Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Carrot cake and cheesecake are swirled together and baked into layers of absolute decadence, creating one of my most favorite desserts ever!
For a girl that loves chocolate more than life itself, I shouldn’t be so excited-I-want-to-cry about this carrot cake cheesecake. I really shouldn’t. But I am.
Carrot cake runs a very, very close second to being my most favorite cake, next to chocolate of course.
And since I also happen to adore cheesecake (chocolate cheesecake being my all-time favorite in the history of ever, I know, shocker), I knew that a carrot cake cheesecake would have to be amazing. And it is.
Since I have tried-and-true recipes for carrot cake and cheesecake and frosting on this here blog, I knew I couldn’t make The Ultimate Carrot Cake Cheesecake without using variations of those beloved recipes.
With such stellar recipes as a start, this was bound to be epic.
A perfectly creamy cheesecake swirled with tender, moist layers of carrot cake and topped with a sweet, tangy cream cheese frosting and you have a serious problem for my don’t-eat-after-dinner resolve.
This cheesecake was calling my name all hours of the day and night and boy was I relieved when I made the selfless decision to just finish it off and spare everyone (read: me) the pain of trying to resist.
I know I’m going out on a limb here and risking my undying loyalty to everything chocolate but I have to say that I’d be hard-pressed to say no to this cheesecake in a dessert lineup, even if dark chocolate something-or-other was present. It’s that good.
Talk about a stunning ending to Easter dinner; this will be perfect.
Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cheesecake:
- 2 packages (8-ounces each) (454 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (113 g) sour cream
Carrot Cake:
- ¾ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ¼ cup (53 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ pound finely grated carrots, 1 cup or so
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3 ounces (86 g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups (171 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions
- For the cheesecake, in a medium bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth. Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended. Set aside.
- For the carrot cake, in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the mixture is light creamy and light. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt until just combined. Mix in the carrots.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Spread half of the carrot cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Dollop half of the cheesecake batter on top of the carrot cake layer in large spoonfuls. Don’t spread or swirl together. Just dollop. Dollop the rest of the carrot cake batter on and around the spoonfuls of cheesecake batter. Again, don’t spread it out. If the lumpiness is stressing you out, I promise that it will all work out. Spread the last half of the cheesecake batter on top of all the layers and spread with an offset spatula into an even layer. Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake for 60-70 minutes (check earlier if using a 10-inch springform pan; it won’t bake as long as a 9-inch pan), tenting the top of the cheesecake with foil the last 20 -30 minutes of baking if it is browning too quickly. The cheesecake will puff a great deal in the oven thanks to the leavening in the carrot cake and it might even crack. That’s ok. It will settle after it cools and will be covered with frosting so the cracks won’t matter. Take care not to overbake the cheesecake or the carrot cake bottom and sides will be dry. It’s a fine balance between taking it out before it’s overbaked but not so early that the cake batter is still raw. Keep in mind that each oven can vary in temperature so watch closely as it gets to the 60 minute mark. The top center part of the cheesecake (just about a 2- or 3-inch diameter circle) should still be slightly soft and jiggly when you take it out.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack in the pan. While it cools, make the frosting by whipping 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.
- When the cheesecake has cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Cover with tin foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled before serving. The cheesecake can be made up to two days in advance.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (cheesecake layer adapted from this Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake; carrot cake and frosting adapted from this Unbelievable Carrot Cake recipe)
230 Comments on “Carrot Cake Cheesecake”
I’ve made this cheesecake many times, definitely a prize. I get a lot of requests for it. Thank you for sharing it.
We absolutely love this recipe. We’ve made it quite a few times now and it never fails, everybody loves it. Thank you for sharing!
I made mine yesterday for today’s dessert after dinner I would say put like an hr and 15 or 20 min because after 70 min the middle was still not done so I let it bake for an additional 20 min and then poked my knife in it to make sure it was done and it was. But other than that the cake looks nice. I’ll be slicing into it tonight after dinner.
I made this cake for the second time this past weekend. For whatever reason after 70 min in the oven at exactly 350° F (I have a oven thermometer to ensure it’s at the correct temperature) the carrot cake was raw. The cheesecake baked fine. I didn’t have this issue the first time I baked it. It baked perfectly and everybody loved it. Not sure what went wrong the second time as I followed the directions to a t both times. So disappointing. Others have reported the same issue, bakers you have been advised.
Been wanting to make this cake for years, and I finally did it. I’m not a cheesecake fan, but I could compromise with my husband putting 2 cakes together we each like. I surprised myself bc it was really good! I even had seconds on each occasion. It wasn’t too rich being half and half, it was great and I would actually consider making it again (initially I thought I wouldnt bc of all the effort).
Some notes from my side.
1. I cooked it in a springform (not sure the exact size, if it was smaller would have been a lovely height), but the cake rose more than I expected! Next time I’d consider trying muffin or a loaf tin.
2. I cooked mine in my convection microwave, worked fine. Just keep an eye on it.
3. I had to increase the cooking time by about 15 minutes and kept covering/uncovering with foil just to keep an eye on the browning.
4. I probably could have cooked it a little less, the carrot part was a little overdone around the edges – but I was nervous making it for the first time.
This cake is a real treat! I’d love to make cupcakes or 2 smaller cakes and see how they freeze. Enjoy.
Could you make into cupcakes.? How long would baking be?
I haven’t tried, but you could definitely experiment!
