Fantastic for any occasion, this perfectly spiced dessert, a combination of carrot cake with cheesecake swirl layer and cream cheese/sour cream topping, is light, airy, and not overly sweet.
There are no raisins or nuts in this cake, although it is decorated with walnuts. You can definitely add nuts, raisins, and even coconut in the carrot cake batter if you'd like.
This recipe for a creamy carrot cake cheesecake is not only ideal for Easter; it tastes good all year round.
With a touch of cinnamon, a little vanilla, and lots of shredded juicy carrots, this cake also brings Christmas greetings to the table.
If it were up to my husband, I would have to make this carrot cake cheesecake every week.
But as is the case with "seasonal" delicacies - they only retain their charm if you don't have them all the time. Pumpkin in spring? No, thank you!😉
📃 Why it Works
Cake fusions are the ultimate solutions for indecisive people like me. I'm obsessed with cheesecakes, but I also love other desserts.
When I can't decide, I put two in one like tiramisu cheesecake, baklava cheesecake, and brownie pumpkin cheesecake.
With love and creative experimentation, you can garnish this delicious carrot cake cheesecake as an absolute eye-catcher:
- Top with "robin eggs" candy or carrots made of marzipan, fondant, or frosting for Easter.
- Candied carrots and nuts on top of the cake are ideal garnish for the Thanksgiving celebration.
- Adorned with holly leaf or rosemary twigs, snowflakes, and fruit (orange or fig slices, cranberries, etc.), it will be the perfect treat for a cozy and atmospheric Advent evening and as a Christmas dessert.
🛒 Ingredients and Notes
- Carrots: You can coarsely shred or finely grate them by using large or medium hole sides of a box grater or use a food processor. Let the natural sweetness come out of shredded carrots by coating them in brown sugar first.
- Cream cheese: I used full-fat. You can use light cream cheese, but keep in mind that the cheesecake batter will be a bit runnier. You could add more flour (1-2 tsp) to fix that.
- Applesauce: This cake is not overly sweet, so if you already have sweetened applesauce on hand, by all means, use that. You could also grate apples or pears instead.
- Sour cream: If you've never had sour cream in a frosting, don't let the thought of it put you off. It balances the cake perfectly. Otherwise, this carrot cake cheesecake would be too rich.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1 - Carrot Cake Layer
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the oil, applesauce, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until the mixture is creamy and light.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until just combined.
- Mix in the carrots.
Step 2 - Cheesecake Layer & Assemble
- In a medium bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, flour, and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until combined. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix until blended. Do not overbeat.
- Pour half of the carrot cake batter into a springform pan. Dollop half of the cheesecake layer on top in large spoonfuls, then the rest of the batter with carrots on and around the cheesecake batter.
- Spread the remainder of the cheesecake on top; bake at 350 F for 60 minutes. Let the cake cool completely, then cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting is well-combined with no lumps. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix well. Spread the frosting evenly over the top, then chill well in the refrigerator. Decorate as desired.
Recipe Notes:
- Shredding carrots in a food processor with a grater blade will cut down on prep time. Cut them down into chunks first.
- Macerate carrots in brown sugar first to let the natural sweetness come out.
- You can also use a 9-inch springform pan, but your cake will not be as high.
- To prevent the cake bottom from burning, you could put a cookie sheet with water on the lowest rack in the oven and then put the springform pan one shelf above, but you might have to bake 10-15 minutes longer if the middle is jiggling more than it should.
- In case your pan is not leakproof, you could place the pan on a cookie sheet to catch any drippings. If browning is going too quickly, tent the top of the cake with aluminum foil.
- To slice the cake, run a long sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut slices while the knife is still warm.
- Remember that each oven can vary in actual temperature, especially gas versus electric ovens, so it isn't unusual to add time to things like cheesecakes that take a long time to cook. Watch your cake closely as it gets to the 60 - minute mark. The cheesecake's top center part should still be slightly soft and jiggly when you take it out.
- The cheesecake will puff in the oven thanks to the leavening in the batter, and it might even crack (see tips below to prevent cracking). It will settle after it cools and be covered with frosting so that the cracks won't matter.
- I made this cake four times, and each time the swirls looked different (see below photo of the last cake). As with every cake, numerous factors will make a difference, such as the size of your eggs, altitude, moisture in the air, age of your baking powder, the oven temperature, etc.
- Decorate the cake with chopped pecans or walnuts or with frosting carrots: Set aside 2 tablespoons of frosting and add orange and green food coloring to each tablespoon. Put each color in a small plastic bag (fold-over sandwich bags work great and are less expensive than piping/pastry bags). Snip a small piece off the corner of the bag with scissors and pipe your decorations on the cake.
Help! My carrot cheesecake "cracked" on top.
There are numerous reasons why your cake might crack. No water bath is necessary as the moisture will make the cake soggy. Try these troubleshooting tips:
- Don't overbeat the batter.
- All refrigerated ingredients should be at room temperature before you start mixing them, including milk, eggs, sour cream, and apple sauce. It will also prevent clumps, bubbles, weirdness in texture and density, etc.
