Cheesecake Swirl Carrot Bundt Cake
Total Time
5 hours
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour, 15 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(43)
Ingredients
serves 10
- 1 cup (240ml) vegetable oil*
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 and 3/4 cups (350g) packed light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark)
- 3/4 cup (133g) smooth unsweetened applesauce*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest (can omit if desired)
- 2 and 1/2 cups (313g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 2 cups (260g) peeled and shredded carrots (about 4 large peeled carrots)
- optional: 1 cup (130g) roughly chopped pecans*
- 12 ounces (339g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 2 Tablespoons (30-45ml) fresh orange juice or milk
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Preparation
Chef’s notes
Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions:
Prepare cake 1 day in advance. Cool completely, cover tightly, and then refrigerate until a couple hours before serving. Set out at room temperature for a couple hours before serving. It’s best to garnish with glaze close to serving the cake. To freeze, cool cake completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature if desired before serving.
Special Tools (affiliate links):
12-15 Cup Bundt Pan (such as this Bundt pan, this Bundt pan, or this fluted tube pan) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula or Wooden Spoon | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Vegetable Peeler | Box Grater | Cooling Rack
Oil:
This recipe is best with vegetable oil. You can use melted and slightly cooled coconut oil if desired, but be sure that all other ingredients are room temperature so the coconut oil does not solidify before baking the batter.
Applesauce:
Instead of applesauce, you can use 3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple.
Cream Cheese:
Do not use cream cheese spread. Use brick cream cheese which is sold as 8 ounce bricks. You need 1.5 bricks since this recipe calls for 12 ounces of cream cheese.
Pecans & Other Add Ins:
You can add up to 1 and 1/4 cups add-ins to this cake. I usually use just 1 cup (130g) roughly chopped pecans. You can use raisins, chopped walnuts, and/or shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened). A combination of any works as long as the total amount isn’t over 1 and 1/4 cups. Or you can leave the cake plain without any add-ins.
Loaf Pan:
Some readers have halved this recipe and baked it in a loaf pan at the same oven temperature for about 1 hour, though my team and I have not tested it. You could also try this carrot cake loaf instead.