This rich, moist cake 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.
Ingredients
- cooking spray:
- all-purpose flour: 2 cups
- baking soda: 2 tsp
- ground cinnamon: 2 tsp
- salt: 0.5 tsp
- eggs: 2 piece
- ½ cups white sugar: 1 piece
- buttermilk: 0.75 cup
- unsweetened applesauce: 0.75 cup
- vegetable oil: 2 Tbsp
- vanilla extract: 2 tsp
- ½ cups grated carrots: 2 piece
- ½ cups chopped pecans: 1 piece
- pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved: 1 can (8 ounce can, crushed)
- Neufchatel cheese: 1 pack (8 ounce pack, softened)
- reserved pineapple juice: 1 Tbsp
- confectioners' sugar: 1 pack (16 ounce pack)
- vanilla extract: 1 tsp
- pinch salt: 1 piece
Metric Conversion
Stages of cooking
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
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Sift flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a bowl. Lightly beat eggs in a bowl; add white sugar, buttermilk, applesauce, oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and mix well. Stir buttermilk mixture, carrots, pecans, and drained pineapple into flour mixture just until mixed; pour into prepared dish.
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Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool cake in baking dish on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap; refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
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Beat Neufchatel cheese and 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice together in a bowl with an electric mixer until smooth; add confectioners' sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 pinch salt and beat until frosting is smooth. Spread frosting on cake.
