Carrot Cake Cheesecake is an exquisite, show-stopping dessert! Whether you serve it for a birthday party, or as a holiday dessert, everyone will be asking you for the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9” springform pan with baking spray and set aside.
Cheesecake
To make the cheesecake, place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Add in the sour cream and beat for another minute. Add in the sugar and continue beating for another 2 minutes. Next, beat in the eggs and egg yolk. Add in the vanilla and mix before adding in the flour and salt.
Once the cheesecake batter is made, set aside and make the carrot cake.
Carrot Cake
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, sugar and vegetable oil. Add in the eggs and mix. Add in the applesauce and vanilla and mix well. Add in the flour mixture and stir just until the flour is incorporated. Fold in the shredded carrots and toasted pecans.
Pour about ⅓ of the carrot cake batter into the springform pan. Pour in roughly ⅓ of the cheesecake batter. Repeat the same steps until you have used all of both batters. You should finish with the cheesecake batter being on top. Using a rubber spatula or knife, gently swirl the batters together but do not fully mix them.
Place the springform pan into a larger pan. Fill the larger pan with hot water until it is halfway up the sides of the springform pan. This will ensure that the cheesecake bakes all the way through, evenly. Place it into the preheated oven in the center of a middle rack. Bake for 45 minutes. Tent a piece of tinfoil over the cheesecake. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.
Once the cheesecake has baked, turn the oven off and leave the cheesecake inside. Do not open the oven door so as not to disturb it for one hour. Once the hour is up, remove the cheesecake from the oven and the larger pan with water. Let set for about an hour or two to cool to room temperature. Once cool, cover with tin foil or plastic wrap and place into the fridge to chill overnight.
Cream Cheese Frosting
Once the cheesecake has chilled, make the cream cheese frosting. Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment. Beat on high for about 3 minutes, or until smooth. Spread the frosting over the surface of the cheesecake and sprinkle chopped pecans around the edges. Slice and serve.
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Notes
When you whip the cream cheese and sugar together, the longer you whip it, the fluffier and smoother it will be.
Do not over whip it though as it can start to break and separate. I find that whipping it for about 6 minutes is perfect.
Be sure not to overmix the cake as it can turn out crumbly or rubbery.
Remember, after you have incorporated the flour mixture you will still need to fold in the shredded carrots and pecans which will add to the mixing.
If you use gluten free flour in the cake, your bake time will differ. Bake it for an additional 15 minutes to ensure that it is fully baked.
Most generally, cream cheese frostings are better when they are fluffier. For this one, we want it smooth but not super fluffy so the whipping time will not be as long as a typical frosting.
Be patient with this cheesecake. Follow the instructions precisely so that you get a really delicious and creamy cheesecake.