Carrot cake cheesecake, a great recipe mash-up of carrot cake and cheesecake. Cream cheese frosting on top of two classic cake favorites!
David’s birthday was on November 15th. Each year I try to make a dessert of his choice. I gave him my recipe binders and sent him my dessert Pinterest board to look through to find the dessert he wanted me to make. This year he asked me to make a carrot cake cheesecake, a recipe mash-up of carrot cake and creamy cheesecake.
Cheesecake isn’t hard to make but cannot be rushed. If you are patient, you get a beautiful velvety smooth cheesecake without cracks.
David is a team player on this blog, so he wanted to pick out something different instead of choosing a dessert I had already made and blogged about. However, it was really hard for him not to ask for the tiramisu I made last year again this year (I totally would have). He also loves carrot cake, and I have made a carrot cake for him a few times in the past, so that is why he decided to choose the carrot cake cheesecake.
Cream cheese frosting is the best part of carrot cake, so baking a creamy cheesecake on top of a carrot cake layer is a great recipe mash-up. You get the best of two dessert recipes all in one slice. Perfect for all David’s “sweet teeth.”
How To Make Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Make the carrot cake layer:
Place the oven rack in the middle position of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. (You will need an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan.)
Bake the pecans spread out onto a baking sheet until golden, about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool and chop them up.
In a large bowl, combine the chopped pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, and eggs together. Once they are incorporated, stir in the carrots. Fold the carrot mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.
Pour into the springform cake pan. Tap the pan on the counter to even out the batter and bring bubbles to the surface. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before adding the cheesecake layer.
Make the cheesecake layer:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure you have a large roasting pan and hot water ready to go when needed.
Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and granulated sugar until smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and then add to the mixing bowl, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of the springform pan with the carrot cake inside to seal out any water. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake; smooth out with a spoon or offset spatula. Place the springform pan inside the roasting pan; fill with water halfway up the sides of the foil-covered springform pan.
Bake for 1 hour or until the cheesecake is pale yellow. Turn off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside to rest for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Make the sour cream glaze:
Run a knife along the side of the springform pan. Remove the ring, exposing the carrot cake cheesecake.
In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt. It will start thick but will quickly thin out; just keep stirring.
I forgot to roast and toss the pecans into the carrot cake layer when making this recipe. David was a little annoyed, but I put them all over the top as the garnish.
This carrot cake cheesecake is a perfect recipe for the upcoming holidays to share with family and friends, with the pecans in the carrot cake layer or not (sigh).
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Ingredients
Carrot Cake Ingredients
- ½ cup pecan halves optional + more for garnish
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups carrots shredded (2 to 3 medium carrots)
Cheesecake Ingredients
- 24 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅔ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Sour Cream Glaze Ingredients
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
First make the carrot cake layer
- Place the oven rack in the middle position of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. (You will need an ungreased 9-inch springform cake pan.)
- Bake the pecans spread out onto a baking sheet, until golden, about 10 minutes. Allow them to cool and chop them up.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped pecans, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and ¼ teaspoon salt; set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, and eggs together. Once they are incorporated, stir in the carrots. Fold the carrot mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.
- Pour into the springform cake pan. Tap the pan on the counter to even out the batter and bring bubbles to the surface. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely, before adding the cheesecake layer.
Make the cheesecake layer
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Make sure you have a large roasting pan and hot water ready to go when needed.
- Using a mixer, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and granulated sugar, until smooth, about 3-5 minutes. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small bowl and then add to the mixing bowl, beating well after each addition. Beat in the flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom and sides of the springform pan with the carrot cake inside, to seal out any water. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the carrot cake; smooth out with a spoon or offset spatula. Place the springform pan inside the roasting pan; fill with water halfway up the sides of the foil covered springform pan.
- Bake for 1 hour or until the cheesecake is pale yellow. Turn off the oven, leaving the cheesecake inside to rest for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven; let cool completely on a rack. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Make the sour cream glaze
- Run a knife along the side of the springform pan. Remove the ring exposing the carrot cake cheesecake.
- In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and salt. It will start thick, but will quickly thin out, just keep stirring.
- Pour the glaze on top of the cheesecake; garnish with chopped pecans, if desired. Place the cheesecake back in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Cheryl "Cheffie Cooks" Wiser says
Yum-ooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks Cheryl!
Colleen says
Looks good! Bob and his sister Linda had never had carrot cake before I came along…the whole nut allergy thing. I think they would both love this one…without nuts of course!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Well I did forget to put them in the cake and it was still good!
Dana@IveGotCake says
Wow wee!! You are quite the baker babe!
<Such gorgeous presentation too!
The Mountain Kitchen says
I could not do this all the time. Cramps my style being so strict…lol! ?
Baishakhi says
It looks awsome. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Sure thing! We hope you enjoy it!