With two layers of carrot cake sandwiching one layer of cheesecake, this carrot cake cheesecake cake is the only dessert you’ll need this Easter!
Question: How many times can one recipe have “cake” in the title?
Answer: Not totally sure but never too many.
If you’re looking for a show-stopping dessert to serve this Easter look no further. This carrot cake cheesecake cake is it. This is all you’ll need.
Because not only is it one heckuva good-lookin’ cake, but it’s delicious too. I mean, come on. Two layers of carrot cake, one layer of cheesecake, plenty of cream cheese frosting. You can’t go wrong.
And now I’m hungry. (Story of my life.)
I’ve wanted to make a cheesecake cake ever since seeing this strawberry version from Life, Love and Sugar on pinterest. I mean, come on! If there is a more gorgeous cake on earth I haven’t seen it.
And my carrot cake version did not disappoint. A warning though: this is not (at all) a quick dessert to make. The cheesecake layer has to refrigerate overnight. But that refrigeration time is good news because it breaks the work up for you. And no component is difficult. If you can make a regular cake you can make this one. Promise.
Confession time. . .I taste every recipe I put up on this blog. I would never post anything I hadn’t tasted and enjoyed. But I don’t eat every bit of every recipe. As much as I might enjoy that, I’d really hate the part where I need a crane to remove me from my bedroom. I give the majority of my baked goods away.
This cheesecake cake is the first recipe that I’ve thought I had to get out of the house IMMEDIATELY after photographing. Seriously. I didn’t think I’d have the strength to make it through the night without eating at least two pieces of half the flipping cake. It’s that delicious.
The creamiest cheesecake sandwiched between the moistest carrot cake, topped with frosting and crunchy walnuts. OOOHHHMIGOSH. Can’t even take it!
My point is this: this cheesecake cake is worth every minute of effort it takes. It’s probably worth double that. Triple even.
The hardest part of the whole thing (besides not eating a slice of cheesecake before you assemble) is making sure you line your cake pan well enough when you bake your cheesecake layer. Because the cake layers all need to be the same size you can’t bake the cheesecake in a spring-form pan like you normally would, so it’s a little tricksy to get out of the pan without mauling it. I provide instructions for removing the cake from the pan in the recipe that follows this post; the keys are lining the bottom of your cake pan with parchment and using some hot water to assist you in the removal.
Once you pop that cheesecake out of its pan you’re golden. This cake practically bakes itself from that point.
Or maybe not quite. You’ll still have to do some of the work. But like I said before: it’s worth it! This is Easter dessert perfection right here.
By my count I’ve used the word “cake” 34 times in this post. Cake! 35 :).
Sounds about right.
PS, if you make this carrot cake cheesecake cake, be sure to leave me a comment and a rating below–let me know what you think! Post a pic over on Instagram too. Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see!
This carrot cake cheesecake cake features two layers of fluffy carrot cake sandwiching a layer of creamy cheesecake. It's a dessert worthy of a celebration!
- 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups grated carrot from about 4 to 5 medium carrots
- 1 cup chopped lightly toasted walnuts or pecans
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 4 to 5 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- additional chopped walnuts for decorating if desired
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, then generously spray the pan with cooking spray again. Set pan aside.
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Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and flour together with an electric mixer set to medium speed. Beat in eggs and egg yolks one at a time, mixing until eggs are just incorporated. Turn mixer to low and beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla.
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Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Set pan in a roasting pan (or any large baking pan) and carry over to the oven. Pour a couple inches of water into the pan, then carefully transfer to the oven. Bake 18 to 25 minutes, until the center of the cheesecake barely wobbles. Remove from the oven and immediately run a knife between the cake and the edge of the pan. Cool cheesecake to room temperature. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
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After the cheesecake has refrigerated, dip the pan in a bowl of hot water for about 15 seconds. Run a knife around the edge of the cake again, then set a large plate or a cake circle on top of the pan. Invert the cake onto the plate. Keep refrigerated until you assemble the cake.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Spray the paper with cooking spray, then dust with flour. Set pans aside.
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Beat the eggs, sugar, oil, and vanilla together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and cloves together in a small mixing bowl. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Mix in carrots, then gently fold in walnuts until evenly distributed. Divide between prepared pans and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
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Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Place cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until cream cheese is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add butter and beat until mixture is completely smooth, 2 to 3 minutes more. With mixer set to low, gradually beat in 4 cups of powdered sugar. Beat in vanilla and salt, then beat frosting on high speed until very fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. If frosting is too thin you can add additional powdered sugar as necessary.
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Place one carrot cake layer on a cake stand or cake circle. Spread about 1/2 cup of frosting on top of the cake layer. Carefully top with the cheesecake layer. Top cheesecake with another 1/2 cup of frosting, spreading in gently into an even layer. Top with remaining carrot cake layer. Use remaining frosting to frost the cake, and decorate if desired. Serve and enjoy.
