Two of my favorite cakes come together to make the ultimate spring dessert, this decadent carrot cake cheesecake. If you like carrot cake or cheesecake, you have to try this one! It’s an elegant dessert that is certain to impress. It would be perfect to make for Easter or an upcoming birthday. Really, who wouldn’t love this?
The ingredients and directions do look rather lengthy, but this is easier to make than the recipe makes it appear. Besides, even if it took hours to make, it’s worth it, this is carrot cake cheesecake! The hard part of this is the wait. Yes, cheesecake requires that long cooling and refrigeration period but the patience pays off once you get to sink your fork into a piece of this utterly divine cheesecake, through each of those irresistible layers, and you get to slowly savor each and every bite… Enjoy!
This carrot cake cheesecake is one of my most prized recipes, and it’s an absolute showstopper–no other dessert can compare (except maybe my cheesecake stuffed chocolate cake!). With its incredibly moist and perfectly spiced carrot cake layers, sweet but tangy cheesecake center, and a lighter, whipped version of my cream cheese frosting, this is most definitely one of my favorite cakes.
While it took a few tries to achieve a perfectly moist cake, a perfectly creamy cheesecake, and a suitable ratio of one to the other, I finally have a beautifully balanced cake to share with you. I have a feeling this carrot cake cheesecake will be the star of many Easter dessert tables; but then again, it would be divine for any dessert table, anytime, ever.
Ingredients
Cheesecake Mixture
2 (8 oz) pkgs. cream cheese, softened well (but not melted)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
Carrot Cake
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups finely grated carrots
Topping
2 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp butter, softened
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup (+ 2 Tbsp) sour cream
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set aside.
For the cheesecake mixture:
In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and 1 1/2 tsp flour until well combined. Add cream cheese and using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend together cream cheese and granulated sugar mixture until smooth.
Mix in eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each addition and adding in vanilla with second egg. Blend in sour cream. Forcefully tap bowl against countertop about 30 times to release air bubbles. Set mixture aside.
For the carrot cake mixture:
Rinse beaters clean. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg for 30 seconds.
To a separate large mixing bowl, add canola oil, applesauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and blend mixture using electric hand mixer set on low speed for 1 minute.
With mixer running on low speed, slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until well blended. Add carrots and mix until evenly distributed. Tap bowl forcefully against counter, about 3 times, just to release large air pockets.
To assemble cheesecake:
Pour 1 1/2 cups carrot cake mixture into buttered springform pan and spread into an even layer. Dollop about 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture by the spoonfuls over carrot cake layer (don’t spread or swirl).
Spoon remaining carrot cake mixture over cream cheese layer, then finish by drizzling by the remaining cheesecake mixture over carrot cake layer, working to cover all of the carrot cake mixture (I found this easiest to do this was by slowly drizzling over with the spoon).
Bake in preheated oven 60 – 65 minutes, until center portion only jiggles slightly and tenting with aluminum foil at 40 minutes to prevent excessive browning (tent in a way that the foil doesn’t touch cheesecake or it will stick). Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack 1 hour, then cover with foil and chill in refrigerator 6 hours or overnight.
For the topping:
In a mixing bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add remaining topping ingredients and mix until pale and fluffy, about 4 – 5 minutes.
Spread evenly over cheesecake then chill cheesecake in freezer for 20 – 30 minutes. Sprinkle edges with chopped pecans. Remove springform pan ring then cut into slices. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.