Carrot Cake Cheesecake is your two favorite cakes in one show stopping dessert that is 100% make ahead friendly!

This Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe combines your favorite carrot cake with no-bake cheesecake for the ultimate gorgeous, make-ahead friendly, decadently delicious dessert everyone will be raving about! The carrot cake is soft and ultra-moist, laced with warm fragrant spices, freshly grated carrots, sweet and tangy crushed pineapple, and nutty finely crushed pecans. The cheesecake is luxuriously rich and creamy, yet light at the same time, with a sublime hint of white chocolate. Wrap the two up with pineapple cream cheese frosting for a showstopping dessert perfect for special occasions like Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers and more!

I look forward to spring all year. Not only is it synonymous with gorgeous weather, blooming flowers and birds chirping, it means carrot cake! If you’re a carrot cake fan, don’t miss Carrot Cake Cupcakes, Carrot Cake Cookies, Layered Carrot Cake, Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake, Carrot Cake Crepes, and now these Carrot Cake Cupcakes!

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How to Make carrot cake cheesecake Video

up close of a slice of carrot cake cheesecake with carrot cake on the top and bottom layers and cheesecake in the middle covered in cream cheese frosting

Why You’ll Love this Cheesecake Carrot Cake

It’s chock full of flavor.  The carrot cake is infused with brown sugar, cinnamon, hints of allspice, nutmeg, vanilla extract, vanilla yogurt, crushed pineapple, finely ground pecans and of course, carrots! The harmonious warm sweetness is perfectly balanced by the tangy pineapple cream cheese frosting.

The carrot cake is meltingly soft and moist thanks to the unique ingredients. A little oil, Greek yogurt and crushed pineapple elevate the flavor of the cake as well as provide peak tenderness without being oily.

It’s rich yet light. The carrot cakes are soft and tender while the cheesecake layer is luxuriously creamy yet airy due to the whipped heavy cream. You’ll be surprised how easily one slice slips down!

No special equipment required. To make the this recipe, two carrot cake rounds are baked and cooled. One cake is placed in the bottom of a springform pan, then topped with the no bake cheesecake. If you don’t have a springform pan, don’t worry, I’ll walk you through how to use parchment paper instead!

No water bath required. The cheesecake is a no-bake cheesecake stabilized by gelatin, lightened by whipped cream and laced with white chocolate. It’s layered on top of the cake, then allowed to set before unmolding and frosting AKA it’s foolproof!

It’s make ahead friendly. This Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe is easy to make, but not quick to make due to the multiple components and the cooling and chilling required. That being said, you can prepare elements ahead of time, or the entire cheesecake tastes even better if made a day ahead of time – YAY for stress free entertaining!

The frosting is literally the icing on the already fabulous Carrot Cake Cheesecake. The hint of tanginess from the pineapple cream cheese frosting cuts through the sweetness of the cheesecake and its luxuriously, smooth, creaminess offers the perfect juxtaposition to the ingredient-studded cakes.  Additionally, the optional pineapple preserves elevates the entire recipe to next level YUM!

serving a slice of carrot cake cheesecake recipe with cream cheese frosting

Carrot Cheesecake Recipe Ingredients

There are three components to the Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe:

1) two layers of moist carrot cake
2) a creamy, no bake cheesecake layer
3) tangy pineapple cream cheese frosting

You probably have most of the ingredients stocked right now, many of which are used multiple times in the recipe. Let’s review the ingredients and hopefully answer any questions you might have (see measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):

For the Carrot Cake:

