Healthier Carrot Cake

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 0.75 cups vegetable oil
• 1.5 cups white sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 0.5 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. 1

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

2. 2

   Prepare the cake batter: Beat together eggs, oil, white sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.

3. 3

   Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.

4. 4

   Make the frosting: Combine butter, Neufchâtel cheese, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans.

5. 5

   Spread frosting over completely cooled cake.