Carrot Cake with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot cake recipe is loaded with pineapple and pecans and topped with pineapple cream cheese frosting for a satisfying, rich, and hearty dessert.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 398 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (16 ounce) package confectioners' sugar
• cooking spray
• 1 (8 ounce) package Neufchatel cheese, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple in juice, drained and juice reserved
• 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice
• 0.5 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 1.5 cups chopped pecans
• 0.75 cup buttermilk
• 0.75 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2.5 cups grated carrots

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Step 2

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.

Step 3

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.

Step 4

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.

Step 5

Spread frosting over cold cake.