Description
A moist, spiced carrot cake with tangy cream cheese frosting. Enhanced with pineapple for moisture and pecans for nutty depth, this halal-friendly cake is easy to prepare and adapts from weeknight comfort to holiday showstopper.
Ingredients
3 cups grated carrots, freshly grated
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
3 cups vegetable oil
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained with juice
¾ cup chopped pecans (batter)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (frosting)
2 cups Neufchatel cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup chopped pecans (frosting)
1 teaspoon non-alcoholic vanilla extract (batter)
1 teaspoon non-alcoholic vanilla extract (frosting)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13-inch pan
In a large bowl, mix grated carrots, flour, sugar, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, and baking powder with a hand whisk
Add eggs, vegetable oil, non-alcoholic vanilla extract, crushed pineapple with juice, and chopped pecans (¾ cup). Stir until fully combined
Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean
Let cake cool completely
Beat confectioners’ sugar, Neufchatel cheese, softened butter, and non-alcoholic vanilla extract for the frosting. Fold in 1 cup chopped pecans
Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cake
Notes
Adjust cinnamon to taste by adding up to 2 teaspoons total
Swap 1/3 of the all-purpose flour with almond flour for a denser texture
For a crisper crust, avoid substituting oil with applesauce as pineapple provides better lift
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 35
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 30g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 60mg