These Swirled Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars are a delightful dessert that combines the warm, spiced flavors of carrot cake with the creamy richness of cheesecake. The beautiful swirls create a visually appealing treat that’s perfect for any occasion.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique Flavor Combination: Combines the best of carrot cake and cheesecake in one delicious bar.
- Visually Appealing: The swirled layers create a beautiful presentation.
- Easy to Make: Simple steps and readily available ingredients make this recipe accessible.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: These bars can be made ahead of time, making them perfect for parties and gatherings.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure to the cake.
- Ground Cinnamon: Adds warm, sweet spice.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cake rise and adds tenderness.
- Nutmeg: Adds a warm, nutty flavor.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness.
- Brown Sugar: Adds a rich, molasses flavor.
- Large Eggs: Binds the ingredients and adds richness.
- Neutral-Flavored Oil: Adds moisture.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, sweet flavor.
- Finely Shredded Carrots: Adds sweetness and texture.
Cheesecake Batter:
- Cream Cheese (Softened): Provides the creamy base for the cheesecake.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness.
- Sour Cream: Adds tanginess and richness.
- Large Eggs: Binds the ingredients and adds richness.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds a warm, sweet flavor.
Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Swirled Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars
Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Preheat Oven
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper and grease lightly.
Step 2: Make Carrot Cake Batter
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugars, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and carrots, mixing until just combined.
Step 3: Make Cheesecake Batter
Whip cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add sour cream, eggs, and vanilla, mixing until combined.
Step 4: Assemble the Bars
Spread half of the carrot cake batter in the pan. Spoon cheesecake and remaining carrot cake batter in alternating dollops.
Step 5: Swirl the Batters
Use a knife to lightly swirl the batters together.
Step 6: Bake
Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch.
Step 7: Cool and Serve
Let cool completely. Serve at room temperature or chilled.
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Don’t Overmix: Avoid overmixing the batters to prevent tough bars.
- Use Full-Fat Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese yields a richer and sturdier cheesecake layer.
- Cool Completely: Ensure the bars are fully cooled before cutting to prevent crumbling.
- Adjust Ratios: If you prefer more cake to cheesecake, increase the cake ingredients by 1.5 times.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature cream cheese, eggs, and sour cream will help the batters combine more smoothly.
How to Serve
- Dessert: Serve as a delightful dessert for any occasion.
- Party Treat: Perfect for parties, potlucks, or gatherings.
- Holiday Dessert: Ideal for holiday meals and celebrations.
- With Coffee or Tea: Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Store leftover bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
Freezing
Freeze cooled bars in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Reheating
Reheating is not recommended. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
FAQs
1. Can I use a different type of oil?
Yes, you can use melted coconut oil or unsalted butter instead of neutral-flavored oil.
2. Can I use light cream cheese?
Full-fat cream cheese is recommended for the best texture. Light cream cheese may result in a runnier cheesecake layer.
3. Can I add nuts or raisins to the carrot cake batter?
Yes, you can add chopped nuts or raisins to the carrot cake batter for added texture and flavor.
4. How do I prevent the bars from sticking to the pan?
Use parchment paper with overhanging edges and grease the pan thoroughly.
Print
Swirled Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars Recipe
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 15 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Swirled Carrot Cake Cheesecake Bars are a delightful dessert that combines the warm spices of carrot cake with the creamy tang of cheesecake. Perfect for any occasion, these bars are easy to make and visually stunning.
Ingredients
Carrot Cake:
- 1 1/4 cups (178 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (159 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (53 g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup neutral-flavored oil (vegetable, canola, grapeseed, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 pound carrots, finely shredded (about 2 cups)
Cheesecake Batter:
- 2 packages (8-ounces each) (454 g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (106 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Pan and Preheat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan (metal pan recommended) with parchment paper with overhanging edges. Lightly grease the bottom and sides with cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: For the carrot cake batter, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla until well-combined and lighter in color, 1-2 minutes.
- Combine Cake Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients and then the carrots and mix until no dry streaks remain (do not overmix).
- Prepare Cheesecake Batter: For the cheesecake batter, whip the cream cheese and granulated sugar with an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer) until smooth and well-combined, 1-2 minutes. Add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla and mix for another minute or so until evenly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Layer Batters: Spread half of the carrot cake batter in a thin layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Spoon the cheesecake batter and remaining carrot cake batter over the top, alternating heaping dollops so there’s an even amount of batter across the bars.
- Swirl and Bake: Use a knife to lightly swirl the batter together. Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes until the top springs back lightly to the touch. Let cool completely. Serve at room temperature or chilled (these bars can be made 1-2 days ahead of time; refrigerate until serving).
Notes
- Substitutions: You can replace half of the oil with applesauce with good results. Full fat cream cheese works better than light cream cheese in this recipe (light cream cheese is runnier and doesn’t produce as sturdy of a cream cheese swirl/layer).
- Tip: Take care not to overmix either the carrot cake or cheesecake batter.
- Ratios: This recipe is prominent on the cheesecake so if you want more cake to cheesecake ratio – consider 1 ½-ing the cake part.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 25g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
