. Stir buttermilk mixture, carrots, pecans, and drained pineapple into flour mixture just until mixed; pour into the prepared baking dish.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in the baking dish on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 8 hours to overnight.

Make frosting: Beat together Neufchâtel cheese and 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and salt; beat until frosting is smooth.

Spread frosting over cold cake.

Recipe Tips

You can substitute walnuts for pecans and 1/4 cup silken tofu for eggs if desired.

Two 8- or 9-inch baking pans can be used instead of 9×13-inch if desired. The next day, gently remove cakes from the pans and prepare to frost them.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)