This easy carrot cake cheesecake recipe is the best. Nothing fancy, just the goodness of classic carrot cake and cheesecake mixed into one.

There are plenty of ways to make carrot cake cheesecake but this one is super easy! Two classic cakes come together in this simple recipe. Don’t worry about baking pretty separate layers or cheesecake tops cracking. Just swirl the two batters together all into one pan and bake.

How to Make Carrot Cake Cheesecake
I modified my favorite carrot cake recipe to make the carrot cake batter. I’ve left the nuts out for allergy reasons so you won’t see them in the photos. However, they are included in the recipe so definitely add them if you like!
Once you have gathered the ingredients, start by making the cheesecake batter using an electric mixer. Room temperature cream cheese is key here because it will be much easier to mix. Make sure the mixture is smooth but do not overmix it.
That goes for the carrot cake batter too! Mix the carrot cake ingredients in the order shown in the recipe until they are just incorporated. Never overmix.

Spread the carrot cake batter into the pan first. Then place dollops of cheesecake batter across the pan as evenly spread as possible. Now comes the part that scares people…making swirls. Don’t worry, it’s easy and here’s a hint: Just like the batters, DON’T overmix it!
Using a butter knife, cut through the cheesecake dollops in a continuous motion to create a swirl pattern. The more times you cut through each dollop, the more swirled it becomes. I cut through each dollop 2-3 times, dragging the batter to parts of the pan where it was less concentrated. If you mix too much, it won’t look pretty.

Once you are satisfied, bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. I placed the pan on a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely before removing it from the pan.
How to Serve and Store
This cake is great for snacking or serving for springtime brunch. You can even turn it into a decorative birthday cake by topping it with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting and adding decorations of your choice on top.

Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. However you choose to eat it, it won’t last long! So enjoy!!

Easy Carrot Cheesecake
An easy to make delight for anyone who loves carrot cake and cheesecake.
Ingredients
Cheesecake Batter
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Cake Batter
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups carrots, finely grated
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth.
- Add the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until incorporated. Set aside the batter.
- Separately, beat the oil, sugar, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt on low speed for 3 minutes. Mix the flour with the baking soda. Add and mix into the liquid mixture until incorporated.
- Add the carrots and optional nuts and mix until just incorporated.
- Spread the carrot cake batter into the prepared pan. Spread dollops of the cream cheese mixture across the pan. Create swirls by cutting through the dollops with a butterknife in a curving pattern, dragging the cream to different parts of the pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan.
Notes
To avoid cutting in the pan, let the parchment paper overhang on two sides so the cooled cake can be lifted by the parchment and out of the pan. Then cut it on a cutting board.
Eileen Barnett says
Do you use powder sugar with the cream cheese? It says sugar not powder sugar in the recipe.
urvashee says
Hello Eileen, no, it is regular granulated sugar for the cheesecake batter.
Dana says
Oooof my cheese cake top looks like melting slices of cheese…any ideas what I did wrong?
Tia L says
I think it may be because the cheesecake batter was overmixed. I googled it lol- hope this helps :)
Kylie says
Is there a way to make this in like a spring form pan so it comes out round and not like a sheet cake? I’m wanting to make it as a birthday cake. Could you do multiple layers of carrot cake then cheesecake swirl and then carrot cake and cheesecake swirl?