Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• Cheesecake:
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Carrot Cake:
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• Frosting:
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon almond extract

Directions

Position the oven racks in the center and lower third of the oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and place in the lower rack in the oven. Spray the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.

Beat three 8-ounce packages cream cheese in a bowl using an electric mixer on high speed until fluffy; reduce speed to medium-low. Add white sugar and beat 2 minutes. Beat 4 eggs, 1 at a time, into cream cheese mixture, beating well before adding the next egg. Beat sour cream and vanilla extract into cream cheese mixture until smooth; add 3 tablespoons flour and beat until cheesecake mixture is smooth.

Beat brown sugar and canola oil together in a separate bowl using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 1 egg and beat for 2 minutes; reduce speed to low. Add 1 cup flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and beat until batter is combined. Fold carrots and walnuts into batter.

Spread carrot cake batter in the prepared pan; top with cheesecake mixture. Place pan on the rack above the roasting pan with water in the oven.

Bake in the preheated oven until cheesecake is set, about 1 hour 10 minutes, covering top of pan with aluminum foil if browning too quickly. Cool for 10 minutes.

Run a knife around the edge of pan to loosen cake; cool to room temperature in pan on a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 8 hours. Remove the outside of the springform pan.

Beat confectioners' sugar, 4 ounces cream cheese, and almond extract together in a bowl using an electric mixer until frosting is smooth. Spread frosting on top of cheesecake layer.