I made the recipe exactly as written. Even with the “dolluping” it separated into carrot cake bottom and cheesecake top. I think that’s because the cake is just heavier. But it was DELICIOUS My family demolished it with Easter dinner. Already being asked by my hubby when I’m making it again. I did add some grated carrots on top of the frosting for looks
Can you use a regular 13×9 cake pan?
I haven’t tried that so I’m not sure – sorry!
I’d like to half this recipe but my only springform pan is a 9 inch. Would you recommend using it or a glass pie dish?
Can I substitute the oil for macadamia nut oil??
I haven’t tried using macadamia nut oil but if you’ve used it in other baking recipes, it’ll probably work fine!
Two of my favorite flavors in one! I made this for my birthday cake and it turned out ssssoooooooooooo good! I will definitely be making the one again and again!
Hi! I am thinking of making carrotcake cheesecake muffins. Could I use ur recipe? How does this affect baking time ? How many muffins will the recipe yield? Thank u 🙂
I haven’t tried that so I’m afraid I don’t know but you could definitely experiment!
I worked at Olive Garden back in 92-93, and they had the most amazing carrot cake cheesecake. Yours is the first one that has even come close to this perfection. Thanks for the pics.
Sorry I meant to give 5 stars. How did this happen?
It looks like it is showing 5 stars, so no worries! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
GARY!!! YES!!! That Olive Garden Cheesecake WAS amazing! I’ve wanted to duplicate it ever since then. Do you know WHO the vendor (supplier) was?
Never mind!! lol
Oven temp????
I made this recipe and followed directions to a tee. I was kind of bummed because the carrot cake was clearly underdone and oozed out when I cut into the cheesecake. The cheesecake part was perfect, but had I kept it in longer it would have been overdone and tough. The parts of the carrot cake that were fully cooked were delicious though.
Made this cheesecake for Easter dinner. It was a hit! Thanks for another great recipe.
I made this recipe as cupcakes and they came out perfectly! Everyone loved them. I did the carrot cake then the dollop of cheesecake and baked at 350 for 22 minutes. They rose more than I expected so next time I will be mindful of that. Made 2 dozen!
Did you use a water-bath for this?
No
This cake was amazing!! Super delish!! Only thing is when we were ready to have it, we cut into it and it looked like I just made a carrot cake without the cheesecake swirl 🙁 can someone tell me where I went wrong? I added a lot of the cheesecake, but not all of it bc the recipe made a lot. Maybe I baked it too long… I took it out at 55mins and I thought I followed the directions to a T. But when I took it out, it was completely dry. It cooled super moist, so I ddnt even worry about it. I ddnt tent it with foil bc the top wasn’t burning. I also used a 9 inch springform.
I’ve made this recipe twice and both times it was enjoyed by many….Thank you for sharing!
Simply Beautiful my 2 favourite cakes in one. I made it for my Friends Birthday and everybody highly complimented it. I have added this cake to my favourites receipies and I will make one just for me.
Thanks for sharing this recipe. Made it for my son’s birthday, everyone loved it.
For the cheesecake I reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup
For the carrot cake I reduced oil to 2/3 cup, increased brown sugar to 1/2 cup and reduced granulated sugar to 1/3 cup.
The texure was perfect, the carrot cake moist and cheesecake smooth.
DEFINITELY KEEPING THIS RECIPE !
I like a slightly drier fluffier carrot cake as opposed to a dense, fudgey cake. Do you think this would still work if I replaced the oil in the cake batter with melted butter instead?
You could definitely try!
Also, can I double this recipe and use my 12” aluminum speingform pan?
I think it might be too much batter if doubled for that size of pan but I don’t know for sure.
Hi,
Your Cheesecake looks wonderful but I am wondering… It looks burned on the bottom. Can this be avoided by using a water bath and baking at a lower temperature for say 2 1/2 hours on 200? When I make my regular cheese cakes they always come out perfectly that way, but I’ve never mixed it in with the carrot cake before. But I don’t want the bottom to look burned.
You could definitely experiment and try that!
I know this sounds like cheating but I’m on a time crunch . Can This be made with a box carrot cake mix?
I’m not sure – I haven’t tried it!
Did you use a water bath on this recipe?
No.
Could I sub all-purpose gluten-free flour?
I’m not sure – sorry!
Loved it!! Topped it with pecans and cinnamon. It was beautiful. Everyone loved it! It’s a keeper. Thank You
So rich and wonderful! It was delicious !
This cake is amazing! Making it for the second time, I was going to attempt to make cupcakes with it but am looking for any tips for those of you who have done this already….do you keep the cooking temp the same and how long did you bake them for?
I’m am making this cake now. Can I substitute granulated sugar for cane sugar?
Not sure, but you could experiment.
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! Definitely a keeper! Posted a positive review on Pinterest
Thanks, Stephanie!
So there’s a good and a bad here. I made this recipe twice, first time as cupcakes (recipe comes out perfect for 24), and they were AMAZING! The 2nd round, I actually used a springform pan, followed all directions…but for whatever reason, the bottom layer of cake didn’t bake at all! I was crushed :-(. But at leas the cupcakes were amazing!
Hi! I was going to experiment and make these into cupcakes….did you keep the baking time and temperature the same as the cake?
This cake looks devine! Since I’m Celiac and have to eat Gluten Free, can I just use gluten free flour ?
You’ll have to experiment (haven’t tried it myself). Good luck!
