Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot cake cheesecake is sweet, nutty, and completely decadent. This luscious dessert is layers of carrot cake and cheesecake, topped with cream cheese icing.

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Sweet, nutty, and completely luscious, this decadent carrot cake cheesecake has a traditional cheesecake layered between two layers of carrot cake. Topped with a rich cream cheese icing, this impressive dessert is scrumptious enough to serve for any occasion. 

MORE RECIPES: Carrot Cake | Carrot Cake Roll | Chocolate Peanut Butter Crazy Cake

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot cake cheesecake turns two classic recipes into one decadent dessert. This mouthwatering combination of creamy traditional cheesecake and rich carrot cake is so scrumptious that you won’t want to stop at one slice. 

The ultimate Easter dessert, this sweet recipe will wow guests for any holiday or special occasion. Serve your carrot cake cheesecake with a cool drink like an Orange Julius or a Screwdriver Cocktail. 

Anyone who likes carrot cake or cheesecake will adore this delectable dessert. Fluffy and moist, this beautiful layered dessert will impress family, friends, and anyone who gets to take a delicious bite. 

Carrot Cake Cheesecake Ingredients

• Cream cheese
• Sugar - granulated sugar
• Salt
• Flour - all-purpose flour
• Cinnamon
• Vanilla extract
• Eggs - large eggs
• Sour cream
• Cake mix - spice cake mix
• Oil - vegetable oil
• Carrots - shredded carrots
• Pecans - chopped pecans
  Butter - salted butter
• Sugar - powdered sugar
• Heavy cream
• Pecans - whole pecan for decorating, optional garnish

What is a carrot cake without carrots? Carrots can be shredded using a box grater or a food processor. Shredding the carrots at home helps make sure they are moist, adding to the tender texture of the cake. 

To avoid having the cheesecake crack, make sure not to overmix the ingredients. Overbeating the cheesecake will add too much air to the batter, leading to it puffing during baking and then cracking while cooling. 

Be sure the water bath dish will fit the 9-inch springform pan easily inside. Using a water bath for your cheesecake layer will give you a moist, perfectly baked cheesecake. If the cheesecake is still really jiggly after baking for 45 minutes, continue to bake in 4 to 5-minute increments, checking between each. Also, if the cheesecake is sticking, run a butter knife gently around the edge of the springform pan to release it.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Cheesecake

FIRST STEP: Fill a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with 1 inch of water and place it into the oven to serve as a water bath. Be sure this dish will fit the 9-inch springform pan easily inside. Place on the middle rack of the oven.

SECOND STEP: Preheat the oven to 325°F.

THIRD STEP: In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until combined and fluffy.

FOURTH STEP: Add in salt, flour, and cinnamon then mix until combined.

FIFTH STEP: Using a spatula and mixing gently, do not use a hand mixer, stir in vanilla extract and one egg at a time.

SIXTH STEP: Fold in sour cream and mix gently until smooth.

SEVENTH STEP: Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper.

EIGHTH STEP: Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Wrap the bottom of the pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil.

NINTH STEP: Place the pan wrapped with foil into the preheated water bath.

TENTH STEP: Bake for 45 minutes. The center of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly.

ELEVENTH STEP: Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 20 minutes.

TWELFTH STEP: Crack open the oven and allow the oven and cheesecake to cool for 20 minutes longer.

THIRTEENTH STEP: Remove cheesecake from the oven to a cooling rack and cool completely.

FOURTEENTH STEP: Remove the sides of the springform pan. Wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours. This makes it easier to transfer the cheesecake layer to the cake.

Cake

FIRST STEP: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

SECOND STEP: In a large mixing bowl, on medium to high speed beat together all cake ingredients except for the carrots and pecans. Mix until batter is combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

THIRD STEP: Fold in carrots and pecans until evenly distributed.

FOURTH STEP: Prepare two 9-inch round pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

FIFTH STEP: Divide the batter between the two cake pans. You can eyeball it or use a scale and weigh each pan with the batter and adjust accordingly.

SIXTH STEP: Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs.

SEVENTH STEP: Remove pans and cool for 15 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

EIGHTH STEP: Wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 2 hours.

NINTH STEP: Remove the cake from the freezer right before assembling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

FIRST STEP: In a large mixing bowl on high speed, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

SECOND STEP: Add in vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

THIRD STEP: Add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth, the mixture will be thick.

FOURTH STEP: Drizzle heavy cream into the frosting mixture while beating until frosting is fluffy and to a spreadable consistency.

FIFTH STEP: Reserve ½ cup of the cream cheese frosting for the frosting swirl decoration. Spoon the cream cheese frosting into a decorator's bag or a quart-size Ziploc bag with a small corner tip snipped off. A star-shaped decorating tip can be used in the decorator's bag. Set it aside.

SIXTH STEP: Fold in chopped pecans and stir until evenly distributed.

Assembly

FIRST STEP: Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.

SECOND STEP: Place the first cake layer top side up onto the serving platter. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake.

THIRD STEP: Lay the cheesecake layer on top of the thinly frosted first cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cheesecake.

FOURTH STEP: Place the second cake layer on top of the thinly frosted cheesecake. Spread a thin layer of frosting. Then place the whole cake into the freezer for one hour.

FIFTH STEP: Remove the cake from the freezer. Mound frosting on top of the cake. Use a spatula or offset spatula to spread the frosting across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.