- Mix dry ingredients with a teaspoon of cornstarch (potato starch) before mixing everything.
- Turn the oven off early, 10-15 minutes, and let the cheesecake sit to cool gradually.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use boxed carrot cake mix?
I haven't tried it yet, but you could experiment with it. You might either use a larger pan or less of the batter, just in case.
Can I make it gluten free?
You can substitute all-purpose (regular) flour with GF flour (like the one from Pillsbury) with the exact amount that's listed in the directions.
Can I make it in advance?
Yes, you can make it ahead. Cheesecakes are always better the day or two days after they are made.
Can I freeze it?
Absolutely! This carrot cake cheesecake can be frozen but I would wait to put the frosting on top until after it has thawed and you are ready to serve.
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Liked this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and/or a review in the comments section. Your feedback is always appreciated! Stay in touch through Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook! Don't forget to sign up for my email list below too!
Carrot Cake Cheesecake Recipe
This perfectly spiced carrot cake with cheesecake swirl layer and sour cream topping is light, airy, and not overly sweet.
EQUIPMENT
- 8-inch springform pan
Ingredients
Carrot Cake
- ½ cup oil, vegetable or canola
- ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups carrots, shredded or grated (about 10 oz.)
Cheesecake
- 16 ounces cream cheese, softened well (not melted)
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
Frosting:
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions
Carrot Cake
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the oil, applesauce, sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat until the mixture is creamy and light.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until just combined. Mix in the carrots.
- Tap the bowl forcefully against the counter a few times to release large air pockets. Set aside.
Cheesecake
- In a medium bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese until lump-free. Add flour and sugar and beat until creamy.
- Add in one egg at a time, mixing just until combined. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix until blended. Do not overbeat!
- Tap the bowl forcefully against the counter about 30 times to release air bubbles.
Assemble
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (standard, not convection setting).
- Grease an 8-inch springform pan. Oil the sides of the springform pan well so that cake doesn't stick to it. You could also line it with parchment paper for ease of removal.
- Pour half of the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer using an offset spatula; dollop half of the cheesecake layer on top in large spoonfuls. Don't spread or swirl.
- Dollop the rest of the carrot batter on and around the cheesecake batter. Don't spread or swirl. Spread the remainder of the cheesecake on top into an even layer.
- Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles. Bake for 60-70 minutes.
- Use a knife to gently loosen the crust from the inside of the springform pan (this will help prevent cracks as your cheesecake cools and shrinks). Let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack in the pan for about an hour, then cover with foil and chill in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight.
Frosting
- Beat together the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting is well-combined with no lumps. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix well.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top, then cover and chill well in a refrigerator before serving. If you don't have enough time, you could put it in a freezer for 20 - 30 minutes.
- Release and gently remove the sides of the springform. Decorate as desired. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container.
Notes
- Shredding carrots in a food processor with a grater blade will cut down on prep time. Cut them down into chunks first.
- Macerate carrots in brown sugar first to let the natural sweetness come out.
- You can also use a 9-inch springform pan, but your cake will not be as high.
- To prevent the cake bottom from burning, you could put a cookie sheet with water on the lowest rack in the oven and then put the springform pan one shelf above, but you might have to bake 10-15 minutes longer if the middle is jiggling more than it should.
- In case your pan is not leakproof, you could place the pan on a cookie sheet to catch any drippings. If browning is going too quickly, tent the top of the cake with aluminum foil.
- To slice the cake, run a long sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and cut slices while the knife is still warm.
- Remember that each oven can vary in actual temperature, especially gas versus electric ovens, so it isn't unusual to add time to things like cheesecakes that take a long time to cook. Watch your cake closely as it gets to the 60 - minute mark. The cheesecake's top center part should still be slightly soft and jiggly when you take it out.
- The cheesecake will puff in the oven thanks to the leavening in the carrot cake, and it might even crack (see tips in the post on how to prevent cracking). It will settle after it cools and be covered with frosting so that the cracks won't matter.
- As with every cake, numerous factors will make a difference in the result, such as the size of your eggs, altitude, moisture in the air, age of your baking powder, the oven temperature, etc.
- This cake is great to make ahead, and it's freezer-friendly. Just put the frosting on top until after it has thawed.
- Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.
- See the post for FAQs and additional tips.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used and the amount served.
Nutrition
Calories: 508kcal (25%) | Carbohydrates: 55g (18%) | Protein: 6g (12%) | Fat: 30g (46%) | Saturated Fat: 12g (60%) | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg (36%) | Sodium: 257mg (11%) | Potassium: 207mg (6%) | Fiber: 1g (4%) | Sugar: 43g (48%) | Vitamin A: 3061IU (61%) | Vitamin C: 1mg (1%) | Calcium: 95mg (10%) | Iron: 1mg (6%)
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in November 2017 and updated in March of 2021 with new photos and recipe tips.
Leslie says
Awww! What a sad story! But at least it still tasted good. I'm looking forward to seeing a non-deflated version at some point, too. Happy belated birthday to your husband and thanks so much for sharing at the #happynowlinkup!
