Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Carrot Cake Layer

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar or Sucanat
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup carrots, peeled and grated (about 3 medium)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
• 1/8 to 1/4 cup raisins soaked in 1/8 cup Frangelico hazelnut liqueur

Cream Cheesecake Layer

• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup lemon juice or 2 tablespoons Limoncello

Topping

• 1 tablespoon toasted hazelnut crumbs

Instructions

Crust

1. Mix Graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar and then mix in the melted butter. Put into the bottom of a large springform pan.
2. Shake the crumbs around to spread them out and then press them down with a flat object.

Carrot Cake Layer

1. Mix vegetable oil and eggs together.
2. Mix dry ingredients together. Mix dry ingredients with the wet ingredients.
3. Beat in the carrots and walnuts. Mix in the raisins and Frangelico.
4. Pour into the springform pan and shake it around. Spread evenly with a spatula. Set aside.

Cream Cheesecake Layer

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Beat together the cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk. Add eggs, salt and lemon juice (or Limoncello) and beat until smooth. Pour slowly over the carrot cake layer.
3. Bake for 50 minutes. Check to make sure the center of the cheesecake layer is done. If so, turn off the heat and open the oven door for 30 minutes.
4. Remove cheesecake and let cool on a rack for an hour or so.
5. Refrigerate cheesecake.

Topping

1. Sprinkle toasted hazelnut crumbs evenly around the top of the cake using your thumb and two adjacent fingers in a repeated imitation of pinching salt.