There’s nothing quite like the combination of two classic desserts. This Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the ultimate indulgence—moist, spiced carrot cake layers with a creamy cheesecake filling, perfect for any special occasion or just because. It’s sure to impress and satisfy any sweet tooth.
Why This Carrot Cake Cheesecake Is the Best
Moist and Spiced Carrot Cake: The carrot cake layers are perfectly moist and spiced with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, providing a warm and comforting flavor.
Creamy Cheesecake Filling: The cheesecake filling is smooth, rich, and creamy, adding a delightful contrast to the spiced carrot cake. It’s made with high-quality cream cheese for the best texture and flavor.
Beautiful Presentation: This dessert is not only delicious but also visually stunning. The layers of carrot cake and cheesecake create a beautiful cross-section that’s sure to impress.
Ingredient Notes:
Cheesecake Mixture:
Cream cheese: The base of the cheesecake, provides a rich and creamy texture.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cheesecake mixture and balances the tanginess of the cream cheese.
Sour cream: Adds a slight tang and creaminess, contributing to the smooth texture.
Carrot Cake:
Finely grated carrots: The star ingredient that gives the cake moisture and its distinct carrot flavor.
Canola oil: Provides moisture and helps keep the carrot cake soft and tender.
Ground cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice, which complements the sweetness of the cake.
Topping:
Cream cheese: Adds creaminess to the topping, complementing the cheesecake layer.
Powdered sugar: Sweetens the topping, balancing the tanginess of the cream cheese and sour cream.
Serving Suggestions
Chilled or Room Temperature: Carrot cake cheesecake can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature. Chilling it makes the cheesecake firmer and the flavors more pronounced.
With a Hot Beverage: Pair this cheesecake with a hot cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa for the ultimate comforting treat. The warmth of the drink complements the rich and spiced flavors perfectly.
For Dessert or a Special Treat: This cheesecake is versatile enough to serve as a dessert or a special treat. It’s perfect for sharing at parties or enjoying as an indulgent snack.
Tips for Perfect Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Use Fresh Carrots: Freshly grated carrots provide the best texture and flavor. Avoid using pre-shredded carrots as they can be dry.
Don’t Overmix the Batter: Overmixing can make the cake dense. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
Let It Cool Completely: Allow the cheesecake to cool completely before slicing. This helps it set and makes slicing easier.
A Must Try
Nothing quite like the smell of carrot cake cheesecake baking in the oven. This Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the perfect way to treat yourself or your loved ones to something special. Rich, spiced, and irresistibly creamy, it’s sure to become a favorite in your home.
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
The ingredients and steps might seem a bit long, but trust me, making this is easier than it seems. And even if it does take a while, it’s worth it—it’s carrot cake cheesecake, after all! The challenging part is waiting to cool and sit in the fridge. But once you finally get to dig into a slice of this heavenly cheesecake, with its irresistible layers, each bite is pure bliss…
You can customize this recipe to suit your taste, especially when it comes to nuts. If you have allergies or simply aren’t a fan of nuts, you can easily leave them out. Instead, you can use crushed graham crackers or Biscoff cookies to enjoy that delightful crunch still!
Love cakes? Be sure to check out these other delicious cake recipes!
Lemon Blueberry Cake
Blueberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Marble Loaf Cake
Strawberry Crumble Cake
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake Mixture
- 2 8 oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened (but not melted)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Carrot Cake
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon 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 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups finely grated carrots
Topping
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoon sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with butter and set it aside.
For the cheesecake mixture:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of flour until well combined.
- Add cream cheese to the sugar mixture. Using an electric hand mixer set on low speed, blend the cream cheese and sugar mixture until smooth.
- Mix in the eggs one at a time, blending just until combined after each addition. Add vanilla with the second egg.
- Blend in the sour cream.
- Tap the bowl forcefully against the countertop about 30 times to release any air bubbles.
- Set the mixture aside for later use.
For the carrot cake mixture:
- Afterward, clean the beaters by rinsing them. In another mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg for about 30 seconds.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine canola oil, applesauce, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Use an electric hand mixer set on low speed to blend the mixture for about 1 minute.
- While the mixer is running on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well blended. Then, add the shredded carrots and mix until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Tap the bowl forcefully against the counter about 3 times to release any large air pockets.
To assemble cheesecake:
- Pour 1 1/2 cups of the carrot cake mixture into the buttered springform pan and spread it into an even layer. Spoon about 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture by the spoonfuls over the carrot cake layer, without spreading or swirling it.
- Next, spoon the remaining carrot cake mixture over the cream cheese layer. Then, drizzle the remaining cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake layer, ensuring that it covers all of the carrot cake mixture.
- You can do this by slowly drizzling it over with a spoon.
- Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the center portion only jiggles slightly. Tent the cake with aluminum foil at the 40-minute mark to prevent excessive browning. Make sure the foil doesn't touch the cheesecake or it will stick.
- Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then, cover it with foil and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
For the topping:
- In a mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to whip together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add the remaining topping ingredients and mix until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, which takes about 5 minutes.
- Spread the topping evenly over the cheesecake, then chill the cheesecake in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Sprinkle chopped pecans around the edges.
- Once chilled, remove the ring from the springform pan and cut the cheesecake into slices. Store the cheesecake in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
RUTH
Wow! When I am more mobile, I will certainly make this. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Holly Henry
You are welcome, waiting for your feedback ♥