*This makes lots of frosting so you’ll have plenty to decorate with. If you don’t intend to decorate you can cut the frosting amount in half.
Cheesecake adapted from The Baker’s Manual
Carrot cake adapted from Allrecipes
this is an absolute show-stopper! i truly believe it would be one of the most delicious things i ‘d ever eat, if i could ever find the motivation to make it. 🙂
Thank you so much Grace! It’s definitely delicious 🙂
This looks amazing! We used to make all kinds of cakes with cheesecake in the middle at my coffee shop. We had a carrot cake one like this, an oreo one, a peanut butter cup one and more. We had a blast chiller that made assembly really easy. We could quick freeze the layers in a matter of minutes making putting together the layers easy without any melting or breaking! This looks amazing and my hats off to you for doing without the blast chiller like I used.
Thank you so much, Patrick! A blast chiller would definitely have helped here :). You KNOW I’m going to make a peanut butter cup version of this now–thank you for the idea!
I think that this is what people mean when they refer to food as ‘labor of love’. Awesome – I kind of like it when recipes have particular steps that require time. Your creation looks beautiful. Carrot cake and cheesecake are both favorites of Chris’! I think I will give it a try – we are hosting this year for Easter, so I will not worry about him eating too many slices:)
Thank you so much, Milena! Definitely try this and let me know how it goes! I like the time-consuming recipes too :). There’s nothing like spending an afternoon baking, especially when it results in a lovely cake!
Did your mom tell you carrot cake and cheesecake are two of my favorites? This is perfect and it looks amazing. What a fabulous creation.
Haha! I had no idea, Nancie. It was just a happy accident :). Thank you so much!
Oh my goodness! What a wonderful cake! Carrot cake is a favorite, after all that’s what we had for our wedding cake. A perfect spring dessert!
Thank you, Deb! Carrot cake is one of my favorites, too :). I love that it was your wedding cake!
Genius idea to sandwich cheesecake between carrot cakes. Takes carrot cake with cream cheese frosting to a whole new level:)
Thank you so much, Maria! All that cream cheese makes this cake SO yummy!
more cake = better, always! carrot cake just doesn’t taste right without lots of cream cheese frosting, so a double dose of cream cheese sounds amazing (:
Right? I can’t even imagine carrot cake without cream cheese frosting. It’s just necessary. Thank you so much, Heather!
Oh man! I don’t care what you call it I just need a slice or two of that cake. Looks so so perfect. Drooling ….
Thank you, Kankana! I’ll send a few slices your way 🙂
The only thing better than carrot cake is carrot cake with a huge layer of cheesecake in it! This looks amazing!
Thank you so much! I agree–the cheesecake just makes this even better 🙂
Oh My! Now this is a real Easter delight! Carrot cake, cheesecake and fluffy cream cheese frosting!! Looks so heavenly Kelsie!!
Haha! Thank you so much, Kim! It’s truly Easter in cake form 🙂
This cake is just stunning! So perfect for Easter! Love the cheesecake center!
Thank you so much, Kelly! It’s definitely Easter fare 🙂
I would be all over this cake! I love that you get different textures and flavors. And you decorated it so beautifully!
Thank you so much Laura! That means a lot :). I’m kind of insecure about my decorating abilities. . .
OMG!! This is one good looking cake, girl!!! Cheesecake between carrot cake? Say what? It’s like carrot cake and cheese cake met, feel in love, and made this. Is it wrong that I want to keep the whole thing for myself? Pinned! Happy Monday!
Thank you, Dawn! That’s exactly what I was thinking. The gorgeous child of two equally wonderful cakes :). Happy Monday to you too!
Combining my two favorite desserts sounds dangerous, deliciously dangerous 😉 . It seems like carrot cake was made for Spring. It’s so Beautifully decorated I don’t think this cake would last more than a few minutes at my house 🙂
Dangerous is definitely the right word. It didn’t last long here either :). I totally agree–let’s make carrot cake the official cake of spring! Thank you so much, Mary!
I might have to steal this idea! And buy a loose bottomed cake tin to make getting the cheesecake layer out with ease 🙂
Definitely try it Tandy! It’s soooo good. And would be way more simple if you could just remove the pan’s bottom! Thank you!
It doesn’t get better than this 🙂 Perfect for an Easter celebration!
Thank you so much! I agree; it’s just screaming EASTER!
This is like cake and cheesecake perfection!! And I am with you on baking stuff and having to get it out of the house ASAP. Cookie dough chilling overnight in the fridge is always a problem for me hehehehe 🙂 xoxo
OMG Kelly! Cookie dough is my kryptonite. I might as well double the recipe ’cause I’m just gonna eat half of it while it rests :). Thanks, girl!
Now this looks absolutely amazing! You’ve combined two of my very favorite flavors. What time is Easter dinner?