Yes I am GF and any GF all purpose flour can be substituted for the exact amount that’s listed in the directions. Pillsbury has one that I used to make my last two cheesecakes.
Thank you for the recipe! my cake turned out beautifully! Can’t wait to taste with the frosting.
Hi, I don’t know why but everytime I attempt to try this recipe all the cheesecake go down at the bottom and the carrot cake go back up… I don’t know if it’s the baking soda in the carrot cake or the cheesecake (philadelphia) which is too heavy but how do you succeed to have even layers ? Please help me! (the cake is so good by the way)
Try a little bit extra flour in the carrot cake and see if that helps? The lighter the batter the more it will rise while baking.
I attempted to make this for thanksgiving and it was a total fail. My carrot cake was leaking out of the Springform pan 🙁 did I miss something? Am I supposed to wrap the bottom of the pan or did I not make this correctly?
What brand of springform pan do you have, Alyssa? That could be a reason it leaked. Lining the bottom of the pan with foil could help but shouldn’t be necessary if the clasp is pretty tight on the pan.
Just made this for my sisters birthday! SO GOOD, the family loved it!!
My carrot and cheesecake layers separated, so the desired marble effect was not achieved. Still 5 stars though 🙂
Did yours leak at all out of the pan?? I attempted to make this and as soon as I put it in the oven it started leaking out 🙁
What brand of springform pan do you have, Alyssa? That could be a reason it leaked. Lining the bottom of the pan with foil could help but shouldn’t be necessary if the clasp is pretty tight on the pan.
Can you use a regular 13×9 cake pan?
Made this for Easter and it turned out delicious. Used a 10.25″ springform pan, boxed carrot cake mix, and added graham cracker crust to the bottom with some sprinkled on top of the frosting.
Hi, just wondering if you used all of the carrot cake mix in this recipe? Or will that be too much carrot cake. Also, was this pan filled to the top prior to baking, I’m not sure how much it will rise because of the cake part. Thank you!
Yes, all the carrot cake mixture is used.
Thank you so much for the amazing recipe!! This will definitely be a special occasion staple. I did put a cookie sheet of water on the lowest rack in the oven and then put the springform pan one shelf above and it didn’t burn on the edges or bottom at all and came out so moist. Best thing to ever come out of my oven. Thank you again!
So I’m cooking it now. When I frost it do I keep it in the spring pan or take off the sizes? Am I able to transfer it to a different plate/cake holder?
I leave the sides of the springform pan on until I’m ready to serve (so you can frost it with the sides still on).
Made this tonight. Ummm, this cake is everything!!! So unbelievably to-die-for! After reading the comments I wanted to make sure I didn’t burn it or undercook it so I put a round cake pan filled with hot water on the rack underneath the cheesecake for moisture, hoping it would help carrot cake part not burn and cheesecake part stay silky. It worked! I had to leave it like 20 min more just because it was jiggling more than recipe said it should when done. All that to say Mel, thank you for this simply delicious recipe. Oh and I added crushed pineapple to the frosting, after having dried it in oven for about 1 hour at 245 degrees F. You have to try it!
The pineapple in the cream cheese frosting sounds amazing!
This is amazing!!
Mine is in the oven right now, and I hope that it turns out. My cheesecake batter was both runny and lumpy and my carrot cake batter was really thick and goopy. I guess you’re supposed to use eggs at room temp to keep the lumpiness out, so I did that wrong. Not sure what happened with the carrot cake batter though. At least I tried! 🙂
So I’m cooking it now. When I frost it do I keep it in the spring pan or take off the sizes? Am I able to transfer it to a different plate/cake holder?
I was wondering if you think this recipe would work as cupcakes?? Obviously just less cooking time
Worth a try but I haven’t tried it out myself yet so you’ll have to experiment. Good luck if you try it!
Made this today for Easter. Followed the recipe exact and baked it in a 9 inch springform pan for exactly 1 hour in a water bath. Came out excellent. The carrot cake was moist. The cheesecake was very creamy. This was a big hit. Will definitely make again.
Hi Mel, just wondering if you used a water bath to cook the cheesecake? or just the spring pan right in the oven?
I don’t use a water bath for this recipe.
I love this idea. I can’t seem to find any other cheesecake/cake combos that aren’t just layer cakes, but for Easter I’m going to try my hand at a version using your Lemon Blueberry Cake recipe with a whipped cream frosting. I am just going to halve the measurements from that one and perhaps add a bit more flour/starch to make sure the batter is thick enough to stay in place. I will report back on how it works out!
Can you substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream? Thanks!
Can certainly try – I believe others have tried that above in the comment thread.
Do you have to use a spring form pan? Thanks!
I’ve only ever made it in a springform pan so I’m not sure how/if other pan shapes and sizes will work.
I want to try making this but I am in the uk and not sure if ‘all purpose flour’ is plain or self-raining for me. Can you help?
I’m guessing it’s the same as the plain flour you are referring to.
Made it for Thanksgiving several years back and it came out amazing! Are you able to freeze this cheesecake ? How long will it stay good? And what is the processes to ensure it is safely stored?
Yes, you can freeze this. Bake it, let it cool, and then freeze with several layers of plastic wrap or in a large enough freezer ziploc bag.
I just spent about 46 hours converting all the measurements into grams so this better be worth the effort, haha! And, yeah, all-purpose is the same as sr 🙂
All purpose flour in the USA is Plain flour in UK.. Double check on Google..
Sorry! I just read the older comments and saw where my question had been asked and answered! Thank you!
