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This classy yet easy Carrot Cake Cheesecake combines both moist carrot cake and creamy cheesecake into one irresistible Easter dessert.





This Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the perfect example of expectation vs. reality – ever hear of the saying?

It’s where you have what you think will happen then you have what actually happens. It’s pretty popular around the internet and I think of it all the time when something unexpected happens.

Like how my Mini Layered Guinness Cake turned out to be three layers instead of two or how this Carrot Cake Cheesecake was supposed to be two layers but became one.

I guess that means layers and I don’t get along. This Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the dessert I made for Easter dessert.





Expectation vs. reality has been the story of my life these past few years.

I thought I had it figured out. Go to college for four years, graduate, get a job, and work my way up the career ladder.

Going to college was everything I expected. I lived exactly where I wanted to live, never changed majors (I did change from web design to video production but still same degree), and graduated on time.

Then all expectations fell apart from there. I spent 13 months looking to start my career while spending 10 of those months at Target.

Then I moved to a small country town to a job I thought I wanted with a company I’ve never heard of.

If you told me on graduation day that this would be my life for the next four years, I never would have believed you for a second.

Although my expectations vs. reality were way off course, there was calm in the chaos.

I figured out who I was (and who I was not). I found both strength and weaknesses I never knew I had.

I lost best friends but gained even better ones.

And the best part of all – I found myself blogging again and finally, finally, figured out where I belonged in such a lonely, cold world.





Now I don’t have everything figured out. Does anybody ever really?

There are days where I’m torn inside, a constant battle between my thoughts and heart, confused as to what I want to do with my life.

It’s why I turn to baking so much. It’s the one thing I know I can do well and know what the outcome will be. But even then there are some expectation vs. reality moments.

The idea behind this Carrot Cake Cheesecake was to have one layer of carrot cake topped with one layer of cheesecake, very much like my Kit Kat Cheesecake Brownies.

However, when I tried to spread the cheesecake layer on top, it all sunk to the bottom. Now I have a cheesecake with a carrot cake crust. Or a cheesecake-stuffed carrot cake.

Whatever you call it, it combines the delicious flavors of sweet and nutty carrot cake with creamy and sinful cheesecake.





When I did some research on carrot cake recipes, I had some decisions to make.

Walnuts or pecans? Pineapples? Coconut? Because I had more walnuts in my pantry than pecans, I added in walnuts with some crushed pineapple and shredded coconut.

I was originally going to do a coconut milk frosting, but because it doesn’t refrigerate too well, I stuck with traditional cream cheese frosting.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake is the perfect dessert for Easter because Easter involves bunnies and bunnies love carrots.

And even if you don’t make it for Easter (or even celebrate it), this cheesecake is a great any day dessert to make.

It is a great reminder that even though life has expectations vs. reality, we always end up where we are meant to be.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake Yield: 8-10 servings Prep Time: 2 hours Cook Time: 40 minutes Chill Time: 4 hours Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes This classy yet easy Carrot Cake Cheesecake combines both moist carrot cake and creamy cheesecake into one irresistible Easter dessert. Print Ingredients 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground clove

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup buttermilk or whole milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice added, room temperature

2/3 cup grated carrot

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup raisins

2 tablespoons crushed pineapple, drained Cheesecake 16 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, room temperature

2 teaspoons pineapple juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 recipe Small Batch Cream Cheese Frosting (get recipe here) Instructions Preheat the oven to 350F. Cover the outside of a 9 inch springform pan with foil to prevent batter from leaking then place on a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and salt. In a large mixing bowl by hand with a whisk, beat together the sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until pale and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. Switch to a rubber spatula and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, adding the flour in 3 additions and the milk in 2 additions (begin and end with dry ingredients). Stir in the carrots, pineapple, coconut, walnuts, and raisins. Pour into the pan and set aside. For the cheesecake: In a second large mixing bowl (with paddle attachment if using a stand mixer), beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fluffy and smooth. Beat in the pineapple juice and vanilla. Drop spoonfuls of filling on top of the cake layer in an even circle in the middle (the filling will sink, so it will be difficult to spread around). Bake 35-40 minutes or until the middle is firm when touched (the middle may still wiggle slightly when the pan is shaken). Let cool completely. Once cooled to room temperature, slide a knife around the inside rim of the pan to loosen the edges. Remove the ring then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. While the cheesecake is chilling, make the cream cheese frosting and store in the refrigerator until ready to assemble (get the instructions here). Place the cold cake on a stand or plate with strips of parchment or wax paper underneath (you will be pulling these strips out later, so make sure you can easily remove them). With an offset spatula, frost a thin layer around the cake (you should still be able to see the cake through the frosting). Chill the cake for 30 minutes. Clean the spatula and finish frosting the rest of the cake. Carefully remove the paper strips then place walnut pieces around the bottom of the cake and a few on top for garnish. Southern Living

More Carrot Cake Recipes



Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls



Carrot Cake Drop Cookies