Jas says
Hopefully soon! Thaks for the bday wishes. Mwah!
Cindy Richter says
Been there done that. It's frustrating. Glad everything turned out okay though. I can hardly wait to try this recipe! Pinned and adding the ingredients to my Thanksgiving shopping list. Saw this on the Thrifty Thursday Link Party BTW. 🙂
Jas says
Thank you, Cindy! Delicious-yes! Pretty-meh. 🙂 Hope your turns out better!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Jamie says
Yum, this sounds amazing!! Pinning it to try. Just a note, when you share with the link to Twitter on the left, you don't have your name set, check out my post to find out how to fix that. You need to get the credit! 🙂
Jas says
Oh, wow! I've been missing out. Thank you so much for the tip and tutorial, Jamie! It is fixed now 😀 XOXO
Elizabeth @ Guilty Chocoholic Mama says
Well, you KNOW I had to hop over from #EncouragingHeart&Home to find out about the "that almost wasn't" part of your post! 😉 What a great story. And in spite of the slight mishap, this looks amazing. I love the use of applesauce in your carrot cake, because I personally do not want any pineapple interfering with things. Thank you for sharing this, and happy Thanksgiving to you!
Jas says
Lol, Elizabeth! I really wish it looked as it was supposed to, but it was still tasty and we ate all of it. I guess it could've been worse. Thanks for stopping in and happy Thanksgiving to you too! 🙂
Debrashoppeno5 says
This cheesecake looks delicious. I love the little carrots, it is so cute and to pretty to eat, But I wouldn't turn down a piece.
Jas says
Neither did I, Debra. LOL. Thank you for visiting! Hope your week is going great.
Mnaisha from Modlotus says
Oh, my God, this carrot cake looks so yummy. I baked a carrot cake last year and did basket weave decoration on it and of course, my carrots were not at all cute like yours. Jas, you have a great blog. Found you on #ticklemytastebuds :). I am a new blogger who just started blogging last week. I am so happy to share my cupcake decoration and it's my 2nd blog post. Please visit my blog and give me a feedback. Thanks and I am looking forward to reading your blog posts.
Jas says
Hi, Mnaisha! Thank you for your kind words. I'm sure your basket weave decoration was intricate and looked amazing!
Congratulations on your blog! Hope you enjoy the journey! I love your cupcakes. Made me drool! 🙂
Teresa says
Hope you dad is better and I would definitely eat it anyway! Teresa
Jas says
Thanks, Teresa! We ate it to the last crumb, lol.
Mother of 3 says
Combining two of my favorites; cheesecake and carrot cake! YUM.
Jas says
Another cheesecake lover! YAY! Thanks for stopping in.
Sandra L Garth says
It looks delicious and I'm glad you decided to eat it anyway. I hope your husband had a great birthday and thanks for linking up with us again this week.
Jas says
Oh, we ate it alright! The taste hasn't changed even though it was dense and not pretty, lol.
Mrs. K @ Mrs Kringle's Kitchen says
Oh wow, this is my hubby's two favorite desserts in one so I'll definitely be making it! Still looks delicious especially with those adorable carrots!
Jas says
Thank you, Mrs. K! I tried to save it with those tiny carrots. Glad you like them 🙂
Lubna says
I can well understand your situation. I had been in a similar one. I know how annoying it can get. But your husband is lucky! He gets to eat another one of this yummy cake. I love how you made those tiny carrots on top. It looks really cute.
Hope your dad is well and good!
Jas says
Don't you just hate it when you set your heart on something and it doesn't turn out? Oh well...my husband is already asking when the take two will happen, lol.
Thanks for the good wishes for my dad. Appreciate your kindness! 🙂
Beverly says
It still looks delicious and I'm sure you all enjoyed it, plus you have a funny story to tell about his birthday cake! Pinning. I hope your Dad is okay.
Jas says
Thanks, Bev! We sure did, as we enjoy everything that is sweet no matter how it looks, lol. My dad is fine for now, thank you! XOXO
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
It's so frustrating when things go wrong, I hope your husband enjoyed his day!
Jas says
I know, right? 🙁
Thanks, Kat! He truly did 🙂
Roseann Hampton says
Even deflated it looks delicious!
Jas says
Aw, you're too sweet! Thanks 🙂
Mrs Shoes says
You know what the celebrity chefs always say... 'Taste is king'!
Hope your Dad is okay Jas.
Jas says
True that Mrs. Shoes, true that. Tasty it is 🙂
Thank you, my dad's health is up and down all the time. He is pushing 82 so...life, you know... 🙁
Ann says
Sorry about your deflated cake. It’s annoying when that happens! But your hubby is lucky is get another one just because the first didn’t turn out like you wanted to.
Man…you have patience doing all that carrots on top I would HV given up after the 5th!
Jas says
Oh, well..."shtuff" happens, lol. Actually, the tiny carrots were much easier than they look. Originally, I wanted to pipe 6-8 big ones but they'd have to be perfectly equal or it would look so off. With the little ones, I just went to town, haha. I figured the cake is already half-ruined...