Thank you so much, Julie! We eat at 4 🙂
This is like my dream cake! and those layers! looks amazing! I am so diggin’ cheesecakes at the moment 🙂
Awwwww thank you, Georgie! Why do cheesecakes have to be SO delicious?!?! 🙂
I have never had a cake with an entire cheesecake in the middle but I imagine I’d be like you and be tempted to eat the entire thing. I love cheesecake with cinnamon and I think the carrot cake combo is perfect.
Definitely try it sometime! If you like cheesecake you’ll love it stuffed inside another cake :). Thank you so much, Stacy!
So much YES here!! Carrot cake is my most favorite flavor of cake and I would never have thought to put those two things together. I can imagine it’s divine and look forward to making it!!
Awwww thank you, Lindsay! Carrot cake and cheesecake were meant to be together, I think 🙂
OH MY GOODNESS. This cake looks insaaaaanely delicious. I actually just made the strawberry cheesecake from Life, Love and Sugar for Valentine’s Day and it was so dang good. Seriously, it was the most proud I’ve ever been of a homemade cake lol!! This carrot cake is making me so hungry, I may need to try it next time I bake…
Megan
http://www.lifeonshadylane.com
Thank you so much, Megan! I still haven’t made that strawberry cheesecake cake. . .I’m thinking it’s just gonna be too dangerous :). Definitely let me know what you think if you try this one!
This cake is stunning and is two of my favorite things in one! This is such a show stopping dessert Kelsie!
Oh, thank you so much, Marcie! They’re two of my favorite things too!
You’ve just combined two of my favorite things into the most amazing-looking springtime dessert! I’m a huge sucker for cheesecake and carrot cake is a dessert obsession of mine. Can’t wait to try this! Thanks for sharing, Kelsie!
Thank you so much Alyssa! You’re so sweet! A good carrot cake is hard to beat isn’t it? The only thing that comes close for me is a good cheesecake 🙂
Oh this looks so delicious and perfect for easter! I am a HUGE fan of cheesecake cakes, but I’ve only made them by swirling cheesecake and cake together, not stacking. So beautiful!
Thank you! I’ve never tried the swirling technique and am adding that to my must-bake list right now!
All of this cake talk is music to my ears… you can never say it too much! I thought I pretty much had my Easter menu nailed down, but it is tempting to try to work this beauty in. Maybe I should make it sometime when I don’t have to share quite so much! 😉
Thank you Carlee! I vote to make it when you can keep it for yourself :). It freezes beautifully–in case you need to hide it from yourself for awhile!
This master piece just told me that it wants me to eat it.
Hahaha! You can hear cakes speaking too? I thought I was the only one :). Thank you!
Cheesecake? Count me in! LOVE the stuff. This looks superb — excellent recipe. Thanks!
Thank you so much! I agree–cheesecake is sooooo good!
Fusion at its best. Freaking amazing.
Thank you!
Wow, this looks incredible! I may have to make this for Easter. So glad you included the part about the parchment. I always “maul” my cakes and have so much trouble taking them out of the pan.
Aesthetic Lounge
Thank you, Mia! The parchment is key 🙂
This is a killer cake! Totally outstanding and perfect for any special occasion-like my birthday! Or maybe just even on friday night! Love it!
This cake is total special occasion/just an average night fare :). Thank you so much, Abbe!
This cake just sounds and looks delicious!
Thank you so much, Cara! It really is 🙂
It looks so beautiful, I love this combination!
Thank you so much, Pamela!
So what could be better than cheesecake and carrot CAKE???? Love this combination Kelsie. And I love the triple cake cake cake title. Perfection. It really sliced so beautifully too. Great pictures and a gorgeous cake all around, my friend. So pretty for Easter.
Thank you so much dear Allie! Anything with cake in the title three times just has to be good!
Day-um, that is a killer combination right there, and a really attractive cake, I must say. It doesn’t look forced, just very very right. And also dangerous. And also, it’s a delicate balance, isn’t it, baking and tasting and giving away? I’m so glad my friends have sweet teeth O.O
Thank you so much Liz! It is certainly dangerous :). I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have plenty of sweet lovers in my life!
There are 2 rules I like to live by: 1) Two cakes are always better than one 2) There should always be a layer of cheesecake between everything. Hahahahaha! Seriously, this cake is really beautiful and would be so impressive as a dessert on the Easter dinner table. My family would go nuts over it! 🙂
Hahahaha! Let’s just agree that everything is better with a little cheesecake :). I’m glad we’re on the same page! Thank you Karrie!
I would have eaten it all, I’m sure….I have no self control on any given day and it looks so amazingly delicious! Your friends and family are very lucky! Monday’s and Thursdays must be their favourite days of the week, 🙂
My friends and family are definitely not sorry I bake so often :). Thank you Tania! Have a great weekend!