Carrots: Finely grated carrots are the key to tender, moist carrot cake because they release moisture as they bake. Don’t use pre-packaged carrots because they are too thick and are bone dry. It’s best to measure the carrots by weight instead of by volume to ensure accuracy.
Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level (as opposed to scooping the flour up with a measuring cup), to avoid baking a super dense cake. I use all purpose flour, but it will also work with gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour.
Sugars: Brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture and warm molasses undertones and granulated sugar rounds out the sweetness.
Baking soda + baking powder: These work together to tenderize the cake and provide the perfect amount of lift. Make sure your leaveners are fresh so they work!
Spices: Warm, fragrant spices of ground cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt make the cake. They infuse the recipe with nutty, earthy, slightly sweet and spicy notes.
Oil: Use canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil. Oil is used rather than butter because it creates moister carrot cake. Butter is traditionally used for its flavor, but this recipe is already chock full of flavor thanks to the spices, pineapple and pecans, so you won’t even miss it.
Eggs: These provide structure and moisture. Use room temperature eggs because they blend with the other ingredients more easily so you don’t mistakenly overmix the batter.
Crushed pineapple: Use crushed pineapple packed in juice and not syrup because the syrup makes the pineapple too sweet. Drain the pineapple well in a fine mesh sieve before using. I like to freeze the extra juice for smoothies or acai bowls.
Nuts: These are optional but highly recommended! I typically use raw pecans in my carrot cake, but walnuts will also work. Buy them raw and chop them up in your food processor so they are finely ground (takes seconds!), so they evenly disperse throughout the batter for a subtle, savory nutty flavor to contrast the sweetness.
Vanilla Greek yogurt: You can use regular or low-fat with excellent results. The yogurt adds extra moisture and flavor so our Carrot Cake Cheesecake is extra tender without being oily. You can substitute with additional vegetable oil if you must.
Vanilla extract: All desserts need a little oomph of vanilla. The better the quality, the better it tastes, so go as quality as you can.

serving carrot cake cheesecake recipe on a pedestal

For the cheesecake:

Cream cheese: I recommend full fat cream cheese but it will also work with less fat, but remember less fat = less flavor and creaminess. Please do NOT use non-fat cream cheese. Also, make sure to use block cream cheese and not the whipped kind in a tub.
Heavy cream: Also labeled “heavy whipping cream” at the grocery store. You must use heavy cream – no other substitutions will work. Take care that your heavy cream is very cold, remove it from the refrigerator just when ready to use.
White chocolate: 6 ounces add a little something special to the cheesecake. White baking chocolate bars melt better, but you may also use white chocolate chips, just give them a head start by finely chopping. A great time saving trick is to chop them in your food processor.
Unflavored gelatin: This is a common baking ingredient and can be found next to the packages of Jell-O and pudding at your grocery store. It is what adds structure to the cheesecake without baking with eggs.
Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cheesecake.
Lemon juice: This cuts through the sweetness and amplifies the flavors. Bottled or fresh is fine.
Vanilla extract: Use quality extract for best results.

For the frosting:

Cream cheese: Use a full fat block of cream cheese and not spreadable cream cheese otherwise your frosting will be too soft. The cream cheese should be softened to room temperature at room temperature, or again, your frosting will be sloppy and not hold its shape.
Butter: Use unsalted butter so we can salt the frosting ourselves. Soften the butter to room temperature at room temperature.
Powdered sugar: Use only powdered sugar otherwise the frosting will taste grainy.
Pineapple preserves: This is optional but elevates the recipe to next level! You should be able to find pineapple preserves with the rest of the jams at your grocery store, otherwise, order it on Amazon here. If you omit the pineapple preserves, use slightly less sugar (more sugar is needed with the preserves for added structure).
Salt: Use more or less to taste to cuts through the sweetness of the frosting.
Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract for the best flavor.

a slice of carrot cake cheesecake on a plate with pineapple and pecans

How do I grate Carrots for Carrot Cake?

You must grate your own carrots for this recipe rather than buying a bag of pre-shredded carrots at the grocery store. Those pre-shredded carrots are often tough and dry. Shredding your own carrots results in moister, lighter carrot cake.

1. Grate carrots: Chop the tops off the carrots and peel. Select the finest holes on a cheese grater (aside from the zester) and shred the carrots carefully.
2. Food processor: If you have a shredding blade for your food processor then you can grate the carrots this way -which is super fast and convenient.

Can I make this recipe gluten free?

Yes! This Carrot Cake Cheesecake works great with gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour.

