I was first introduced to this glorious recipe for a carrot cake cheesecake when Ali from Jam Hands linked up the recipe post to one of our Marvelous Monday parties. There was no doubt in my mind that it was going to be a featured post from the party that week. This is supposed to be a copycat recipe for the Cheesecake Factory's Carrot Cake Cheesecake, but I don't know how close it comes to the restaurant's version since I am pretty sure I have only stepped inside a Cheesecake Factory maybe once. But I knew I had to make this for my husband's birthday this year. Carrot cake and cheesecake are two of his favorites so it was pretty much a no-brainer.
I wanted to make sure I shared this with you all this week because it would make the PERFECT Easter dessert, don't you think? ;)
I didn't change too much from the recipe that Ali shared, but I did tweak the Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting just a tad so that I could make it thicker for piping.
What you will need:
For the cheesecake-
16 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp flour
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
For the carrot cake-
3/4 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
8 oz of crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the pineapple cream cheese frosting-
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 to 9 1/2 inch springform pan with cooking spray. Be sure to grease the bottom and the sides well.
In a large bowl, beat together the 16 oz of cream cheese & the 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in the 1 tbsp of flour, the 3 eggs, and the teaspoon of vanilla until well combined and smooth. Set aside your cheesecake batter.
In another large bowl, combine the canola oil, the 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, and the 1 tsp of vanilla until blended thoroughly. Then stir in the 1 cup of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in the pineapple, shredded carrots, coconut, and walnuts. (Tip- No joke, I used my Baby Bullet to shred the carrots. I used baby carrots, chopped them into thirds, & then pulsed them in my Baby Bullet. Great solution for us mamas who have the Baby Bullet, but no food processor. ;) )
Spread about 2 cups of the carrot cake batter into the bottom of your prepared springform pan. Drop 4-5 large spoonfuls of the cheesecake batter over the carrot cake batter. Do not spread. Using large spoonfuls, top the plops of cheesecake batter with the remaining carrot cake batter. Now pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top and then spread and smooth evenly with a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 55-65 minutes. The cake will be mostly set in the middle when done & will be slightly golden brown on top and along the edges. Cool the cake in the springform pan for about 30 minutes, then pop off the sides. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before frosting.
To prepare the pineapple cream cheese frosting, cream together the 4 oz of cream cheese & the butter in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and then the pineapple juice. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, and beat until nice and creamy.
Now it is time to pipe the pineapple cream cheese frosting onto the carrot cake cheesecake. I like to take my frosting bag with the tip inserted and place it into a glass. That makes it easy and hands free to spoon the frosting into the bag.
I piped the frosting very prettily all along the outside edge of the cheesecake. You could do your own design, or skip the piping altogether and just evenly spread the frosting over the top of the cake like Ali did with her version.
After frosting the cake, allow it to set up for at least an hour in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
And there you go! A gorgeous Carrot Cake Swirled Cheesecake perfect for your Easter table (or any table really... ). :)
This cake was a huge hit at my husband's birthday party. I am actually responsible for dessert for Easter dinner at my parents' this coming weekend. This cake may be making an encore appearance. ;)
What will be on your table for Easter dessert?
by Frugal Foodie Mama
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
For the cheesecake
- 16 oz of cream cheese, room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
For the carrot cake
- 3/4 cup canola oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 8 oz of crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/2 cup shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
For the pineapple cream cheese frosting
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tbsp butter, softened
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp reserved pineapple juice
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 to 9 1/2 inch springform pan with cooking spray. Be sure to grease the bottom and the sides well.
In a large bowl, beat together the 16 oz of cream cheese & the 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in the 1 tbsp of flour, the 3 eggs, and the teaspoon of vanilla until well combined and smooth. Set aside your cheesecake batter.
In another large bowl, combine the canola oil, the 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, and the 1 tsp of vanilla until blended thoroughly. Then stir in the 1 cup of flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in the pineapple, shredded carrots, coconut, and walnuts.
Spread about 2 cups of the carrot cake batter into the bottom of your prepared springform pan. Drop 4-5 large spoonfuls of the cheesecake batter over the carrot cake batter. Do not spread. Using large spoonfuls, top the plops of cheesecake batter with the remaining carrot cake batter. Now pour the remaining cheesecake batter on top and then spread and smooth evenly with a spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 55-65 minutes. The cake will be mostly set in the middle when done & will be slightly golden brown on top and along the edges. Cool the cake in the springform pan for about 30 minutes, then pop off the sides. Allow the cake to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour before frosting.
To prepare the pineapple cream cheese frosting, cream together the 4 oz of cream cheese & the butter in medium bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and then the pineapple juice. Add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, and beat until nice and creamy.
Now it is time to pipe the pineapple cream cheese frosting onto the carrot cake cheesecake. I like to take my frosting bag with the tip inserted and place it into a glass. That makes it easy and hands free to spoon the frosting into the bag.
I piped the frosting very prettily all along the outside edge of the cheesecake. You could do your own design, or skip the piping altogether and just evenly spread the frosting over the top of the cake.
After frosting the cake, allow it to set up for at least an hour in the refrigerator before slicing and serving.
