Denise says:

  • This is two cakes swirled into one: carrot cake with marbled layers of cheese cake.
  • Two of my favourite cakes recipe all in one.  Easy to serve and divide up as it is made in a flat cake tin and cut into squares.
  • Preparation Time:  25 minutes
  • Cooking Time:  45 minutes
  • Makes: 16 Squares
 

Ingredients:

  • Carrot Cake
  • 170g salted butter
  • 60g brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 200g  plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 150g grated carrot
Cheese Cake
  • 450g cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 60g caster sugar Zest of 1 lemon
  • 75g plain flour
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Vanilla Icing
  • 50g salted butter, melted
  • 150g icing sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Garnish:  Finely chopped pistachio nuts and edible rose petals
 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Line a 22cm square baking tin with parchment paper.
  2. To make the carrot cake. In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate soda, salt, mixed spice and cinnamon, whisking until just combined. Stir in the grated carrots.
  3. To make the cheesecake. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, sugar lemon zest, and flour until combined, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla and whisk once more until the mixture is smooth.
  4. Working with the carrot cake mixture, spread about 2/3rds of the batter into the prepared tin in an even layer. Now pour over 2/3rds of the cheesecake mixture, then dollop spoonfuls of the remaining carrot cake mixture into the cheesecake layer. Lastly, pour over the remaining cheesecake mixture.
  5. Bake for 45-55 minutes, cover the cake with foil halfway through cooking to prevent the top from browning. Allow the cake to cool in the cake tin, then transfer to the fridge to chill completely, at least 3 hours.
  6. To make the icing, whisk the butter, icing sugar, vanilla, and 3 tablespoons water, until smooth. If needed, thin with additional water. Drizzle the icing over the squares Leave to set for about an hour before cutting into squares.
  7. The squares can keep chilled in the fridge for up to 5 days.
  8. Garnish with finely chopped pistachio nuts and edible rose petals.
Tagged in: Brown Sugar, Butter, Carrots, Cinnamon, Cream Cheese, Dairy, dairy dessert, Eggs, English, Mixed Spice, Pistachio Nuts, Plain Flour, Shavuot, Summer dessert, Vanilla Extract