Ingredients
Cheesecake:
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
Carrot Cake:
- 3/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Pinch cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound finely grated carrots (about 1 cup)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
Instructions
- For the cheesecake, in a medium bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, eggs and flour until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix just until blended.
- Set aside.
- For the carrot cake, in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the oil, brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the mixture is light creamy and light.
- Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt until just combined.
- Mix in the carrots.
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- Lightly grease a 9- or 10-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
- Spread half of the carrot cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Dollop half of the cheesecake batter on top of the carrot cake layer in spoonfuls.
- Don't spread or swirl together.
- Dollop the rest of the carrot cake batter on and around the spoonfuls of cheesecake batter.
- Don't spread it together.
- Spoon on the last half of the cheesecake batter on top of all the layers and spread with an offset spatula into an even layer.
- Tap the pan on the counter a couple of times to get rid of any air bubbles.
- Bake the cheesecake for 60-70 minutes (check earlier if using a 10-inch springform pan; it won't bake as long as a 9-inch pan), tenting the top of the cheesecake with foil the last 20 -30 minutes of baking if it is browning too quickly.
- The cheesecake will puff a great deal in the oven thanks to the leavening in the carrot cake and it might even crack.
- Take care not to overbake the cheesecake or the carrot cake bottom and sides will be dry.
- The top center part of the cheesecake (just about a 2- or 3-inch diameter circle) should still be slightly soft and jiggly when you take it out.
- Let the cheesecake cool completely on a wire rack in the pan.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting by whipping together the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar a little at a time until the frosting is well-combined with no lumps.
- Add the vanilla and sour cream and mix well.
- When the cheesecake has cooled, spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
- Cover with tin foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled before serving.
Notes
The cheesecake can be made and frosted 1-2 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until serving.