Do you think this cheesecake would freeze well?
I made this in weekend and carrot cake layer came sticky and dense, almost the same consistency like the cheesecake layer. Do you have any idea what the problem was? I felt that was too much oil but I’m not sure… the dough needs to be stiff (stay on the spoon) or more like pancake batter?
it was very good, but i want the cake layer to have better texture. I will make it again Saturday, so i appreciate any help.
Hmmm, I’m not really sure since I haven’t had that issue. You might try adding a few tablespoons more flour to the cake batter to see if that will help.
i’ll do that. please confirm only if the batter is firm (it stay on the spoon) or more like pancake batter. mine was on the soft side.
It’s not thick like cookie dough – it’s pourable like cake batter.
This time it was perfect. I reduced oil a bit and added 2 tbls flour. Thanks!
Can I make this using a boxed carrot cake mix?
I’ve never tried; feel free to experiment!
That would be too much carrot cake. I make carrot cake from scratch and the carrot cake recipe listed here is about half of what I normally make for a 3 layer carrot cake. You can certainly try, but don’t try to use the whole thing and incorporate all the cake batter in this recipe, or you will have a guaranteed mess in your oven.
I made this last night and presented it to my work mates today. Wow! Unbelievable! Most delicious thing ever! I almost want to make another one straight away
Preheat to 350°. When I bake it should the temperature remain the same? Or needs to be changed? Thanks.
No need to change the baking time (unless the recipe specifically states to do so).
Hi if I make this today (Wednesday) would it still taste as delicious if not better on Friday? Also would it be a good idea to frost the cheesecake the day of serving, or the day before, or can I frost it the day I make it and have it sit in the fridge for 2 days?
I can’t say for sure since I haven’t kept mine that long in advance but it will probably be ok. I’d bake, cool, frost and then store in the refrigerator until Friday. Try and take it out an hour or so before serving.
If this tastes like it looks….LORD help me!!
This will be a day of baking me thinks…
Love your website, imagine how quickly you’d be able to publish a book if you were to write a daily( well, mid nightly) blog…
Well done!
Just made this today for Sunday dinner dessert with my family and it was ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC!! Not too putzy and I had all the ingredients on hand. Served 10 and still had leftovers. Played cards to see who got to take the last few slices home. I will most assuredly be making several more of your recipes in the near future!!
Hi Mel
I have never made cheesecake before. Just wondering how important it is to have the cream cheese at room temperature before starting?
And when it’s in the oven, would I have the fan on or off?
Room temp cream cheese helps so the cream cheese mixture doesn’t get small lumps from the cold cream cheese. Also, I’m not sure what you mean about a fan in the oven. Are you using a convection oven? I’ve only ever baked this cake using a standard oven but you could use a convection oven if you adjust the temperature and time.
Hey Mel!
Just wanted to finally thank you for all these delicious recipes! It’s seriously a blessing to not have to worry that the recipe will be a total flop. You have the taste buds of an angel.
PS: know any good New York style Cheesecake recipes? Don’t know anywhere trustworthy to look when you don’t have it!
You’re the best. : )
Thanks, Rachael – so happy you are enjoying the recipes! I’ll have to put a New York style cheesecake on my bucket list. Sorry I don’t have a great tried-and-true recipe.
Hi,
I made the cake and i liked it but i gad problem with baking theory.
The bottom burned and the middle cake layer is uncooked…
what do you think is the problem?
i baked it in 180°
thank you 🙂
Lujain – Are you using Celsius? I’m not familiar with conversions from Fahrenheit to Celsius; sounds like perhaps you need to reduce baking temp and increase baking time just a bit. Each oven can vary in actual temperature especially gas versus electric ovens. Good luck!
Thank you so much for this recipe! My family and I finished it in 2 days! lol But I must admit this cheesecake initially gave me anxiety after I took it out the oven. It cracked…a lot lol but I remember you saying that it probably would crack. And I knew I would be putting the frosting over it so it wasn’t a big deal. When I cut into it I did have all the swirls like your picture and I was so happy! I wish you could see how it came out. It tasted amazing! Everyone loved it! Definitely a rich dessert but delicious nonetheless. I can’t wait to try out more of your recipes, this was my first! Thanks again 🙂
Hi, i dont have sour cream can i use yogurt instead or normal cream with half a lemon?
Thank you
Hi Dana – I haven’t tried a substitution for the sour cream but it might be worth a try. Have you read through the comment thread? I think a few others have subbed for the sour cream and their experiences may be helpful to read through.
My carrot cake also was raw and runny in the middle. Half the diameter’s batter ran out when I sliced it, despite the cheesecake being perfectly baked. Thankfully, this was the “practice” baking. I’ll distribute the carrot cake along the bottom and outside, because those portions were fully baked, if not nearly burnt, for the “real” version I am making for a friend. Hopefully that’ll do the trick.
H, just to report back. I did use the exact 1/2 lb of finely grated carrots. When we cut into it at Easter, the carrot part was not cooked. Some of it was (that part was delicious) but it was a bummer! I used all full fat, etc, ingredients.
Stephanie – Another commenter also had an underbaked cheesecake and it sounds like maybe extra baking time could help the insides not be undercooked. Every oven is a bit different in temperature so it isn’t unusual to have to add time onto things like cheesecakes which take a long time to cook. I’m sorry that it didn’t work out. Thanks for reporting back.
