Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Ingredients

FOR THE CARROT CAKE

• Cooking spray, for pan
• 300 g plain flour
• 200 g sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda
• 180 g vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 carrot, grated
• 50 g raisins
• 65 g chopped pecans or walnuts

FOR THE CHEESECAKE

• 450 g cream cheese, at room temperature
• 150 g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp. plain flour
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 120 g sour cream

FOR THE FROSTING

• 125 g icing sugar
• 4 tbsp. butter, softened
• 115 g softened cream cheese
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• Chopped pecans or walnuts, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160ºC fan) and grease a 23cm springform pan.
2. Make carrot cake mixture: In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Stir in oil, then add eggs and mix until combined. Add carrots, raisins and nuts and mix until combined.
3. Make cheesecake mixture: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Stir in salt and flour.
4. Mix in vanilla and eggs, beating 1 minute between each addition, then add sour cream.
5. Assemble cheesecake: Pour 2/3 carrot cake mixture into prepared pan and smooth top with spatula. Top with spoonfuls of 1/3 cheesecake mixture, then pour over remaining carrot cake mixture. Top with remaining cheesecake mixture and smooth top with a spatula.
6. Bake until centre is only slightly jiggly, 1 hour.
7. Let cool completely, 1 hour, then transfer to the fridge to cool, 4 hours, or up to overnight. Run a knife around inside of springform pan and unmould from pan.
8. When ready to serve, make frosting: Beat sugar, butter, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.
9. Frost cheesecake, then garnish with pecans or walnuts and let chill, 10 minutes, before serving.