This is not your ordinary carrot cake recipe. Carrot Bundt Cake is wrapped around a cheesecake filling and covered with cream cheese frosting. It makes an impressive centerpiece for any dessert table!
Love carrot cake recipes? Be sure to try these amazing carrot cake cookies with our homemade cream cheese frosting on top!
Why this Recipe Works
Today’s recipe combines my favorite things: carrot cake, bundt cake and cheesecake!
Okay, FOUR of my favorite things. Frosting. We can’t forget about frosting!
If you’re looking for something a little different for Easter dessert this year, this Carrot Bundt Cake is just the ticket. I have a classic Carrot Cake recipe that’s a family favorite!
I adapted it for a bundt pan and added nuts. Then I stepped up the WOW factor” by adding a ribbon of cheesecake. Who doesn’t love a Carrot cake cheesecake Cake, right?
Top it off with some homemade cream cheese frosting and this is the cake of your dreams.
Or my dreams. Or all our dreams.
I can’t resist sneaking bite after bite of this Carrot Bundt Cake!
Ingredient Notes
In addition to the usual suspects for cake: flour, sugar, and eggs…
- Shredded carrots. Shred whole carrots at home for moistest carrot cake. You can shred them with a grater or the grating attachment of your food processor (do not puree).
- Chopped pecans. You can swap these out for walnuts if you prefer. Or keep them out if you like your cake without nuts. Toast the pecans for best flavor!
- Vanilla. My How to Make Vanilla Extract is perfect in this cake.
Easy Instructions
- Make the cake batter. Set aside.
- Make the cheesecake filling. Set aside.
- Assemble the Carrot Bundt Cake by filling the bottom of a greased bundt pan with 3/4 of the cake batter. Spoon the cheesecake layer on top of that. Finally, add the rest of the cake batter over the cheesecake.
- Bake for an hour. Let the carrot cake cool completely.
- Frost. When the cake is cool, beat together the frosting ingredients. Pipe onto the cake and garnish with more chopped pecans. Slice and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Use a 12 cup bundt pan. I used this one from Amazon.
- Don’t forget to spray! Spray the inside of your bundt pan well with baking spray before adding the cake batter or use Homemade Cake Release.
- Check for doneness. When done baking, the cake should easily pull away from the sides of the bundt pan.
- Use freshly shredded carrots. Store bought shredded carrots tend to be much drier and will reduce the moistness in the cake.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, feel free to omit the nuts in this bundt cake recipe if you prefer a nut free carrot cake.
This recipe was designed and tested to be baked in a 12 cup bundt pan. Try this classic Carrot Cake Recipe for a traditional cake version. Or check out my Carrot Cake Cupcakes!
Once frosted, this cake (and all carrot cake with cream cheese frosting) should be stored in the refrigerator. Left at room temperature for more than a few hours, the cream cheese will soften and melt. Not to mention it has the potential to spoil! Take your Carrot Bundt Cake out of the fridge an hour or so before serving to bring it to room temperature. Or feel free to enjoy it chilled.
Stored in the fridge, this cake stays good for about 4 days. I can never resist eating it all up long before then!
More Cake recipes
- German Chocolate Cake
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Coconut Cake recipe
- Hummingbird Cake
- Cream Puff Cake
- Banana Cake
- Peanut Butter Cake
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section below!
Carrot Bundt Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups grated carrots or finely shredded
- 1 cup chopped pecans
For the Filling:
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For the frosting:
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- 3 Tablespoon milk
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup Chopped Pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Spray a 12 cup bundt pan generously with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combined all the ingredients for the cake, mixing until well combined. Batter will be very thick! Set aside.
- For the filling, beat cream cheese with sugar, vanilla and egg until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- To assemble, fill bottom of sprayed bundt pan with about 3/4 of the batter. Spoon the cream cheese into the pan, being careful not to let it touch the sides of the pan. Spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese layer. It’s okay if it doesn’t cover completely.
- Bake cake in a preheated oven for 60-65 minutes. Cake will be browned and will pull away from the pan when done. Remove from oven and cool for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese, milk and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. Pour frosting into a large ziploc bag and snip off the corner. Pipe onto cake, generously. Sprinkle immediately with chopped pecans. ENJOY!
Notes
- Use a 12 cup bundt pan. I used this one from Amazon.
- Don’t forget to spray! Spray the inside of your bundt pan well with baking spray before adding the cake batter or use Homemade Cake Release.
- Check for doneness. When done baking, the cake should easily pull away from the sides of the bundt pan.
- Use freshly shredded carrots. Store bought shredded carrots tend to be much drier and will reduce the moistness in the cake.
