Serve up this decadent pairing of cheesecake and carrot cake topped with vanilla frosting for the best of both dessert worlds.
- Prep time 2 hours & 45 minutes
- Total time 7 hours & 45 minutes
- Portion size 16 servings
- Credits : Canadian Living Magazine: April 2023
Ingredients
Carrot cake:
Cream Cheese Filling:
Vanilla Frosting:
Method
Carrot Cake Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Wrap outside of springform pan with several sheets of heavy-duty foil. Set aside.
In bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed, beat sugar with oil and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until smooth. Using wooden spoon, stir in reserved flour mixture in two batches. Using spatula, gently fold in carrots and pecans. Spread cake batter into prepared springform pan, smoothing top. Bake until top of cake springs back when touched gently and cake tester inserted in centre of cake comes out with a few crumbs, about 25 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to wire rack.
Cream Cheese Filling Meanwhile, in large bowl, using electric mixer on medium-high speed (with clean beaters), beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar (scraping down side of bowl occasionally) until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, add eggs, one at a time (scraping down side of bowl often). Using spatula, stir in sour cream, flour and vanilla. Tap bowl on counter several times to remove air bubbles.
Reduce oven heat to 325°F. Using brush, grease side of springform pan above carrot cake. Pour filling over warm Carrot Cake. Place springform pan in large deep ovenproof dish. Pour enough hot water into dish to come 3/4 inch up outside of springform pan. Bake on middle rack of oven until edge of Cream Cheese Filling has set and centre is still slightly wobbly, or until instant-read thermometer inserted in centre of filling reads 150°F, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Turn off oven and let cake stand in oven with door propped open for 1 hour. Remove springform pan from water and run blade of knife around the edge of cake to loosen. Transfer cake in pan to wire rack, remove foil and let cake cool completely. Cover and refrigerate until cake is set, about 4 hours. (Make-ahead: Can be refrigerated for up to two days or frozen for up to two weeks. Let thaw in fridge before continuing with recipe.)
Vanilla Frosting In bowl, using electric mixer on medium speed (with clean beaters), beat together cream cheese and butter until well blended. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Gradually beat in enough icing sugar to make frosting smooth and creamy.
Unmold cake onto serving platter. Top cake with Vanilla Frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Drizzle with caramel sauce, if using. (Make-ahead: Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Test Kitchen Tip
Waiting to grease the side of the springform pan until after the carrot cake has been baked will result in a cake with two well-defined layers. Without the grease the carrot cake will stick to the pan, but it will also prevent the cheese filling from sliding down the side. Simply pass a knife between the pan and the final cake to unmold it.
Nutritional facts PER SERVING
- Calories 490
- Total fat 37 g
- Saturated fat 15 g
- Cholesterol 125 mg
- Sodium 305 mg
- Total carbohydrate 33 g
- Fibre 1 g
- Sugars 25 g
- Protein 7 g
- Iron 1.0 mg