Hi
Going to make this at the weekend. Do you think this could be frozen?
Sarah – yes, this cheesecake can be made, cooled and frozen but I would wait to put the frosting on top until after it has thawed and you are ready to serve.
I committed myself to making this for a group of 30 or so and having never made a cheesecake before, I was terrified. I agonized over it for days, afraid I’d cut into the finished product and uncooked cheesecake would just spill out all over the table. I am happy and relieved to report that the finished product looked exactly like the photos above and it was to die for! Delicious! Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe, my desert was the hit of the Easter dinner.
Juniors carrot cake cheesecake is my absolute favorite. After leaving Brooklyn I have not been able to duplicate. Until now. Thanks for the easy recipe. Made them as cupcakes and can’t wait until I serve them tomorrow.
Love the swirl!! Job well done Mel.
AWESOME!! Thank you so much for the quick response! If I could hug you I would 🙂 Happy Easter!!
Ah, help! Haha, I’m panicking because I am making this right now. I thought half a pound of carrots was 8 oz. That is about 1 3/4 cups. Should I use ~1cup or go by weight? (Are my calc. wrong?) Thank you Mel, in advance!!! My family knows they are getting a “Mel” dessert this Easter and they are excited!!! 🙂
Stephanie – don’t panic! You can’t really mess it up with more carrots (unless we’re talking pounds and pounds of carrots!). 🙂 I think you’ll be fine. My “1 cup or so” is just an estimate and I’d definitely go by weight vs. cup measure so throw all the carrots in – I think it will be great. Hope you love it! Happy Easter!
I make cheesecake in all flavors like this. My family loves to eat it frozen! I frost then freeze.
I am excited to try your recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
I am confused by the cup measurements, what is the weight in ounces?
Freda – You will have to Google the weight conversions. Sorry I am not more help.
I have made this scrumptious dessert twice and always bring home an empty pie plate. It is amazingly yummy! Mel, my hubby has requested red velvet for his birthday and I was wondering if you thought it would work paired with cream cheese in this method? I have made your Red Velvet Cheesecake which is also amazing, but I like the way the two are melded together in this recipe. Think it will work?
Adrienne – Totally worth a try and I think it could work pretty well. You will need to look at the amounts of cake in the red velvet recipe just to make sure it doesn’t overflow the pan and make adjustments as needed. Good luck!
Hi Mel and Adrienne,
Have either of you tried this or heard of someone using a red velvet in place of the carrot cake yet? I have been planning to make this as a Red Velvet Cheesecake, but all the other pinterest links show skimpy “swirls” instead of your blobbed swirls, so I am worried that it’s a bad plan. I’m trying to make this for an office bake off so any tips to win would be so helpful. This cake looks A-Mazing! Thanks
I haven’t tried it with red velvet although I do have another recipe for a red velvet cheesecake type cake. It’s really important that the consistency of the cake batter for this recipe not be overly thin – that’s probably what causes the swirls to look less pronounced.
I felt like a rockstar today, Mel, thanks to you and this recipe! It’s fun how my family and extended family all talk about you like a friend.
“Where’d you get this recipe?”
“It’s another one from Mel.”
“Oh, right, Mel. Then you know it’s gonna be good!”
(Thank you.)
Great recipe. I added raisins and walnuts to the carrot cake portion. I also macerated my carrots in the brown sugar first to let the natural sweetness come out. Recipe turne dout perfect. My wife’s 2 favorites combined.
I am on try #2 with this cheesecake. First on I mixed cream cheese, eggs, sugar at the same time and my batter had lumps of cream cheese. And the cake was ruined. I am doing a redo now and my cheesecake layer is fabulous( I creamed the cream cheese first, added in the sugar and then 1 egg at a time) but having a hard time getting that cake to completely cook in the middle. I did double it and am cooking it in a 12 inch pan. Is there a rule of thumb to cook times when you double in baking? Anyway, just praying this cake layer cooks through. I can’t stand having to do it over!… It just looks to good that I have to have it done right!!
Megan – the doubling issue is probably what is causing the cake not to bake through quite as quickly. I’m not sure what the correct pan size would be to use for a doubled recipe but I hope you were able to get it baked through and that it turned out. Since I haven’t doubled this I’m not sure of an estimate of baking time but I’d suggest at least an extra 20-30 minutes. Good luck!
Hi Mel!
I made this cake for Thanksgiving and to my horror the center of the carrot cake layer didn’t cook. I had it in the oven for 70 min at 350 degrees but when I cut into it the center was still runny. Not sure if it matters but I had my oven set to convection baking instead of conventional. Any tips or advice on what could have gone wrong? On the plus side, we ate the part that was cooked and everybody thought it was delicious!
RSC – it sounds like the convection might have been the troublemaker. Have you used convection to bake other cheesecakes? I always use the standard bake on my oven for this cake and other cheesecakes. I hope it works out better if you make it again!
I am making this for Thanksgiving, and we are also celebrating my Mom’s 85th birthday then. Carrot cake and cheesecake are two of her faves! Mine too.
My urgent question is: I have a ton of refrigerator food getting ready for Thanksgiving. Do you think I could make it and freeze it 3 or 4 days, then thaw and frost? I have more freezer space. Hope to see your reply soon! Thanks so much and Happy Thanksgiving.
KatyMac – yes, you can definitely freeze this. Good luck!
