Cheesecake Swirled Carrot Bundt Cake with Walnuts and Raisins

We decided to bring you a show-stopping dessert to wow your family and guests this weekend, but also keep you from spending hours and hours in the kitchen. It's carrot cake meets cheesecake to create the perfect Easter or Spring dessert. 

This cake not only looks spectacular, it tastes devine and comes together in a snap. I know we always say that, but we really mean it! The hardest part should be grating the carrots! However, in all seriousness, there are a couple of things to keep in mind that will make your life that much easier:

1. Make sure that you grease your bundt pan well. We always use non-stick spray like Pam because we find that it does a better job at greasing than using butter or oil.

2. With that being said, a great non-stick bundt pan can do wonders.

3. Make sure that your cream cheese is room temperature, or even zap it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to make sure it's really soft. This will make that cheesecake layer come together quickly and ensure a smooth filling.

4. If you have a kitchen scale, use it. Once you start weighing your ingredients there's no going back. There are no more measuring cups to wash, your ingredient amounts are way more precise, and you get the added bonus of pretending like you're in your high school chemistry class again. Remember how to tare? :)

Treat yourself to this delicious Easter treat this weekend and you won't be disappointed. You can even feel good about it becuase of the all the carrots, raisins, walnuts, and applesauce that are in it, right? Happy Baking!

Cheesecake Swirled Carrot Bundt Cake with Walnuts and Raisins

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (350 g) packed dark brown sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 large eggs

3/4 cup (133 g) unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

zest from 1 orange

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ground cloves

2 cups (260 g) grated carrots (we used about 2 1/2 large ones)

1 cup raisins

2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Cheesecake layer

12 ounces (336 g) brick-style cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Glaze

1 cup (120 g) icing sugar

2-3 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 10-inch bundt pan (standard size) with non-stick spray and then set aside.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, oil, eggs, applesauce, vanilla, and orange zest together until combined and no brown sugar lumps remain. Set aside. In another large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves together until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, fold the ingredients toghether until just combined. Then, fold in the carrots, raisins, and walnuts. Spread half of the batter into the bottom of the prepared bundt pan.

3. In a medium bowl using a hand held mixer (or a spoon a bit of elbow grease!), beat the cream cheese together until smooth. Add the sugar, egg, and vanilla and beat again until combined. Spread in an even layer on top of the carrot cake batter.

4. Layer on your remaining carrot cake batter evenly over top. Bake for 55-75 minutes (we baked ours for 58 minutes), or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes inside the pan (don't skip this step!).

5. After 30 minutes, invert the bundt cake onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

6. Whisk the glaze ingredients together and spoon over the cake prior to serving. Cover up extras tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Enjoy!

Only slightly adapted from this recipe.