Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the perfect combination of two delicious desserts in one. Made with a moist layer of carrot cake topped with creamy vanilla cheesecake and finished with a smooth cream cheese frosting is just the most dreamy dessert perfect not only for Easter but any celebration!

Over Easter, we decided this year to have a dessert table filled with everyone's favorite spring desserts. We had our gluten free carrot cake, lemon curd cheesecake, and this carrot cake cheesecake as everyone loves the combination of both in one and it's a great gluten free Easter dessert.

I love combining two desserts into one and have made a few dessert fusions such as my gluten free brookies and gluten free cheesecake brownies.

Recipe Development

When testing the carrot cake cheesecake I went through several batches making alterations each time. I have made it with a traditional cheesecake base but felt that this added too many steps and felt that it took away from the carrot cake layer.

I tested with a water bath but this resulted in an undercooked carrot cake layer and didn't work at all for me.

I then tested without a water bath and the carrot cake layer cooked perfectly with the cheesecake layer, although it did look slightly rustic on top similar to my gluten free Basque cheesecake but it tasted just as I'd hoped.

The addition of the cream cheese frosting felt like a must as not only would this cover any slight cracks on top but also complete the final layer of carrot cake cheesecake as the fusion of both desserts.

📋 Ingredients Notes

• Oil - Use a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable oil or canola oil. I prefer to use oil rather than butter in the carrot cake layer as the finished cheesecake will be kept in the refrigerator the oil helps the carrot cake layer to stay moist.
• Sugar - I used superfine sugar also known as caster sugar for the carrot cake and cheesecake mixture but granulated sugar will also work well. Use powdered sugar for cream cheese frosting.
• Eggs - Use large eggs at room temperature.
• Vanilla extract - Adds additional flavor.
• Gluten free All Purpose Flour - I used a gluten free flour blend from Doves free from range but others have tested my recipes using Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, and Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour with great results.
• Baking powder & Baking soda - Be sure that the baking powder is gluten free as some brands contain gluten.
• Spices - The carrot cake cheesecake uses ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground all spice as I find that the combination of these spices works well for that traditional carrot cake flavor.
• Salt - The salt helps to balance and enhance the flavors.
• Carrots - Use good quality fresh carrots.
• Cream cheese - I used Philadelphia full fat cream cheese as this is my preferred brand. You can use your preferred brand but be sure to use full fat cream cheese. If in the US be sure to use full fat block cream cheese as the tub cream cheese has a higher water content.
• Cornstarch - Just a couple of tablespoons of cornstarch will help make the cheesecake firmer and give more stability.
• Sour cream - Adds additional creaminess to the cheesecake filling.
• Walnuts - Optional for decoration. You can use your preferred decoration such as pecans or use food coloring to color some of the frosting to make cute little carrot decorations or leave the frosting plain.

See the recipe card below for ingredient measurements.

⚡ Substitutions & Variations

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make Carrot Cake Cheesecake.

See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.

Make the Carrot Cake

Step 1: Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Sift in flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Stir together until fully incorporated.

Step 2: Fold in the grated carrot until evenly distributed. Set the bowl aside while you make the cheesecake mixture.

Tip: Use a springform pan and line the sides and bottom with parchment paper as this will make for a cleaner finish and make it easier to remove the cheesecake once cooled.

Make the Cheesecake

Step 3: In a large bowl beat Cream cheese until soft. Then add the sugar and beat together until smooth. Beat in the cornstarch, then the sour cream.

Step 4: Whisk in one egg at a time until fully incorporated, Then add the vanilla extract.

Tip: Once all the ingredients are fully incorporated stop mixing as you don't want too much air in the cheesecake. If air bubbles appear See image 4 then tap the bowl on the countertop a few times to let the air bubbles come to the surface and release the air.

Assemble the Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Step 5: Preheat the oven to 180℃/350℉/Gas 4. Add ⅔ of the carrot cake batter to the bottom of the baking pan and spread out evenly (See image 5).

Step 6: Gently spoon in ½ of the cheesecake mixture on top of the carrot cake batter (See image 6).

Step 7: Carefully add the remaining carrot cake batter (See image 7).

Step 8: For the final layer carefully pour or spoon in the remaining cheesecake mixture (See image 8).

Bake the Cheesecake

Place the baking pan in the oven for 45-50 minutes. (You can quickly check after 40 minutes and if the cheesecake is browning too much you can cover loosely with foil being sure the foil does not touch the top of the cheesecake to prevent further browning). The cheesecake will be firm and coming away slightly from the sides of the pan but still be slightly jiggly in the middle when ready.

The cheesecake will rise in the oven but will deflate as it cools. Don't worry if cracks form on the top as this will be covered by the frosting.

Turn off the oven and leave the oven door open slightly and leave the cheesecake in the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and leave to fully cool at room temperature and then place in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours or preferably overnight to full set.

Tip: check after 40 minutes and if the cheesecake is browning too much you can cover loosely with foil being sure the foil does not touch the top of the cheesecake to prevent further browning

Add the Frosting

See recipe card below for full instructions for making the cream cheese frosting.

Step 9: Carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan. Pour the cream cheese frosting over the top and spread out evenly with a spoon or knife covering any cracks that formed on the top of the cheesecake.

Step 10: Sprinkle the chopped walnuts over the top of the cheesecake. I like to make a rim around the edge of the cream cheese frosting.