Thanks for this great recipe! My husband loves carrot cake, but I bake a better cheesecake than cake. I made this for his birthday and he loved it – thinks it’s better than regular carrot cake. I now have to make this for all of his birthdays , but add raisins to the cake batter. I thought the frosting would be too much but it was just a perfect balance of all flavors. I’m inspired to want to try this with other cake flavors.
This recipe is just TOO sweet. I understand baking is Chemistry but is it possible to reduce the sugar amounts in the Carrot Cake, the Cheesecake and the frosting and still make it work?
Hi Mare, you’d have to experiment with that – I haven’t tried reducing the sugar and don’t know how it will affect the outcome.
Hi Mel! I want to make this for thanksgiving. I want to make it Sunday night and serve it Thursday. If I freeze it before frosting it will it be just as good? Or should I keep it in the fridge? Or is really making it a day before the best option. Just looking to see where I can prep things in advance and still have a great meal! Thanks!!
Hi Ashley – you can definitely make this in advance and not wait until the day before. Your timeline is right on the fence of whether or not to freeze or just refrigerate. Cheesecakes are always better the day or 2 days after they are made. If I were you, I’d just refrigerate it from Sunday until Thursday (if you were to freeze it, you’d need to take it out by Wednesday to start thawing anyway).
Thanks Mel – that’s the size pan I ended up using. We absolutely loved this cheesecake!! Will be blogging about it this week and I’ll link back to your post. Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
Patricia @ ButterYum
Hi there. I realize the recipe calls for a 9 or 10-inch pan, but I’d like to know what size pan you used. Thanks so much.
ButterYum
Hi Patricia – I’ve used both but in the pictures I used the 9-inch pan.
Mel, Your recipes are a god send! I’ve been asked from my chocolate-cheesecake loving boyfriend if I can make this but sub the carrot cake for chocolate cake? I know it can work but my question is can I use your yellow cake recipe and add cocoa powder to it
Hi Roxy – I’ve never altered the yellow cake mix to be chocolate and probably wouldn’t try it. I’d go for another tried-and-true chocolate cake like this one. Good luck!
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2010/09/the-best-chocolate-cake.html
My mom made me this AMAZING cheesecake for my birthday! She followed the recipe to a T, and we also did not have “lumpiness” and our cake also “layered” with all the carrot cake on the bottom and all the cheesecake on the top. It was delicious but we were looking for the swirl effect. We did not use light cream cheese, but I’m wondering if using a Kitchenaid mixer and over whipping the cream cheese into a light batter may be the culprit? I also think maybe your 1/2 pound of carrots for the cake mixture (1 cup or so) makes the carrot cake batter wetter for some people? Ours was a packed cup of shredded carrots and the batter was runny, therefore not lumpy at all. Just my thoughts… Delicious recipe and will try and try again until we perfect it and get your beautiful swirls!
Can you make this as cupcakes?
Hi Chrissy – you’d definitely have to experiment with that. I haven’t tried it!
Quick comment and question:
I made this for Easter and everyone loved it. So much in fact, that my father in law who has a birthday this next week requested it. I’m also due with a baby any day now, and didn’t want to miss his birthday, so I made the cheesecake last night. Do you think it would freeze well? or should I give it to him as an early birthday treat?
Hi Alicia – yes, you could definitely freeze this. I’d wait to frost it until it has defrosted and you are going to give it to your father-in-law, though. Good luck! (with the cheesecake and the new baby!)
This may be sacrilege, but I made this with shredded apples instead of carrots and it was delicious!
This is not a just a Holiday desert… making it this weekend!
AMAZING!
Hey Kim S: can you please tell me which website you take cheesecake factory knock off recipes from? Just curious as want to compare.. Thank you so much.
Hi, can this be done in a regular old pie dish? I don’t own a springform pan quite yet.
Hi Linnsie – no you definitely need a springform pan because it is much deeper than a pie plate. Sorry!
You nailed this one! Oh my goodness, it all happened – my guests tried to steal the last piece, I successfully hid it from my family, and had it for breakfast the next day! Yum on all counts. Just a note, I used low-fat cream cheese without issue – I think you need to have a very light hand when spreading the cheesecake batter over the top – mine had decent swirls (not as pretty as yours, but that is par for the course).
If I make this 2 days before we plan on eating it, do you recommend making the frosting, and frosting the cheesecake right before serving? I’m making this for my husband’s birthday so I don’t want to screw it up! Ha!
Hi Denise, I would frost it after it cools and while it refrigerates; it should be fine frosted for 2 days (our leftovers after 4-5 days were awesome).
You are awesome for posting my ham recipe. Seeing it on your blog makes me feel like I’m a good cook, even though I’m not.
But now I’m in your debt again for coming up with an awesome carrot cheesecake recipe. We love the combination! So now I’ve got another recipe headed your way to say thanks for awesome life-changing recipes. I’m not exaggerating.
Another awesome recipe, Mel! We loved it!! And the ham…OHHHH that ham!! It was delish! Even my mother, who’s not a ham eater, LOVED it! HA!
I made this at Easter and it was fabulous! My Dad does not have a sweet tooth but he got seconds, and thirds of this delicious cake 🙂
Thank you!!!
this was awesome!! the layers weren’t lumpy like yours but it tasted awesome… and pretty darn easy too! thanks Mel!!
I made this for Easter as well, and like a few of the commenters above, my layers weren’t very “lumpy” either. All the carrot cake ended up on the bottom and the cheesecake on top — but we thought it was delicious! It was the perfect combination of carrot cake and cheesecake … and I could’ve eaten the frosting by itself! yum 🙂
Seriously Mel. This is just divine. Everyone loved it at Easter dinner. Perfection. (For a dessert with vegetables in it.)