How to make Carrot Cake Cheesecake

There are four stages to this Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe:

1) bake the carrot cake rounds
2) make the cheesecake layer
3) chill the layered cheesecake
4) frost the cheesecake

Each stage is simple, and you can prepare elements of the recipe in advance if needed. Below is an overview of this recipe with step-by-step photos (or watch the video in the recipe card). The full set of instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

Step 1: Make the Carrot Cake

Mix the Dry and Wet ingredients in separate bowls. Mixing the ingredients separately ensures everything is evenly dispersed, especially the leaveners. It also helps to not overmix the eggs once combined with the flour which can activate the gluten and cause dense, dry cake.

showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by mixing the dry carrot cake ingredients together and the wet carrot cake ingredients together in separate bowls

Fold the Dry and Wet ingredients together. Use a rubber spatula (or I love my rubber spatula spoon) and fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, just until you don’t see any large streaks of flour. A few streaks are okay, because they will be incorporated when you add the carrots. Fold the carrots into the batter just until evenly combined. If you’re adding chopped pecans (not the ground ones in this recipe), raisins, or coconut, you’ll fold them into the batter at this time.

showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by folding the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then folding in the grated carrots

Bake the cakes: Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans. It helps to weigh the pans to ensure the batter is evenly divided. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cakes: After 15 minutes, remove the cake layers from the pans and let cool for about 2 hours on a wire rack.

a collage showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by adding cake batter to round pans, baking the cake, then cooling the cakes on a wire rack

Step 2: Make the Cheesecake

Melt white chocolate with gelatin. Sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup cream in small saucepan, give it a stir, then let sit for 5 minutes. This hydrates the gelatin and ensures a smooth texture. Cook mixture over low heat until edges are just bubbling. Add white chocolate and cook, stirring constantly, until melted and smooth. Let it cool slightly while you proceed with the next steps.

a collage showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by melting white chocolate with heavy cream in a saucepan

Beat cream cheese and heavy cream. Beat remaining cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form; set aside. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

a collage showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by beating heavy creamy until stiff peaks form, then beating cream cheese in a mixer until creamy

Combine white chocolate, cream cheese, and heavy cream. Reduce speed to medium-low and add white chocolate mixture to the cream cheese and mix until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream.

a collage showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by folding the white chocolate into the cream cheese to make the cheesecake

Step 3: Assemble the Cheesecake

Add cake to springform pan. Set 1 cake round in a parchment paper lined springform pan top side up.
Add cheesecake. Spread the cheesecake filling over the cake round in the springform pan.
Top cheesecake. Place reserved cake round, cut side down, over the cheesecake.
Chill. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6 hours, up to overnight, to set the cheesecake.

a collage showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by placing one carrot cake round in a springform pan, topping with cheesecake, then topping with a second carrot cake round

showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by layering the cheesecake on top of baked carrot cake

What if I don’t have a spring form pan?

You can still make this Carrot Cake Cheesecake without a springform pan by building your own cake collar with parchment paper. Transfer the baked, cooled bottom cake round to a pedestal or serving plate and tightly encircle the cake round with parchment paper that is at least 3 inches tall. You may want to double wrap the cake so it’s more sturdy, then secure the parchment paper to itself with tape.

Step 4: Frost the Cheesecake

Make the frosting: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat butter and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese one piece at a time, and continue to beat until incorporated. Beat in vanilla, pineapple preserves and salt.
Frost: Remove the cake from the springform pan. Because the cake is chilled, you shouldn’t need to make a crumb coat. Simply frost the cake with a layer of frosting as desired. I also like to add a sprinkling of chopped pecans on top for decoration.
Serve: Slice, bite and swoon!

Can This Cheesecake Be Made in Advance?

Yes! Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the perfect make ahead dessert. I recommend chilling the assembled cheesecake for at least 24 hours before serving because I think it tastes better/more flavorful the second day.

You can also prep ahead in stages:

-Carrot cake layers: Prepare cakes according to recipe directions. Once the cakes have cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.
-Cheesecake layer: Add the cheesecake layer to the carrot cakes, cover and store for up to 24 hours before frosting.
-Frosting: This can be made up to 2 days in advance, covered and stored in an airtight container the refrigerator. It will harden slightly in the refrigerator, so let it sit at room temperature to soften before whipping again and proceeding to frost your cheesecake.

a collage showing how to make carrot cake cheesecake by beating cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and pineapple preserves until creamy

TIPS FOR making this recipe

This Carrot Cake Cheesecake has several steps, but please don’t be intimidated! Each step is simple and the end result is spectacular! Here are some helpful tips for ultimate success:

Don’t pack flour. Whenever you measure flour, don’t scoop it into the flour bag/container or else the flour will compress and packed flour yields denser, drier cakes. Rather, scoop flour into a measuring cup and then level.
Drain the pineapple. Add crushed pineapple to a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and push down on pineapple with a spoon to eliminate excess moisture. This ensures that you and I both have roughly the same moisture content in our cakes.
Use room temperature eggs. Room temperature eggs bind together more easily and whisk to a higher volume. This promotes more even distribution into the batter resulting in a light, fluffy carrot cake (because eggs trap air). Cold eggs result in a denser cake. Room temperature eggs also create a runnier batter which is easier to spread/not overwork so the cake has more lift and rises more evenly.
How to quickly bring eggs to room temperature: Fill a bowl with warm water (not hot) and add eggs and let sit for 10-20 minutes.
Don’t overmix the cake batter. Overmixing cake batter causes the gluten in the flour to form elastic gluten strands which result in a dense, chewy texture.
Use the correct pan size. It is important to use 9-inch round cake pans and not 8-inch cake pans because we are going to assemble the cake in a 9-inch springform pan which needs to match. 9-inch diameter also creates a more pleasing ratio of cheesecake to cake.
Silicone baking mats are awesome! If you make cakes often, it might be worth investing in reusable silicone baking mats, I have them in every cake size! They save you the time and hassle of cutting out parchment paper every time. I got mine on Amazon here.
Use cooking spray with flour. It is so quick and easy to use and saves you the hassle and mess of greasing and flouring your pans. You should be able to find it at your local grocery store in the baking aisle.
Use soft cream cheese for cheesecake. The cream cheese should be soft enough that it can easily beat into a creamy consistency. If it is not soft enough, then it will yield lumpy cheesecake and will leave white specks. It is okay to microwave cream cheese for the cheesecake but not for the frosting.
Beat cream cheese until fluffy. It’s crucial to beat the cream cheese for the filling until light and fully with your paddle attachment – about 3 minutes. Three minutes can seem like a long time, so set your timer and don’t stop early! Beating the cream cheese creates lusciously smooth and creamy cheesecake.
Don’t let the white chocolate harden. After melting the white chocolate, immediately beat the whipped cream and cream cheese so you can add the white chocolate before it hardens. If it does harden, return to heat over low until pourable consistency.
Whip to stiff peaks. Whip the heavy cream until stiff peaks form to help provide structure to the no-bake cheesecake filling. “Stiff peaks” simply means the whipped cream will stand straight up when the beaters are removed and not curl at the tips.
It’s okay if there are gaps in your pan. If your carrot cake doesn’t quite reach the edges of the 9-inch springform pan, it’s okay. The cheesecake layer may overlap the carrot cake slightly, but you can smooth it out when frosting the cake.
Use room temperature – NEVER MICROWAVED – butter and cream cheese for the frosting. Plan ahead and use only room temperature butter and cream cheese (17°C/63°F). If they are too soft, your frosting will be too runny/sloppy to hold its shape instead of sturdy and spreadable. I like to cube the ingredients, space them on a plate, and set them outside to soften quickly.
Adjust the consistency of the frosting. There are several variables when making the frosting such as the temperature/consistency of the butter and cream cheese as well as the pineapple preserves. If your frosting is too runny, add additional powdered sugar until it reaches desired consistency, then flavor with pinches of salt to taste, otherwise it will be too sweet. If the frosting is too thick, beat in one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until it reaches desired consistency.

layered carrot cake cheesecake with moist carrot cake and frosting

recipe and ingredient variations

Make it gluten-free: Replace the all-purpose flour with gluten-free 1:1 baking flour.
Swap yogurt: Swap the yogurt in this recipe for vegetable oil, sour cream or unsweetened applesauce instead. These swaps will add moisture but you’ll be missing the vanilla yogurt flavor.
Use low-fat ingredients: Full-fat cream cheese will deliver the best, creamiest cheesecake. However, you can use low-fat versions, just adjust your expectations.
Omit the nuts: I adore pecans in my homemade carrot cake, but feel free to omit them, if desired.
Swap nuts: Use walnuts instead of pecans.
Add raisins: Raisins can also be added to the cake batter.
Add coconut: Add up to ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut.
Oil: If adding coconut, consider using melted coconut oil instead of vegetable oil to really amp up the coconut flavor.

up close of carrot cake cheesecake showing how moist the cake is and how creamy the cheesecake is

How to Store Carrot Cheesecake

HOW long is the cheesecake good for?

