Carrot Vanilla Bean Cheesecake Cake

With Easter just under a week away, let this cake inspire your spring baking spirit! This recipe will impress your family, inspire a new favorite and maybe get your kids (or husbands) to eat some carrots!

Thank you to SSC member Katherine for letting us re-post this from her blog pleasegivepeasachance.blogspot.com!

 

Welcome to the best Carrot Cake post EVER. No really.
Carrot cake. Vanilla bean. Cheesecake. Cake.
Moist carrot cake layers, a layer of creamy vanilla bean cheesecake, smothered in a Cinnamon vanilla bean cream cheese frosting, topped with candied carrot curls. HELLO.
Perfect for any occasion really.
This cake takes some planning to make. There are quite a few steps but the methods themselves are easy. I made two of these carrot cakes, a round and a square. It's a long story, that had to do with not having enough cake pans, and what not. In the end I dropped a layer on the floor and had to toss it, so I had enough extra batter to redeem myself. I guess I just knew I needed that extra batter.

 To find the recipe for the cake and cheesecake follow these links
  Carrot Cake
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake

Frosting and candied carrot curl recipes are at the bottom of this post.

Some notes:

• Just like the Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Cake, this is cake/cheesecake/cake/frosting. I don't put extra frosting between the layers of cake. 
• The candied carrot curls on top were easy to make, and I got a great simple syrup for my tea out of it. The recipe for that is below.
• If you are making this cake and placing the layers in the freezer  in between steps, thaw before serving! It tastes better fully thawed.

Give Peas A Chance Ginger Candied Carrot Curls

3-4 carrots (depending on size)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup water

1 few slices of ginger- fresh or crystallized about one inch rounds (Use a stick of cinnamon to tie in the cinnamon in the frosting and omit the ginger if desired)

1. Peel the carrots. Then take the peeler and long strips with it.
2. Put the sugar, water, and ginger in a pot. Bring to a simmer until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Add carrot slices to the pot, bring to a simmer.
4. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.
5. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are just pliable and not crisp.
6. Drain the carrots and ginger. RESERVE the yummy simple syrup.
7. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
8. Place the carrots on the parchment paper. Lay them out in a single layer, not touching.
9. Place them in the oven for about 20-30 minutes.
10. Take the carrots out of the oven while still pliable, but not wet.
11. Shape them into curls - I used a chopstick.
12. Gently slide the carrots off of the chopsticks.
13. Bake them for another 10-15 minutes until they set.
14. Cool. Keep these in a dry place. 

Give Peas A Chance BEST Cinnamon Vanilla Bean Frosting

 (I frosted two cakes with this, so keep that in mind)
4 packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened 
2-3 teaspoons vanilla bean paste - or like a tablespoon
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 cups of sugar (powdered) I may have used 3 1/2 

1. Beat the cream cheese and butter with a wire whisk attachment on a stand mixer, or use a hand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy with no lumps.
2. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Beat well.
3. Slowly add in powdered sugar. Mix well.

*A note about powdered sugar, if your frosting is runny, do NOT add more powdered sugar, that will make things worse. This is why I add a little sugar at a time to check consistency.

_________________________________________________________
Katherine a mother of 3 and the creator of Please Give Peas A Chance, an blog with healthy and easy lunch ideas, desserts, dinners crafts and more!