- STORAGE: Store cake in refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Video
Nutrition
The perfect Easter dessert! This Carrot Bundt Cake with cheesecake filling is bound to turn a few heads at your holiday meal.
OMG!!! This is the best cake I have ever made. The batter is perfect and the taste is just right (not too sweet). I used simple sugar glaze instead of cream cheese frosting. It taste heavenly. Thank you for this recipe. Can’t wait to make another one. Can I use the cream cheese filling in other cakes or bread recipes?
I have a pumpkin bundt cake that uses the similar cheesecake filling too!
I made this cake for my birthday and it was SOOOO good! Best carrot cake I’ve had in a long time. Today I am going to try it without the cheesecake part and bake in a loaf pan for carrot “bread”
Hi Aimee, thank you for sharing this recipe. I’m laughing because I see I wasn’t the only one making it on Easter Sunday. In any case it was very easy to prepare according to your instructions and my husband is very happy with it. My only grievance is that the cheesecake part isn’t solid it actually is like a tunnel. Now having said that I don’t think it has anything to do with your recipe or my baking. I just think my husband was too anxious to eat it, cut it while it was still slightly warm and therefore it didn’t get to set properly . Either way the cake is very easy to make and absolutely delicious. Thanks again for sharing.
I cannot wait to share this with my neighbor today. It’s Easter but a strange one being we are in the midst of the coronavirus that I sure hope everyone is taking seriously! It turned out great! I wish I could post a photo of it!
I’m making this very recipe right now ! Happy Easter ! I agree it will be the strangest one I’ve ever experienced.
If you’re on social media, tag me on facebook or instagram 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the recipe, and are staying safe!
My cake had the same “failed” middle tunnel like your cake. I think I may have cooked it too long. However, it is tasty and I’d definitely make it again.
Love this carrot cake easy and quick to make.Made it for my husband he loved it !! Thank you!
I absolutely love this recipe it’s perfect!!
Thank you so much for sharing!!!
This is a delicious carrot cake. Not sure what all the complaints are about, your site is fine and the recipe easy to follow, yielding a yummy cake! Thanks for shar.
Is the filling creamy or cakey?
It’s like a cooked cheesecake texture 🙂
The photo sure doesn’t look like cooked cheesecake. The cheesecake part has little air pockets that look like regular cake or bread. Can you explain? Please clarify.
Uhhh, not sure what to explain. It’s cooked cheesecake.
Is the filling creamy or cakey. I want a creamy center for a textual difference
❓❓I have never seen a carrot cake without the crushed pineapple. Is there a reason it is not added into this Carrot Cake Cream Cheese Bundt Cake❓❓ I am anxious to hear back, as I am planning in baking this recipe tomorrow, Thanks!
I wonder if it’s a regional thing…I’ve never had carrot cake WITH pineapple! Sounds delicious though.
Have you tried organic brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for the cake and adding a bit of lemon zest to the cheesecake batter? It makes this cake even better. Love it. Great recipe. My neighbor looks forward to it every year for her Halloween party.
Your site is difficult. Getting to the actual recipe ,if new to entering your site, is tedious. The recipe was at the very bottom…. Found after scrolling through many of your other recipes and advertisements. With all that said, I’m really looking forward to making the Bundt cake.
I am finding your site WAY to difficult to navigate. I should not have to bounce round from page to page to get a full recipe and at that, the links don’t take me directly to the recipe, it takes me to a list of recipes and on pinterest not all of those recipes are yours so I can’t even figure out how to make the right recipe. No thanks, I’ve spent too much time trying to find ALL of the recipes required to make this, I’m moving on to another site.
I’m not sure what to even say. If you land on a page, that recipe is there, at the bottom. Every time. I don’t make you click anywhere to find my recipes. And if the links are wrong from pinterest, that’s a shame for the person who pinned it, but you can’t blame me for that.
The cream cheese filling layer turned out too thin; I stayed true to the recipe. Tried adding 1/4 Cup powder sugar to try and thicken it. Still ran across the cake layer. I added raisins to the cake layer but no other changes. It slid out as promised and looks pretty, just wondered where I went wrong with the filling.
Based on what I’ve read as a general rule- 2 cups oil, 2 cups sugar, 3 cups flour, 4 eggs. The batter was too thin and two sweet. Added another cup of flour and consistency/flavor perfect. Also added approx. 3/4 cup mini chocolate chips. Used a stoneware bundt pan and oiled and floured generously. Cooled 15 min and inverted in plate. No sticking problems. I’m sure will be a big hit Easter Sunday alongside the pies. Thank you! ?