Sweet treats

Carrot cake cheesecake recipe

Indulge in a carrot cake with a twist with this tempting cheesecake recipe. Enjoy a moist and spicy cake base with a topping of cool cream cheese. It’s the perfect sweet treat that also harnesses the wellbeing benefits of carrots!

Carrots are a good source of beta-carotene, which is where they get their bright orange colour from. The body then converts this into vitamin A. This is an important nutrient for supporting our vision, as well as our immune function.

We love to top this cheesecake recipe with crunchy nuts. We’ve opted for pecans here, but walnuts also make a delicious addition.

Pecans are helpful for supporting our wellbeing. These nutritious nuts are a great source of zinc, which is an important mineral for supporting our immune system. Pecans also have good heart-healthy fats that appear to have links to improving total cholesterol levels. These helpful fats can also help us to feel fuller for longer. Read more about the most nutritious nuts and seeds here.

This versatile recipe tastes delicious as a pudding or, alternatively, enjoy with a steaming cup of tea in the afternoon.

Discover more delicious recipes from Liz Earle Wellbeing

Ingredients

    For the base

    • 100g spelt flour
    • 100g coconut sugar
    • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1/4 tsp ginger powder
    • 1/4 tsp mixed spice
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • 40g pecans, coursely chopped
    • 80ml rapeseed oil
    • 2 organic eggs, beaten
    • 75g organic carrots, grated

    For the topping

    • 500g full-fat soft cheese
    • 2 tbsp local honey
    • 1/2 tsp mixed spice
    • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
    • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 orange, zested
    • Seeds of one vanilla pod
    • 200ml double cream
    • 60g pecans, roughly chopped

    Method

    1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4, and line a 20cm spring-form tin. Add the dry ingredients with the chopped pecans, into a large mixing bowl, then stir in the oil, beaten eggs and grated carrots. Mix until combined.
    2. Pour into the tin, ensuring to level out the mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
    3. Leave the cake to stand in its tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    4. Once cooled, remove the baking paper and add the cake base back into the spring-form tin.
    5. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the soft cheese, honey, spices, orange zest and vanilla seeds with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. Add in the double cream and beat until combined.
    6. Spoon the cheesecake mixture on top of the cooked cake, even out the top and leave to set in the fridge for at least four hours.
    7. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, then loosen the tin and remove the cake. Arrange the remaning pecans on top of the cheesecake as decoration.