Dreamy Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Category: Desserts That Transform Moments

This crowd-pleaser mixes a velvety cream cheese middle with soft carrot cake, finished with thick tangy icing and toasted pecans for a little crunch. Warming spices like nutmeg and cinnamon team up with shredded carrots, and the filling is extra silky. Each serving is topped off with creamy frosting and that pecan finish. Make it for your next get-together if you want a dessert that gives a blend of cozy spices and rich creaminess in each forkful. Chill it really well before slicing so every layer stays neat and flavors pop.

A woman in a white chef's coat smiles for the camera.
Created By Mia Laurent
Updated on Thu, 29 May 2025 21:46:39 GMT
Carrot Cake Cheesecake Pin
Carrot Cake Cheesecake | chefmiarecipes.com

This Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the kind of dessert that's super cozy but still feels fancy. Whether you want to jazz up Wednesday night or wow folks on a holiday, this smooth spiced cake mixes up the tastiest parts of cheesecake and carrot cake into one slice. I made it for my mom's birthday and now it's my go-to celebration treat—it's always a hit with our crowd and the soft swirled filling is so good.

The first time my niece and I baked this, we ended up giggling over our wobbly layers, but the swirl came out gorgeous and folks couldn’t stop talking about it.

Ingredients

  • Butter: For that rich finish on top, use a generous bit of unsalted, softened butter
  • Cream cheese: Go for full-fat blocks for creamy dreamy texture, skip the whipped tubs
  • Powdered sugar: Sift it for a super smooth topping that’s tangy and sweet
  • Baking soda and baking powder: Makes the cake rise up nice and fluffy—check those expiration dates
  • Eggs: Moistens everything and thickens the cheesecake layer
  • Vanilla extract: Adds that classic warm flavor—real stuff is best if you can
  • Chopped pecans: Totally optional, but toast them for extra crunch and flavor around the edge
  • Canola oil: Locks in moisture and keeps the cake light
  • Granulated sugar: Sweetness for both layers and helps things set up
  • All-purpose flour: Just a little gives both cake and cheesecake structure
  • Sour cream: Thick, high-quality sour cream for a bit of tang and a tender crumb
  • Light brown sugar: Ups that caramel note and deepens the flavor
  • Unsweetened applesauce: Makes the crumb lighter and extra moist
  • Salt: Brings out all the other flavors
  • Carrots: Grab crisp, bright ones and grate them fine for the sweetest result
  • Ground cinnamon and nutmeg: Pick aromatic cinnamon for the biggest punch—these are carrot cake must-haves

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prep and Preheat:
Coat a 9-inch springform with butter for smooth removal, then get your oven to 350 F so both layers bake up nicely together
Mix the Carrot Cake:
Stir flour, both leaveners, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl for spice power. In a fresh bowl, beat eggs, vanilla, both sugars, canola oil, and applesauce with a mixer for about a minute. Pour in those dry ingredients slowly while mixing, then fold in your shredded carrots. Tap the bowl to bring air bubbles up
Whip the Cheesecake:
Use a clean hand mixer to beat together cream cheese until creamy, then sugar and flour to dodge lumps. Add eggs next, one after the other, mixing slow. Last, blend in vanilla and then the sour cream. Give the bowl a few taps—air pockets begone. Set aside
Put the Cake Together:
First, add half the carrot cake batter to the pan, smoothing the top. Plop big spoonfuls (about a third) of cheesecake over without mixing it in. Next, pour in the rest of the carrot cake, then top off with all that remaining cheesecake. Try to get good coverage but don’t worry if it’s rustic
Into the Oven:
Bake on your oven’s middle rack for around 60–65 minutes. At 40 minutes, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top if it’s getting too brown—make sure the foil doesn’t touch! Cake should jiggle just a little when done
Chill Out:
Let it hang out on a wire rack for an hour, then stash it covered in the fridge for at least 6 hours—overnight is best for neat slices. Patience means pretty pieces
Finish with Topping:
Beat room-temp butter and cream cheese together until it’s all smooth. Whip in powdered sugar, a little sour cream, and vanilla, mixing for 5 minutes until it’s airy. Spread that over the cold cake, add chopped pecans on the rim if you want, and pop into the freezer for 20–30 minutes to make slicing tidy
Carrot Cake Cheesecake Pin
Carrot Cake Cheesecake | chefmiarecipes.com

I keep making this because the tang of cream cheese and spicy-sweet cake together just never gets old. My husband always manages to sneak some topping before it even makes it to the cake.

Storage Tips

Once it’s topped, stash the carrot cake cheesecake in a sealed container in your fridge—good for five days. Want to keep it longer? Freeze single slices on a baking sheet, then wrap up for a grab-and-thaw treat whenever. I don’t freeze the whole thing after it’s frosted if I want that topping to still look whipped and fluffy.

Ingredient Substitutions

If canola oil’s not your thing, try a neutral oil like grapeseed. You can swap full-fat Greek yogurt for sour cream if you’re in a bind. Walnuts can take over for pecans or just skip nuts altogether for a nut-free treat. I’ve swapped in gluten-free 1:1 flour before and it worked great in every layer.

