carrot-cheesecake with pineapple flowers

Name: Carrot Cheesecake with Pineapple Flowers
Yield: makes 2 8-inch (20 cm) layers
Ingredients: 2 cups (400 g) sugar, used half brown/half white; 1 1/3 cups (320 mL) vegetable oil; 3 large (150 g) eggs, at room temp; 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla extract; 2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon (300 g + 8 g) all purpose flour, divided — the 1 tablespoon is for the cranberries; 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 mL) ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) ground ginger; 2 teaspoons (10 mL) baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons (7.5 g) kosher salt; 1 cup (120 g) dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained thoroughly; 1 cup (120 g) walnuts, chopped; 1 pound (450 g) carrots, very finely grated; 1/2 cup (120 mL) fresh pineapple, finely diced, you can use the rest of it for pineapple flowers; 2 (8-ounce) packages (450 g) cream cheese, room temp; 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) salt; 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar; 2 (100 g) eggs, room temperature; 3/4 cup (185 g) sour cream; 3/4 teaspoon (4 mL) vanilla extract; 2 (8-ounce) tubs (450 g) mascarpone cheese, room temperature; 1 cup (245 g) sour cream; 1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup (30–60 g) powdered sugar, to taste; 1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla bean paste; 2 carrot cake layers (from above); mascarpone cream (from above); 1 cheesecake layer (from above); dried pineapple flowers, made from the rest of the pineapple

July 28, 2011

carrot cheesecake with pineapple flowers

I made this cake waaaay back in June for E’s birthday. I figured I should get it posted now ‘cause before we know it his 30th will be rolling around and senility will be setting in, as he likes to say.

I’d be lucky to grow into actual senility with you, my dear.

So. The cake.

carrot cake with cheesecake layer and mascarpone cream

This is what happens when we brainstorm birthday cakes at 4 am. Madness. Carrot cake became carrot cake with a layer of cheesecake. Cream cheese frosting became mascarpone cream…with vanilla beans! Pineapple flowers…well, that was my fault. They’re just too pretty! And simple to make. Aaaaand…conveniently go with the pineapple in the carrot cake.

carrot cheesecake close-up

It was dangerously good.

the recipe

Carrot Cake

makes 2 8-inch (20 cm) layers from Ina Garten

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Line the bottom of two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans with parchment, then spray lightly with non-stick

2 cups 400 g sugar, used half brown/half white
1 1/3 cups 320 mL vegetable oil
3 large 150 g eggs, at room temp
1 teaspoon 5 mL vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon 300 g + 8 g all purpose flour, divided — the 1 tablespoon is for the cranberries
1 1/2 teaspoons 7.5 mL ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon 2.5 mL ground ginger
2 teaspoons 10 mL baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons 7.5 g kosher salt
1 cup 120 g dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained thoroughly
1 cup 120 g walnuts, chopped
1 pound 450 g carrots, very finely grated
1/2 cup 120 mL fresh pineapple, finely diced, you can use the rest of it for pineapple flowers

In a mixer with paddle attachment, beat together sugar, oil, and eggs until light yellow, then add vanilla.
In another bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon and ginger, baking soda, and salt.
In a large bowl, toss drained cranberries and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold in carrots and pineapple.
Add sifted dry ingredients to egg/sugar/oil mixture and mix briefly, just until there's a few streaks of flour left visible.
Now add fruit/nut/carrot mixture and mix until well-combined.
Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake up to 60 minutes (mine was done around 45 minutes). Allow cakes to cool completely in pans set on a wire rack.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)

Line the bottom of two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans with parchment, then spray lightly with non-stick

2 cups 400 g sugar, used half brown/half white

1 1/3 cups 320 mL vegetable oil

3 large 150 g eggs, at room temp

1 teaspoon 5 mL vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon 300 g + 8 g all purpose flour, divided — the 1 tablespoon is for the cranberries

1 1/2 teaspoons 7.5 mL ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon 2.5 mL ground ginger

2 teaspoons 10 mL baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons 7.5 g kosher salt

1 cup 120 g dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained thoroughly

1 cup 120 g walnuts, chopped

1 pound 450 g carrots, very finely grated

1/2 cup 120 mL fresh pineapple, finely diced, you can use the rest of it for pineapple flowers

beat wet

sift dry

toss fruit & nuts

combine

fold in fruit

bake 350°F (175°C) 45–60 min

each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction

Carrot Cake makes 2 8-inch (20 cm) layers

2 cups 400 g sugar, used half brown/half white
1 1/3 cups 320 mL vegetable oil
3 large 150 g eggs, at room temp
1 teaspoon 5 mL vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon 300 g + 8 g all purpose flour, divided — the 1 tablespoon is for the cranberries
1 1/2 teaspoons 7.5 mL ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon 2.5 mL ground ginger
2 teaspoons 10 mL baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons 7.5 g kosher salt
1 cup 120 g dried cranberries, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, then drained thoroughly
1 cup 120 g walnuts, chopped
1 pound 450 g carrots, very finely grated
1/2 cup 120 mL fresh pineapple, finely diced, you can use the rest of it for pineapple flowers

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line the bottom of two 8-inch (20 cm) cake pans with parchment, then spray lightly with non-stick.

In a mixer with paddle attachment, beat together sugar, oil, and eggs until light yellow, then add vanilla.

In another bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon and ginger, baking soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, toss drained cranberries and walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold in carrots and pineapple.