Wrap the layered carrot cake cheesecake with plastic wrap or use a cake carrier/storage container if you have one. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Leftovers are best at room temperature, or microwave slices for 5-10 seconds.

can i freeze carrot cake cheesecake?

Yes! This Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe freezes very well. You can freeze the cake layers before assembling or freeze the entire cheesecake:

To freeze just the carrot cake layers:

Tightly double wrap each cake layer separately in plastic wrap.
Freeze cakes for up to 2 months.
Allow the cakes to thaw overnight on the counter, then unwrap and come to room temperature before assembling.

To freeze the assembled carrot cake cheesecake:

Place chilled cheesecake on a baking sheet then transfer to the freezer. Freeze until firm.
Remove from the freezer and wrap cheesecake in plastic wrap followed by heavy duty aluminum foil.
Freeze for up to 1 month for optimal flavor, 2 months is the max.
To thaw, remove cheesecake from freezer to the refrigerator. Let thaw overnight.
You can also freeze individual slices using the same method and packaging them separately.

up close of taking a bite of carrot cake cheesecake with cream cheese frosting

Looking for more Recipes?

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Pecan Pie Cheesecake
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Strawberry Cheesecake
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Cheesecake Carrot Cake

This Carrot Cake Cheesecake recipe combines your favorite carrot cake with no-bake cheesecake for the ultimate gorgeous, make-ahead friendly, decadently delicious dessert everyone will be raving about! The carrot cake is soft and ultra-moist, laced with warm fragrant spices, freshly grated carrots, sweet and tangy crushed pineapple, and nutty finely crushed pecans. The cheesecake is luxuriously rich and creamy, yet light at the same time, with a sublime hint of white chocolate. Wrap the two up with pineapple cream cheese frosting for a showstopping dessert perfect for special occasions like Easter, Mother’s Day, Father's Day, birthdays, baby showers, bridal showers and more!

Servings: -12 servings

Total Time: 8

Prep Time: 1 20

Cook Time: 40

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Ingredients

CAKE DRY INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup pecans, finely chopped (I use my food processor)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp EACH salt, allspice
1/4 tsp EACH ground nutmeg, ground ginger

CAKE WET INGREDIENTS

4 large eggs at room temperature
1 8 oz. can crushed pineapple (½ cup), drained (packed in JUICE/not syrup)
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup vanilla Greek yogurt (regular or lowfat)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
9.5 ounces peeled and finely, FRESHLY grated carrots (roughly 2 ½ cups)

CHEESECAKE LAYER

1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, divided
6 ounces baking white chocolate, chopped
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

FROSTING

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
4 -4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese cut into pieces, room temperature
1/2 cup pineapple preserves (optional, reduce sugar to 3 cups if omitting)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Instructions

TO MAKE CARROT CAKE

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two 9” round cake pans with parchment paper or round silicone baking mats (these are my fav), then spray with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour pans.
In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the Dry Ingredients together. In a separate bowl, gently whisk eggs then stir in remaining Wet Ingredients, EXCEPT the carrots, just until combined.
Fold Wet Ingredients into the Dry Ingredients just until moistened, then stir in the grated carrots just until evenly combined; DON’T overmix.
Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Drop the pans a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. Bake at 325 F degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans.
Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes, then invert onto wire racks to cool completely, about 2 hours.

TO MAKE CHEESECAKE

Sprinkle gelatin over ½ cup heavy cream in a small saucepan; let sit 5 minutes. Cook mixture, while stirring, over low heat until the edges are just bubbling and the gelatin is completely smooth. Add the white chocolate and cook, stirring constantly, until just melted and smooth. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes, while you IMMEDIATELY proceed with the next steps. (You don't want the chocolate to harden.)
Whip remaining 1 cup heavy cream in a mixing bowl on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (you can also use a stand mixer and transfer whipped cream to a bowl).
Fit stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat cream cheese and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Reduce speed to medium-low and add lemon juice and white chocolate mixture; mix until just combined, scraping down bowl as needed. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the whipped cream.

