Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake

My husband, bless his heart, could live off cake alone. I swear, I made this Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake once for a bake sale, and he ate half of it before it even left the house. He’s got no self-control! Now, whenever I bake it, I have to hide a slice for myself, or it mysteriously vanishes. My little ones are picky eaters, but even they love the cream cheese swirl. It’s one of those recipes that just makes everyone happy, and honestly, that’s what cooking is all about, right?
Why You’ll Love This Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake
- It’s ridiculously moist – like, melt-in-your-mouth good. No dry cake tragedies here.
- That cheesecake swirl? Game changer. It adds a tangy richness that’s just chef’s kiss.
- Bundt pans are magical. They make you look like you know what you’re doing, even if you totally don’t.
- It’s basically carrot cake, but elevated. Perfect for brunch, dessert, or a “just because” kinda day.
- It smells AMAZING while baking. Your house will thank you.
How to Make It
Okay, so first things first, grab all your ingredients and pretend you’re on a cooking show. Except, you know, with a messy apron and maybe a cat trying to steal a carrot.
Start by preheating your oven. Don’t forget! I swear, half the time I start mixing everything, only to realize the oven’s still cold. Then, grease and flour that bundt pan like it’s the most important thing you’ll do all day. Seriously, don’t skimp. We don’t want any sticking disasters later.
Now, for the carrot cake part: Whisk together all the dry stuff in a big bowl – flour, sugar, baking soda, spices, the whole shebang. In another bowl (yes, more dishes, sorry!), mix the wet ingredients – oil, eggs, vanilla. Pour the wet into the dry and mix until it’s just combined. Don’t overmix! We’re not trying to develop gluten here, people. Fold in the shredded carrots and nuts (if you’re into that kinda thing).
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Time for the cheesecake swirl! Beat together cream cheese, sugar, and an egg until it’s smooth and creamy. Now comes the fun part: layering. Pour about half of the carrot cake batter into the bundt pan, then dollop the cheesecake mixture on top. Cover with the remaining carrot cake batter.
Bake it until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for a bit before inverting it onto a plate. And boom! You’ve got a gorgeous Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake. Now try not to eat the whole thing in one sitting. I dare you.
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Okay, so this is kinda important. Don’t try to get fancy with bread flour or something. Trust me.
- Granulated Sugar: You could probably get away with using brown sugar, but I like the way granulated makes it light and fluffy.
- Baking Soda: Don’t skip this! It’s what makes the cake rise. I once used baking powder instead and it was a flat, sad mess.
- Cinnamon, Nutmeg, and Ginger: Okay, so these are key for that warm, cozy carrot cake flavor. Don’t be shy! I usually eyeball it, but try to keep it balanced.
- Vegetable Oil: You can use canola oil too. Honestly, whatever you have on hand. Just don’t use olive oil – it’ll taste weird.
- Eggs: Use large eggs. And make sure they’re not rotten! I once cracked a bad egg into my batter and it was a DISASTER.
- Vanilla Extract: The good stuff! Don’t skimp on this. It adds so much flavor.
- Shredded Carrots: Obviously. You can shred them yourself or buy them pre-shredded. I usually go for the pre-shredded option because I’m lazy.
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans: Optional, but I like the added crunch. If you’re allergic, just leave them out.
- Cream Cheese: Full-fat, baby! Don’t even think about using low-fat. It won’t work.
- Egg: Just the one!
Recipe Steps:
- Preheat: Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bundt pan.
- Combine Dry: Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger in a large bowl.
- Mix Wet: In another bowl, mix oil, eggs, and vanilla.
- Blend: Pour wet ingredients into dry, mix until just combined. Fold in carrots and nuts (if using).
- Make Swirl: Beat cream cheese, sugar, and egg until smooth.
- Layer: Pour half of the carrot batter into the pan, then add cream cheese mixture, and top with remaining batter.
- Bake: Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool: Let cool in the pan before inverting onto a plate.
What to Serve It With
Honestly? This Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake is pretty amazing on its own. But if you’re feeling fancy, a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream would be divine. And of course, a cup of coffee or tea is always a good idea.
Tips & Mistakes
- Don’t overmix the batter! Seriously, it’ll make the cake tough. Just mix until everything is combined.
- Make sure your cream cheese is softened. Otherwise, it’ll be lumpy and nobody wants that.
- Don’t open the oven door while the cake is baking! It can cause the cake to collapse.
- If your cake starts to brown too quickly, tent it with foil.
- If you’re feeling extra, you can add a cream cheese glaze. Just mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and a little milk until it’s smooth and drizzle it over the cake.
- I accidentally added too much cinnamon once. It was still good, but a little overpowering. So, you know, measure carefully!
Storage Tips
Store any leftover Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Honestly, though, it never lasts that long at my house. And yes, you can totally eat it cold. I may or may not have had a slice for breakfast this morning. Don’t judge.
Variations and Substitutions
- No nuts? No problem! Just leave them out. Or, you could substitute them with raisins or chopped dried cranberries.
- Want to make it gluten-free? Use a gluten-free flour blend. I’ve done it before, and it works pretty well. Just be sure to add a little xanthan gum to help bind everything together.
- Out of vanilla extract? Use almond extract instead. It’ll give it a slightly different flavor, but it’ll still be delicious.
- Don’t have a bundt pan? You can use a regular cake pan. Just adjust the baking time accordingly.
- I once tried adding pineapple to the batter. It was… interesting. Not terrible, but not my favorite.
Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Carrot Cheesecake Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar packed
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups carrots grated
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.25 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a bundt pan with butter or non-stick spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- In another bowl, mix sugar, brown sugar, and oil until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the grated carrots and walnuts.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Pour half of the carrot cake batter into the prepared bundt pan. Spoon the cream cheese mixture over the batter, then top with the remaining carrot cake batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.