Carrot Cake Cheesecake
This homemade carrot cake cheesecake features a layer of spiced carrot cake topped with creamy vanilla cheesecake. The perfect treat for Easter or any time of year!
This carrot cake cheesecake is a decadent combination of two of my favorite desserts, this classic cheesecake recipe and carrot cake recipe.
To make it, a layer of spiced carrot cake is first baked and allowed to cool before the cheesecake filling is added on top and the entire dessert is baked in a water bath. This cheesecake definitely has some extra steps to it, but the end results are worth it!
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert to make this spring, you’ve found it. No one can resist a slice of this layered carrot cake cheesecake!
Recipe Ingredients
- Spices: The carrot cake is well spiced with a blend of ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
- Oil: I recommend using a neutral-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil. Melted coconut oil would work as well, just make sure all of your other ingredients are at room temperature so it doesn’t solidify.
- Sour Cream: Used in both the carrot cake and cheesecake. In the cake, it provides extra moisture; in the cheesecake, it breaks up the heavy cream cheese and makes for a creamier filling.
- Grated Carrots: Make sure to buy whole carrots and grate them yourself. Pre-bagged shredded carrots are often very dry and do not work well. Remember that the carrot cake layer will be baked twice, so using freshly grated carrots that are packed with moisture is essential!
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat blocks of cream cheese for the cheesecake layer.
- Sugar: Light brown sugar is used in the carrot cake for flavor and moisture, while granulated sugar adds a little extra sweetness.
How To Make Carrot Cake Cheesecake
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine the oil, sugars, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla. Gently stir the grated carrots into the wet ingredients.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine. Make sure not to over mix the cake batter at this point, you don’t want it to turn out dense or gummy.
- Pour the cake batter into a 9-inch springform pan that’s been greased with non-stick cooking spray. I also place a circle of parchment paper on the very bottom to make it easier to remove the cake later on. Bake the carrot cake layer until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 20 minutes while you prepare the cheesecake filling.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the sour cream, followed by the sugar, vanilla, and lightly beaten eggs.
- Once the carrot cake has cooled enough, remove it and level the top with a knife or cake leveler. I also prefer to wipe the ring of the springform pan clean with some damp paper towels. This step is optional, but it makes for a prettier cheesecake!
- Place the carrot cake back into the springform pan and wrap the ring around it. Then, wrap the entire pan with aluminum foil and place it into an oven bag to protect it in the water bath. Pour the cheesecake filling over the carrot cake and bake in a water bath until the edges are set but the center is still jiggly. Once it’s done, turn the oven off, crack the door, and let the cheesecake cool in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and cool completely to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.
Don’t skip the water bath! It will ensure that the cheesecake bakes gently so that it’s smooth, creamy, and doesn’t crack. If you’ve never used one before, you can refer to my post on how to make a water bath for cheesecake.
Storage Instructions
This is a wonderful make-ahead dessert since the cheesecake has to chill for several hours anyways before it can be sliced and served.
Once it’s cooled, you may cover the cheesecake tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to five days. Any leftovers can be frozen for up to three months as well, just thaw in the fridge overnight when you are ready to enjoy.
Baking Tips
- Since the carrot cake layer is baked twice, it’s important that you use the exact ingredients listed in the recipe card below to keep it super moist. That includes using full-fat sour cream, large eggs, and carrots that you’ve grated yourself.
- The oven bag isn’t strictly necessary when baking cheesecake in a water bath, but I highly recommend using one so that no water creeps into the springform pan. If you don’t have an oven bag, a slow cooker liner works just as good!
- To prevent the cheesecake from cracking or sinking, let it cool in the oven with the door cracked for about 30 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack.
- For a little extra decoration, I topped my cheesecake with whipped cream, ground cinnamon, and some extra grated carrots.
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
This homemade carrot cake cheesecake features a layer of spiced carrot cake topped with creamy vanilla cheesecake. The perfect treat for Easter or any time of year!
Ingredients
Servings: 12 slices
Carrot Cake Layer
- 1 cup all-purpose flour spooned & leveled (125 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup canola or vegetable oil
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 grams)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
- ¼ cup sour cream (60 grams)
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups lightly packed freshly grated carrots (150 grams)
Cheesecake Layer
- 24 ounces brick-style cream cheese softened (680 grams)
- ¾ cup sour cream at room temperature (180 grams)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
Instructions
- To make the carrot cake layer: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan well with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with a parchment paper circle. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Stir in the grated carrots.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top of the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack, and allow to cool in the pan for 20 to 25 minutes while you make the cheesecake filling.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (163°C).
- To make the cheesecake filling: Set a large pot of water to boil for the water bath before getting started with the filling.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the cream cheese on low-medium speed until smooth. Add the sour cream and mix until fully combined, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then add the granulated sugar and vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- In a separate small mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Add the beaten eggs to the mixing bowl with the cheesecake filling and mix on low speed until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to turn the filling a few times to make sure everything is fully mixed together. Set aside.
- To assemble the cheesecake and bake: Slide a knife around the outside of the cake in the springform pan and release it from the pan.
- Level the top of the cake with a knife or cake leveler. Wipe the ring of the springform pan clean. This step is optional, but makes for a prettier cheesecake! Place the ring of the springform pan back around the cake and tighten it.
- Wrap the springform pan with the carrot cake layer in aluminum foil, then place the pan into a large oven bag. Fold the oven bag down the sides of the springform pan.
- Pour the cheesecake filling on top of the carrot cake layer and smooth it out into one even layer. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to bring any air bubbles to the top, then use a toothpick or skewer to remove any large air bubbles and smooth them out.
- Add the boiling water you started before the filling to a large roasting pan until it is about 1-inch deep. Carefully place the wrapped springform pan into the roasting pan.
- Transfer the roasting pan with the cheesecake to the oven and bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until the edges of the cheesecake are set and the center is still slightly jiggly. Turn the oven off, crack the oven door slightly, and allow the cheesecake to cool in the warm oven for 30 minutes.
- After the cheesecake has cooled slightly, remove it from the oven. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and discard the oven bag and foil. Be careful, because it will be hot! Transfer the cheesecake in the springform pan to a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Once cooled, cover tightly with plastic wrap or foil and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for 5 to 6 hours (or overnight).
- Run a thin knife around the outside of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan, carefully release the springform pan, then slice into pieces, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
Storage Instructions: Cheesecake may be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions: Cheesecake will freeze well for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge.
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More Carrot Cake Desserts to Try!
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Can you sub the flour in the carrot cake for gluten free flour?
I haven’t tried it, but if it’s one that substitutes 1:1 for all-purpose flour it may be okay.
I made this for Easter and everyone loved it! It’s easy to make and not super sweet.
I’m curious about how the carrot cake layer doesn’t get over-baked and dry when it’s baked for the second time? This recipe looks delicious and I’m eager to try it but just wondering about how the final cake turns out texture-wise.
I’m also wondering what to use in place of a large oven bag. Could I just wrap the bottom of the springform with aluminum foil like I usualluy do for cheesecake? Thank you!
The layer of cheesecake on top keeps it from drying out and it’s also baked more gently in the water bath the second time around. It doesn’t affect the texture of the cake layer at all. It would be okay to just wrap the bottom of the pan well with foil too. The oven bag is just an extra layer of protection to prevent water from getting in your pan.