Serving Suggestions

This cake is stunning by itself, but I love it most with hot coffee or spiced chai. For something extra, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or toss on some curly carrot ribbons and more nuts for a cute finish.

Cultural Roots

Europe’s been loving carrot cake for ages, and everyone puts their own spin on it. Mashing it together with cheesecake is definitely a newer trend, but it’s got all the best bits—lots of layers, a mix of textures, and big servings for sharing. My grandma always called it the party cake—nobody could resist grabbing a slice when she brought it out.

Common Recipe Questions

→ What's the easiest way to grate carrots for this?

Grab a food processor or use the small holes on a box grater to make fine shreds. These tiny bits blend into the batter and help the cake turn out nice and soft.

→ Can I prep this dessert in advance?

Definitely! Put it together the night before. The chill time lets all the flavors mix, plus it's simpler to cut once it's cold.

→ How do I get the cheesecake layer super smooth?

Let your cream cheese warm up a bit first. Blend it at low speed until everything is just blended and creamy. This keeps things from getting too airy or cracked.

→ Why use foil on top while baking?

Covering it loosely stops the surface from getting too dark early. This keeps the whole cake cooking evenly and the cheesy middle rich and moist.

→ Is it okay to add raisins or nuts in the batter?

For sure! Mix in a handful of golden raisins, pecans, or walnuts if you want a little extra chew or crunch—just toss them in before you pour the batter out.

Carrot Cheesecake Slice

Spiced carrot and creamy cheesecake come together under tart icing with crunchy pecans scattered on top.

Prep Time
45 minutes
Cooking Time
65 minutes
Total Duration
110 minutes
Created By: Mia Laurent

Recipe Category: Sweet Comfort

Skill Level: Moderately Challenging

Recipe Cuisine: American

Recipe Yield: 10 Number of Servings (1 cake (approx. 10 slices))

Dietary Categories: Vegetarian-Friendly

Ingredients You’ll Need

→ Cheesecake Mixture

01 120 ml sour cream
02 5 ml vanilla extract
03 2 large eggs
04 6 g all-purpose flour
05 135 g granulated sugar
06 450 g cream cheese, softened

→ Carrot Cake Batter

07 135 g finely grated carrots
08 5 ml vanilla extract
09 2 large eggs
10 67 g light brown sugar, packed
11 135 g granulated sugar
12 60 ml unsweetened applesauce
13 120 ml canola oil
14 0.5 g ground nutmeg
15 2.5 g ground cinnamon
16 1 g salt
17 2 g baking powder
18 2 g baking soda
19 155 g all-purpose flour

→ Topping

20 50 g chopped pecans, optional
21 2.5 ml vanilla extract
22 75 ml sour cream
23 155 g powdered sugar
24 14 g unsalted butter, softened
25 56 g cream cheese, softened

Steps to Make It

Step 01

Coat a 23 cm springform pan with butter and have it waiting. Start by cranking your oven up to 175°C.

Step 02

Take a sturdy bowl and give the sugar plus flour a good shake together. Toss in all the cream cheese and keep it moving with your mixer on low till it's not lumpy. Drop in one egg, blend, then toss in the next egg but pour the vanilla along with it. Stir in the sour cream at the end. Slam your bowl on the counter a bunch of times to get rid of bubbles. Leave this mix for later.

Step 03

First, mix up your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. In another bowl, beat together the oil, applesauce, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla for a bit. Slowly add the flour mix to the wet stuff until it just comes together. Fold the grated carrots in last so they're all mixed through. Tap your bowl on the counter a couple times to even things out.

Step 04

Spoon about 375 ml of carrot mixture into your pan, smoothing it out. Plop about a third of the cheesecake mix on top in blobs, no need to swirl. Toss the rest of the carrot batter over that, and spread it gently. Drizzle whatever's left of your cheesecake stuff over everything.

Step 05

Pop the pan in your hot oven for just over an hour, until the middle is wobbly but not runny. About two-thirds in (after 40 minutes), loosely lay some foil on top so nothing burns, but make sure it doesn't touch the surface.

Step 06

Take the pan out. Leave it on a wire rack for around an hour. Cover it up and let it nap in the fridge for at least 6 hours or overnight if you can stand to wait.

Step 07

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with your mixer till smooth. Toss in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and sour cream. Whip on medium until it's fluffy and looks a tad lighter, about 5 minutes.

Step 08

Spread your frosting over the chilled cake. Freeze it for 20 to 30 minutes so it gets firm. If you like, toss the chopped pecans around the edge. Unclip the pan, cut it up, and keep any extras in the fridge sealed tight.

Extra Information

  1. Let this chill overnight for the best taste. If you use dairy stuff when it's not cold, everything blends way better.

Essential Tools

  • 23 cm springform pan
  • Electric hand mixer
  • Mixing bowls
  • Wire rack
  • Spatula
  • Aluminum foil

Allergen Details

Review every item for allergen risks. Reach out to a healthcare expert for any concerns.
  • Has dairy, eggs, wheat, and maybe tree nuts (if you go for pecans).

Nutritional Details (Per Serving)

These figures are for general reference and shouldn’t replace expert medical guidance.
  • Caloric Content: 510
  • Fat Content: 28 grams
  • Carbohydrate Content: 59 grams
  • Protein Content: 7 grams