TO ASSEMBLE

Watch video below if needed. Using a serrated knife, level the top of each cooled cake if needed. Set 1 cake round in a lightly greased, parchment paper lined springform pan cut side up; set aside the second cake round. (See notes if you don't have a springform pan.)
Evenly spread cheesecake filling over cake round in the springform pan. Place reserved cake round, cut side down, over the cheesecake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours, up to overnight.

TO MAKE THE FROSTING

You can make the frosting when needed, or anytime while the cheesecake is chilling, cover and refrigerate, then let it sit at room temperate for 15 minutes or so to soften before frosting.
Add butter and sugar (start with 3 cups sugar if omitting pineapple preserves, 4 cups sugar if using pineapple preserves) to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese 1 piece at a time, and continue to beat until incorporated. Beat in pineapple preserves, vanilla and salt. If your frosting is too runny, add additional powdered sugar until it reaches desired consistency, then flavor with pinches of salt to taste, otherwise it will be too sweet. If the frosting is too thick, beat in one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until it reaches desired consistency.

TO FROST CHEESECAKE

Run a thin knife between the carrot cake cheesecake and the side of the springform pan; remove pan. Transfer cheesecake to a serving plate or pedestal.
Spread frosting evenly over top and sides of cake as desired.
Cake is best served at room temperature.

Video

Notes

Unflavored gelatin: This is a common baking ingredient and can be found next to the packages of Jell-O and pudding at your grocery store. It is what adds structure to the cheesecake without baking with eggs.
How to quickly bring eggs to room temperature: Fill a bowl with warm water (not hot) and add eggs and let sit for 10-20 minutes.
Pineapple preserves: This is optional but elevates the recipe to next level! You should be able to find pineapple preserves with the rest of the jams at your grocery store, otherwise, order it on Amazon here. If you omit the pineapple preserves, use slightly less sugar in the frosting (more sugar is needed with the preserves for added structure).
To make without a springform pan: You will need to build a cake collar with parchment paper. Transfer the baked, cooled bottom cake round to a pedestal or serving plate and tightly encircle the cake round with parchment paper that is at least 3 inches tall. You may want to double wrap the cake so it’s more sturdy, then secure the parchment paper to itself with tape.
Storage: Wrap the layered carrot cake cheesecake with plastic wrap or use a cake carrier/storage container if you have one. Refrigerate for up to 5 days. Leftovers are best at room temperature, or microwave slices for 5-10 seconds.

Make Ahead

Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the perfect make ahead dessert. I recommend chilling the assembled cheesecake (covered in plastic) for at least 24 hours before serving because I think it tastes better/more flavorful the second day.

You can also prep ahead in stages:

Carrot cake layers: Prepare cakes according to recipe directions. Once the cakes have cooled, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature overnight.
Cheesecake layer: Add the cheesecake layer to the carrot cakes, cover and store for up to 24 hours before frosting.
Frosting: This can be made up to 2 days in advance, covered and stored in an airtight container the refrigerator. It will harden slightly in the refrigerator, so let it sit at room temperature to soften before whipping again and proceeding to frost your cheesecake.

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10 Comments

jk says

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Jen, can I use sour cream instead of yogurt?

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Yes, it will alter the flavor slightly.
  
Karen says

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I am in a quandary! My family LOVES your carrot cake with pineapple cream cheese frosting. In fact, that’s what my family asks me to bake for each holiday. But this recipe looks SOOOO yummy. Shall I toss a coin and see which one I’ll make next? The family is getting together in a few weeks for Halloween and thought maybe they’d like to be surprised.surprise them . Or should I stick to your classic carrot cake? So much to deliberate over! Your thoughts?

Thank you for this wonderful and tasty predicament!

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  This is a yummy problem to have! It’s so difficult to say, maybe toss a coin! Let me know what you end up deciding!
  
Kim Felt says

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I cant wait to make this for our Easter dinner! I LOVE pecans and want to add them to the cake batter, how much would you recommend adding?

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Me too!! I add one cup, finely crushed in a food processor. Hope you have a wonderful Easter!
  
Lori says

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I made this recipe yesterday and it’s the best carrot cake I’ve ever had.

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  I’m so pleased to hear that! Hope you had a beautiful Easter!
  
Lori says

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Do you use the small, fine side of the shredder for this?

- Jen says
  
  at
  
  Yes, the fine side of the shredder. Excited for you to make this!