Add sifted dry ingredients to egg/sugar/oil mixture and mix briefly, just until there's a few streaks of flour left visible.

Now add fruit/nut/carrot mixture and mix until well-combined.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake up to 60 minutes (mine was done around 45 minutes). Allow cakes to cool completely in pans set on a wire rack.

— from Ina Garten

Cheesecake Layer

makes a single layer

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C)
Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan with a circle of parchment, then spray the pan well with no-stick
Make a water bath: fit the cake pan into a larger pan with high sides. Bring some water to a boil while you mix your cheesecake batter

2 (8-ounce) packages 450 g cream cheese, room temp
1/4 teaspoon 1.5 g salt
1/2 cup 100 g sugar
2 100 g eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup 185 g sour cream
3/4 teaspoon 4 mL vanilla extract

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
Add sugar and salt and mix for a couple of minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl.
Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition.
With the mixer on low, add sour cream and vanilla; mix until well-combined.
Scrape mixture into the prepared cake pan, smoothing out the top. Pour hot water into the larger pan to come about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until just set in the center, about 35 minutes.
Remove from water bath and let cool about 30 minutes before covering and transferring, still in pan, to refrigerator to chill overnight.

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C)

Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan with a circle of parchment, then spray the pan well with no-stick

Make a water bath: fit the cake pan into a larger pan with high sides. Bring some water to a boil while you mix your cheesecake batter

2 (8-ounce) packages 450 g cream cheese, room temp

1/4 teaspoon 1.5 g salt

1/2 cup 100 g sugar

2 100 g eggs, room temperature

3/4 cup 185 g sour cream

3/4 teaspoon 4 mL vanilla extract

beat cream cheese

add sugar & salt

add eggs

add sour cream

bake 325°F (165°C) 35 min

chill overnight

each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction

Cheesecake Layer makes a single layer

2 (8-ounce) packages 450 g cream cheese, room temp
1/4 teaspoon 1.5 g salt
1/2 cup 100 g sugar
2 100 g eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup 185 g sour cream
3/4 teaspoon 4 mL vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).

Line the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) cake pan with a circle of parchment, then spray the pan well with no-stick.

Make a water bath: fit the cake pan into a larger pan with high sides. Bring some water to a boil while you mix your cheesecake batter.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat cream cheese on medium speed for about 30 seconds.

Add sugar and salt and mix for a couple of minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl.

Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl after each addition.

With the mixer on low, add sour cream and vanilla; mix until well-combined.

Scrape mixture into the prepared cake pan, smoothing out the top. Pour hot water into the larger pan to come about halfway up the sides of the cake pan. Bake until just set in the center, about 35 minutes.

Remove from water bath and let cool about 30 minutes before covering and transferring, still in pan, to refrigerator to chill overnight.

Mascarpone Cream

2 (8-ounce) tubs 450 g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup 245 g sour cream
1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup 30–60 g powdered sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon 5 mL vanilla bean paste

Using a spoon, stir together mascarpone, sour cream, vanilla, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Taste for sugar, and adjust if needed.
Divide mixture in half, reserving half for top; you'll be dividing the other half between the top and bottom of the cheesecake.

2 (8-ounce) tubs 450 g mascarpone cheese, room temperature

1 cup 245 g sour cream

1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup 30–60 g powdered sugar, to taste

1 teaspoon 5 mL vanilla bean paste

stir together

divide

each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction

Mascarpone Cream

2 (8-ounce) tubs 450 g mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1 cup 245 g sour cream
1/4 cup to 1/2 a cup 30–60 g powdered sugar, to taste
1 teaspoon 5 mL vanilla bean paste

Using a spoon, stir together mascarpone, sour cream, vanilla, and 1/4 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Taste for sugar, and adjust if needed.

Divide mixture in half, reserving half for top; you'll be dividing the other half between the top and bottom of the cheesecake.

Assembly

pineapple flower directions can be found at Martha Stewart

2 carrot cake layers (from above)
mascarpone cream (from above)
1 cheesecake layer (from above)
dried pineapple flowers, made from the rest of the pineapple

Place one of the carrot layers on a plate or cardboard circle. Spread 1/4 of the mascarpone mixture over the top — this is acting as a glue.
Invert the cheesecake layer on top, removing parchment. Spread another 1/4 of the mascarpone over the top of the cheesecake, then add the next layer of carrot cake.
Finally, spread the remaining half of the mascarpone over the top.
Add pineapple flowers just before serving; they flopped in the refrigerator.

2 carrot cake layers (from above)

mascarpone cream (from above)

1 cheesecake layer (from above)

dried pineapple flowers, made from the rest of the pineapple

first layer

stack layers

frost top

add flowers

each column is one step, working left to right — hover a cell for the full instruction

Assembly

2 carrot cake layers (from above)
mascarpone cream (from above)
1 cheesecake layer (from above)
dried pineapple flowers, made from the rest of the pineapple

Place one of the carrot layers on a plate or cardboard circle. Spread 1/4 of the mascarpone mixture over the top — this is acting as a glue.

Invert the cheesecake layer on top, removing parchment. Spread another 1/4 of the mascarpone over the top of the cheesecake, then add the next layer of carrot cake.

Finally, spread the remaining half of the mascarpone over the top.

Add pineapple flowers just before serving; they flopped in the refrigerator.

— pineapple flower directions can be found at Martha Stewart