SIXTH STEP: Using either the decorator's bag or the Ziploc bag with the reserved cream cheese frosting, hold the tip about ½ inch above the surface of the cake. Using light pressure, gently swirl a small circle of icing. Space the swirls a ½-inch to 1-inch apart. You can also use these as markers for each piece of cake.

SEVENTH STEP: Once you have made your swirls you can place a whole pecan half on top of the swirls. This is an optional garnish.

Can I use a yellow cake mix? 

You can substitute a yellow cake mix for the spice cake mix and then add your own choice of spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. Raisins are another delicious addition you can to the carrot cake batter. 

How do I check the doneness of the cake? 

Checking cake doneness with a wooden toothpick gives better results than a metal tester. A few crumbs sticking to the wood is the doneness you want. With a metal tester, they just slide right off and you can easily overbake.

Why do I need to use room temperature ingredients? 

To keep your cheesecake as smooth as possible you want to make sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing them together. 

How to Store Carrot Cake Cheesecake 

IN THE FRIDGE:  Store leftover carrot cake cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  
IN THE FREEZER: Carrot cake cheesecake can be kept in the freezer for up to 1 month in a freezer-safe container. Defrost in the refrigerator before serving.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot cake cheesecake is sweet, nutty, and completely decadent. This luscious dessert is layers of carrot cake and cheesecake, topped with cream cheese icing.

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Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Chill Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 6 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 16 servings

Calories 635 kcal

Ingredients

  

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Cheesecake Ingredients:

• packages cream cheese (softened) 2-8 oz.
• granulated sugar 1 cup
• salt ¼ teaspoon
• all-purpose flour 1½ tablespoons
• cinnamon 1 teaspoon
• vanilla extract 1 tablespoon
• large eggs (room temperature) 2
• sour cream (room temperature) ½ cup

Cake Ingredients

• spice cake mix 1 package
• eggs (room temperature) 3
• sour cream (room temperature) 1 cup
• vegetable oil ½ cup
• vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
• shredded carrots 1¾ cups
• chopped pecans 1 cup

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

• salted butter (softened) 1 cup
• of cream cheese (softened) 12 ounces
• vanilla extract 1 teaspoon
• powdered sugar 3½ cups
• heavy cream 4 tablespoons
• chopped pecans 1 cup
• Whole pecan for decorating

DIRECTIONS

 

Cheesecake

• Fill a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet with 1 inch of water and place it into the oven to serve as a water bath. Be sure this dish will fit the 9-inch springform pan easily inside. Place on the middle rack of the oven.
• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese and sugar until combined and fluffy.
• Add in salt, flour, and cinnamon then mix until combined.
• Using a spatula and mixing gently, do not use a hand mixer, stir in vanilla extract and one egg at a time.
• Fold in sour cream and mix gently until smooth.
• Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper.
• Pour the cheesecake mixture into the pan. Wrap the bottom of the pan with 2 layers of aluminum foil.
• Place the pan wrapped with foil into the preheated water bath.
• Bake for 45 minutes. The center of the cheesecake should be slightly jiggly.
• Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside with the door closed for 20 minutes.
• Crack open the oven and allow the oven and cheesecake to cool for 20 minutes longer.
• Remove cheesecake from the oven to a cooling rack and cool completely.
• Remove the sides of the springform pan. Wrap the cheesecake in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours. This makes it easier to transfer the cheesecake layer to the cake.

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, on medium to high speed beat together all cake ingredients except for the carrots and pecans. Mix until batter is combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• Fold in carrots and pecans until evenly distributed.
• Prepare two 9-inch round pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
• Divide the batter between the two cake pans. You can eyeball it or use a scale and weigh each pan with the batter and adjust accordingly.
• Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with only a few crumbs.
• Remove pans and cool for 15 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.
• Wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 2 hours.
• Remove the cake from the freezer right before assembling.

Cream Cheese Frosting

• In a large mixing bowl on high speed, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
• Add in vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
• Add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth, the mixture will be thick.
• Drizzle heavy cream into the frosting mixture while beating until frosting is fluffy and to a spreadable consistency.
• Reserve ½ cup of the cream cheese frosting for the frosting swirl decoration. Spoon the cream cheese frosting into a decorator's bag or a quart-size Ziploc bag with a small corner tip snipped off. A star-shaped decorating tip can be used in the decorator's bag. Set it aside.
• Fold in chopped pecans and stir until evenly distributed.

Assembly

• Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.
• Place the first cake layer top side up onto the serving platter. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the top of the cake.
• Lay the cheesecake layer on top of the thinly frosted first cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting on top of the cheesecake.
• Place the second cake layer on top of the thinly frosted cheesecake. Spread a thin layer of frosting. Then place the whole cake into the freezer for one hour.
• Remove the cake from the freezer. Mound frosting on top of the cake. Use a spatula or offset spatula to spread the frosting across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.
• Using either the decorator's bag or the Ziploc bag with the reserved cream cheese frosting, hold the tip about ½ inch above the surface of the cake. Using light pressure, gently swirl a small circle of icing. Space the swirls a ½-inch to 1-inch apart. You can also use these as markers for each piece of cake.
• Once you have made your swirls you can place a whole pecan half on top of the swirls. This is an optional garnish.

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 479mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 3220IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg

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