An old favorite with an updated nutritional profile, but still as moist and delicious as ever.

Makes 16 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes (plus 1 hour cooling time)

EASE OF PREPARATION: Moderate

Cake
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (see Ingredient Note)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained, juice reserved
2 cups grated carrots (4-6 medium)
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
Frosting
2 tablespoons coconut chips or flaked coconut
12 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. To prepare cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Toast walnuts in a small baking pan in the oven until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar, buttermilk, oil, vanilla and 1/4 cup of the reserved pineapple juice in a large bowl until blended. Stir in pineapple, carrots and coconut. Add the dry ingredients and mix with a rubber spatula just until blended. Stir in the nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
4. Bake the cake until the top springs back when touched lightly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
5. To prepare frosting & finish cake: Place coconut in a small baking pan and toast in the oven at 300 degrees F, stirring several times, until light golden, 5 to 10 minutes.
6. Beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with the coconut.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 344 calories; 17 g fat (5 g sat, 6 g mono); 56 mg cholesterol; 43 g carbohydrate; 6 g protein; 3 g fiber; 349 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (40% daily value), Fiber (12% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Servings

TIP: Ingredient Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

This cake is very moist and delicious. It disappeared quickly. I think we each ate an inch of it every time we passed it on the counter. To cut down on the calories, we placed a dollop of icing on each piece rather than spreading it so we used less icing.

Ginny

This cake disappeared fast when i prepared it in a large communal household, but some people were disappointed by the frosting. Maybe a simple sprinkling of powdered sugar would be better.

Anonymous, Bellingham, WA

This cake is wonderful! My husband and I made it for Easter, and it was a big hit with my family! We divided the cake batter into two round baking pans and made a double-layer cake, and we only needed to bake it for about 30 minutes. Also, we like lots of icing, so we doubled the recipe for that!

Anonymous, Houston, TX

My family loved this. But if you're expecting the flavors of traditional carrot cake, the title of this recipe is a little deceiving. It should be called Carrot-Pineapple Cake instead. But it's delicious all the same. We tried cooking in a spring-form pan, but the middle didn't cook. Next time, we'll cook in two separate round pans and make a layered cake.

Penelope, Burlington, VT

Awesome cake. Not sure how to store it though, in fridge or outside? I omiited the walnuts and didn't use any frosting and I still love it. It's totally addicting and the best cake I've ever made. I probably won't make it anytime soon again though since every time I pass it I have to eat an inch off of it.

Foodchick, Somewhere, TX

This is the first carrot cake I've ever made and will be the last! To say this carrot cake is excellent would be an understatement!!! The icing could use a bit more sugar and the cake is best kept in the refrigerator as it is most flavorful when served cold. I lost this recipe and it is so good that I spent over 30 minutes searching for it on the Internet. I won't lose it again!! Happy Eating!

Trudy Jaynes, Clyde, NC

It is so disappointing that your recipes contain sugar, which is not healthy!!! What we need are recipes to make desserts without sugar using agave nectar, honey or some other healthy alternative. Thanks.

Bettye Campbell, Anza, CA

I really liked this recipe. It wasn't too difficult at all. The cake was moist and delicious. To cut calories, I used Splenda instead of sugar. I also accidentally forgot to get buttermilk, so I used my low fat milk in the fridge. It tasted it fine! The one thing that I wasn't a super huge fan of was the frosting. It was too much like cream cheese, I guess. It had that kind of tart taste. If I make this again, I may just make a coconut whipped cream or something to put on top of it.

Susie

This--I would have to say--is one of the most magnificent recipes ever. I have been baking healthy for a while now (no butter, little sugar, fruits and veggies, etc.) and this tastes like nothing I have made before. Moist, buttery... delish! I would eat this every day, never getting tired of it! Thank you so much.

Rina, Boise, ID

Cake was very moist, flavorful, not too sweet, and easy to bake. Frosting wasn't as smooth, light, or sweet as needed to complement the cake. Nonetheless, it's a tasty, healthy, and fresh cake. I used applesauce instead of oil to further reduce fat, omitted coconut, and limited nuts. It turned out great. Huge cake- must share!

Alicia, Houston, TX