Made this for Easter…rockstar recipe. It is now very close to the top of my all time favorite cake recipes, and I’m not usually a cheesecake girl. I made the recipe exactly as written, and it turned out perfect. Would not change a thing. Thanks Mel!!!
I did use the lighter cream cheese- I usually do with cheesecake. I was wondering if that may have been the issue. Regardless, still super yummy and I would make again in a heartbeat!
I made this for Easter- we loved it! A couple of things- I really didn’t want to put the frosting on, but after reading your suggestion, I went ahead with it. And you were right- coming from someone who doesn’t love “overly sweet” it was good on there- everyone agreed! The frosting was a good one, not too sweet at all. I get nervous making cheesecakes, but this one cooked perfectly for me- not over done at all and it looked so pretty! My one problem: my 2 batters didn’t cause “lumpiness” as you suggested. They ended up melding together almost immediately and as a result my cake didn’t have the swirled look yours does. All my carrot cake was on the bottom and all the cheesecake was on the top. It tasted just great, just didn’t look as pretty on the inside as yours- thoughts? Thanks! btw- our entire Easter menu came from your site, including the “new” ham method and we loved it all!!
Traci – that’s odd about your batters and how they didn’t really swirl. Did you use light cream cheese for the cheesecake by any chance? That can make the cheesecake batter more runny. Otherwise, I’m really not sure!
Made this for Easter and loved it! I love carrot cake and my husband loves cheesecake so it was perfect! My batters were more runny than lumpy also (I did use 1/3 fat cream cheese) but I just alternated putting on carrot cake and cheesecake blobs until I’d gone through all the carrot cake and then spread on the rest of the cheesecake. Still looked swirly inside! Also, I loves the frosting, not too sweet for us and carrot cake just needs frosting. Thanks for sharing! I will make it again for sure!
Made this for Easter….fam loved it! So easy and so elegant!
This was delicious. All my family think I’m a great cook, but really I just follow your recipes! You have the best recipes out there, and this is definitely one of them!
This is amazingly delicious! A new family favorite… and it was so easy to make. Thank you!
Did not like as much as I thought we would. Our group thought it did not need the frosting. Sweet enough and when you put the frosting on, the crunchy cake top is gone!
I’m excited to make this tonight! Thank you for sharing it! Is there any way to print your recipes with the picture like your older posts had the option of doing? Just curious- I love having the picture! Especially yours- your pictures are always amazing! Thx!
I made this cheesecake today in preparation for Easter tomorrow. It had cooled just enough to frost it when we dug in… it is incredible slightly warm! YUM. Half of it disappeared and the rest is finally cooling in the fridge. I can’t wait to see how it tastes tomorrow when it’s cold. I am going to have to make another dessert now, lol!! 🙂 Thanks for a truly devine dessert!
Hey Mel! I’m going to be making this for Easter! (Our menus are almost identical, hehe!) Do you think I could sub in golden brown sugar for light brown?
Hi Boe, I think golden brown sugar is the same as light brown and if not, I think you should be able to sub just fine.
I die. I didn’t think you would ever post a dessert that I would think “I’ll make that instead of Lemon Berry Trifle this holiday”, but by George you have done it. I can’t quit looking at the pictures. I have been successful in losing the 4 year old baby weight recently, but this might set me back a bit!
Looks GREAT!!! What type of design did you put on top of the cheesecake? I notice a little swirl pattern going on. And did you use the topping/frosting for the design?
thanks!
Aisha, I didn’t really do a design on top. Or at least I didn’t mean to. I just swirled the frosting into an even layer with a small offset spatula. Just a bonus that it came out pretty!
Mel— can you let me know if a crust would go well? And if it might keep the sides and bottom from burning? Like I said in the pics it looks a little burnt and thought maybe using a graham cracker crust might help but I do t know. Did the cake in the pics come a lil burnt or is it just me? I’m making this for Easter and will take your advice and make it either today or Saturday so it comes out best like u mentioned 🙂 thanks !!!!
Armywifecj, I don’t think this needs a crust. My spring form is extra dark which is why the sides and bottom look darker but it tasted just fine. Take care not to overbake and it should work great without a crust.
Wow! This looks Awesome! My SIL is in charge of dessert for Easter, so I can’t make this….yet, but I’m dying to! 😉 You’re amazing…and inspired!
One question: How do you cut a cheesecake? I made one on St. Patty’s Day that was swirled, butyou couldn’t tell when I cut it, because it was so sticky and moist. I wonder if I shouldn’t have used the 1/3 less fat cream cheese, or if I didn’t let it chill long enough, or if I should have warmed my knife or something. So, How do you get such picture perfect slices???? I really want to know! Thanks!
Hi Leslie, I like to run a long sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry and cut slices while the knife is still warm. Works wonders. Although if the cheesecake is under baked or overly soft, it will be hard to cut neat clean slices.
Holy moly you are fast! 🙂 Thanks for answering my question. I feel so cool getting a “personalized” comment from you. ;o) You’re kind of a celebrity around here, I’m so bragging about this. hehe
Hey Mel, thanks for figuring out what to make for Easter dinner! Do you think I could make it a day early? Or even part of it? Thanks again!
