Cheesecake Swirl Carrot Bundt Cake

Here’s to a glorious mash-up of two desserts! This carrot Bundt cake is rich, tender, and flavorful just like my original carrot cake recipe and rippled through each slice is a creamy swirl of cheesecake. A 12-15 cup capacity tube pan is ideal for this large cake.

I originally published this recipe in 2016 and I’m bringing it back from the archives with new photos, step-by-step details, and simpler instructions.

Ingredients

• 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*

Cheesecake Layer

• 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

Glaze (Optional)

• 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• 2 Tablespoons (30-45ml) fresh orange juice or milk