Carrot Cake with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

This rich, moist carrot cake recipe has all the flavor, without all the fat and calories. Because it is so full of carrots, pineapple, and nuts, it is similar to a fruit bread. For the best flavor, bake the cake one day ahead.

By Meghan Miller

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 teaspoons baking soda

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 2 large eggs

• 1 ½ cups white sugar

• ¾ cup buttermilk

• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 ½ cups grated carrots

• 1 ½ cups chopped pecans

• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved

Frosting:

• 1 (8 ounce) package Neufchâtel cheese, softened

• 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice

• 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 pinch salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-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