Brittany – absolutely! In fact, the pieces I had that were 2-3 days “old” were the best, in my opinion. My sister called and asked me the same question and I told her that if she had time she should try and make it at least 1-2 days in advance and keep it well covered in the refrigerator.
This looks delicious! I’m modifying a tiny bit to do it in cupcakes. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Thanks for the recipe’!
Mel- This looks incredible. The only thing missing in my book is nuts! I love carrot cake with walnuts or pecans. My husband, on the other hand, does not- so I guess I will do half and half! Happy Easter!
Making this for Easter!!! Quick question, after baking the cake, when do you remove the pan?
Hi Mary – I keep the cheesecake in the pan the entire time it is cooling and in the refrigerator. I only remove it once it is time to cut into pieces and serve.
oh man.. I think my carrot cake plans just went in the trash in favor of this cake…
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! I made it today and brought it to a family dinner at my son’s house tonight. Everyone loved it and even fought over the leftovers to see who would be lucky enough to take a slice home. Luckily my hubby and I managed to wrestle my spring form pan out of their greedy clutches and got away with a slice for each of us for tomorrow! Yummy delicious!!!
Totally making this for Easter! I’ll let you know how it turns out!
I have heard that cracks occur in cheesecake because of some sort of chemical reaction within the eggs (coagulation?). At any rate, I was told to add corn starch to the cheesecake’s dry ingrediants (sugar, etc) before mixing all the ingrediants together. And also baking in a water bath. AND, also turning the oven off early and letting the cheesecake sit in the oven to gradually cool, instead of cooling quickly, as it does when being taken from a hot oven, to a 68 degree room. I do all of the above, and have never had a cheesecake crack. I use the Cheesecake Factory knock-off recipes I see online, and they are devine. I’ll definately be trying this variation though, but will probably retain my cheesecake recipe for the cheesecake part. The CF knock-offs don’t include sour cream. Thanks for a great recipe, Mel! I can’t get this off my mind! Oh, one question though–is it “too much” with the frosting AND the cheesecake filling? Too much richness or sweetness, if that is possible?
Kim S. – I think the cheesecake definitely needs the frosting. It’s not too much. Promise. 🙂 Also, from what I’ve read, cracking on the top of a cheesecake happens a lot because of overbeating the batter. Lots to think about!
totally trying this. great combination–i might be able to tolerate, nay, enjoy cheesecake if so much carrot cake is also involved. 🙂
Am I missing something? What is the crust made out of?
Jamie – there isn’t a trust like there is with a cheesecake that has a graham cracker crust. It’s just carrot cake and cheesecake swirled together.
Am I missing how to make the crust?
This looks great. But I couldn’t help notice that the bottom an sides look a bit burnt. Has anyone tried this using a typical graham cracker crust maybe? Mayb that would help with the dryness or getting a lil too dark on bottom.? Idk it could just be the pics tho:)
I just found your website…I’m not sure why I’ve never found it in my never ending quest to finding the perfect recipes. I’m excited! I’ve made a triple layer carrot cake/cheesecake from Juniors before but never thought of cooking them together. I’m up for the challenge and looks so pretty!
Whaaaaa???? how come I’ve never thought of this combo, two of my favorite cakes. can’t wait to try it!
Mel- with your love of all things cheesecake, have you tried Japanese cheesecake? I’ve seen it pop up on Pinterest and it looks intriguing. Same cheesecake flavor, but a lighter almost more cake-like texture. If you’re looking to do a public service, you could add that to your list of cheesecakes to try so that you can share it with your readership. 😉
This looks awesome! Just found dessert for Sunday dinner! Slow cooker ham and carrot cake cheesecake…a perfect combo!!
I was just looking for carrot cake cheesecake recipe!!! That’s why I love you, Mel!
Wow, does this look good! Those swirled pieces are just PERFECT!
I may be rethinking my Easter menu…..
OMG, this looks amazing! Now I’m stuck, I wanted to make the Coconut Tres Leche cake for Easter dessert, but this looks like a contender for sure! I may have to do both 😉
Mind. Blown.
I can’t possibly express to you my love of this cake. I adore it!!
you’re killing me!! Now I obviously HAVE to make this for Easter! 🙂
Great recipe! I was a little disappointed in the picture size. I have really gotten into pinning on some of the big group boards on Pinterest and this one won’t pin as well as it could. Portrait photos pin the best and get many more repins. Just thought I’d mention it.
This sounds fabulous…I adhere pretty strictly to a non goop cheesecake principle so my favorite is a lemon flavored one that really lets the cheese part of the cheesecake shine but I love carrot cake and it’s already known to be great with cream cheese; how could this NOT be a winner!
This is such a beautiful dessert! The swirls of carrot cake are gorgeous. And what goes better with carrot cake than cream cheese frosting? Combining carrot cake and cheesecake is a brilliant idea. I was looking for a Easter dessert to make this weekend and definitely think I’ll give a try!
Oh my goodness, this combo is pure genius! Absolutely brilliant! Putting it on my must-make-soon list.
Oh my goodness. Where have you been all my life?
This looks amazing! Every cheesecake recipe of yours I have made is wonderful! I can’t wait to try this one.
Another fantastic recipe! I can’t wait to make this! 🙂
Wow — what a brilliant idea. It’s like cream cheese frosting wrapped up in a carrot cake. Yum.
It’s like you called my husband and asked him what he wanted me to make for Easter dinner. I know he said ‘carrot cake cheesecake.’ So it must be! Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait til Easter 🙂