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If you love carrot cake and cheesecake, this one’s for you. This Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the best of both worlds, with moist carrot cake layered with creamy baked cheesecake and topped with rich cream cheese frosting.
It looks super impressive but is actually pretty simple to make. Perfect for Easter, holidays, or anytime you want a dessert that really steals the show.
It takes a little time but it is surprisingly simple and absolutely worth it. The result is super moist, perfectly balanced, not overly sweet, and perfect for any special occasion.
For more delicious cake recipes, check out this classic carrot cake, Southern red velvet cake, crack cake, and strawberry bundt cake.
Table of Contents
A lot of bakers and bloggers swirl the carrot cake and cheesecake batters together, but I wanted to make a Juniors style carrot cake cheesecake with three layers. You get soft carrot cake on the top and bottom with a thick, crustless, creamy cheesecake right in the center.
In my opinion, this is hands down the best way to make it. I brought it to an Easter brunch last year and everyone could not stop raving about it.
Even though this dessert needs about 5 hours to cool, it’s completely worth the wait.
Ingredient Notes
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and complete instructions.
Cream Cheese – You will need 32 ounces of cream cheese for this recipe. Make sure it is fully softened at room temperature and use Philadelphia cream cheese for the best results. This is not sponsored at all, I just genuinely love Philadelphia cream cheese because it makes the creamiest cheesecakes and the smoothest cream cheese frostings.
Sour Cream – I recommend using full-fat sour cream.
Crushed Pineapples – Make sure to drain them and chop them finely.
Salted Butter – I highly recommend using salted butter for the frosting. There is already a lot of sweetness in this recipe, so I wanted to balance it out and make sure it wasn’t overly sweet. Using salted butter in the frosting really brings everything together and makes it a solid 10 out of 10.
Shredded Sweetened Coconut – Make sure to use soft, fresh shredded coconut. If it feels hard or dry, it’s not fresh and you shouldn’t use it. It needs to be soft for the best texture.
Top Tips
- Make sure all of your wet ingredients are at room temperature, this includes the sour cream, eggs, cream cheese, butter, and buttermilk! It’ll help everything bake super smoothly.
- Do not overbake anything, not even by a minute. As soon as it comes out of the oven, transfer it to a cool countertop to cool. Do not let it sit on top of the hot oven or it will continue cooking.
- As soon as it comes out of the oven, run a butter knife along the edges of the cake and cheesecake so it doesn’t stick to the pan and is much easier to remove once it has cooled.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature completely before refrigerating and also allow the cakes to cool completely as well before frosting.
FAQs
Do I need a water bath for the cheesecake layer?
Yes, I highly recommend using a water bath. It helps the cheesecake bake evenly, prevents cracks, and keeps the texture ultra creamy. Wrap the outside of your pan tightly with foil to prevent any water from seeping in, and do not skip this step for best results.
Can I add nuts or raisins?
Absolutely. You can fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the carrot cake batter. Raisins also work if you like a more traditional carrot cake flavor.
Storage
Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because of the cheesecake layer and cream cheese frosting, it should not sit at room temperature for long periods.
Tried This Recipe?
Leave a review, I love hearing your feedback and would greatly appreciate it ❤️
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Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Equipment
- three 9-inch cake pans
- large bowl
- Electric mixer
Ingredients
Cheesecake
- 24 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Carrot Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces crushed pineapples, canned, drained
- 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- You'll want to start by preparing the cheesecake since it has to refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 inch cake pan with plenty of nonstick spray, then line the bottom with parchment paper or the cheesecake will stick. Be sure to grease the sides of the pan well too.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy. Add the sugar and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing gently after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and sour cream until smooth. Do not overmix. Pour it into the prepared cake pan.
- Place the cake pan inside a large roasting pan. Pour hot water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300°F and continue baking for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit inside for 30 minutes. Slightly open the oven door and let it sit for another 10 minutes.
- Carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and run a knife along the sides. Let it cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
I like to bake the carrot cake once the cheesecake has cooled for a minimum of 4 hours!
- To make the carrot cake: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, whisk together the sugars, eggs, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the grated carrots and drained pineapple. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the carrot cake batter evenly between two greased 9 inch cake pans and bake for 27 to 30 minutes. Start checking around the 27 minute mark. Insert a knife or toothpick into the center and if it comes out clean, it’s ready. A few moist crumbs are fine, just make sure there is no wet batter.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely at room temperature. This should take about 45 minutes.
I like to prepare the cream cheese frosting once the carrot cake has completely cooled.
- To make the cream cheese frosting: Beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fully combined. Add the powdered sugar and mix on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes, then increase to high speed for the final 10 seconds. If the frosting seems too thick, add a small splash of milk, but it should be perfectly smooth as long as the butter and cream cheese are fully softened at room temperature.
How to Assemble:
- Place one carrot cake layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Make sure it is centered. Place the chilled cheesecake directly on top of the bottom carrot cake layer. Center it gently and press down slightly so it sits flat.
- Place the second carrot cake layer on top of the cheesecake. Make sure it is aligned evenly so the sides are straight.
- Frost the top and sides generously with cream cheese frosting and top with chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make sure all of your wet ingredients are at room temperature, this includes the sour cream, eggs, cream cheese, butter, and buttermilk! It’ll help everything bake super smoothly.
- Do not overbake anything, not even by a minute. As soon as it comes out of the oven, transfer it to a cool countertop to cool. Do not let it sit on top of the hot oven or it will continue cooking.
- As soon as it comes out of the oven, run a butter knife along the edges of the cake and cheesecake so it doesn’t stick to the pan and is much easier to remove once it has cooled.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature completely before refrigerating and also allow the cakes to cool completely as well before frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
