Carrot Cake with Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting

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

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.

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.

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.