This Cheesecake Stuffed Carrot Bundt Cake offers the perfect marriage of moist, spiced carrot cake and creamy, tangy cheesecake. The sweet, spiced carrot cake envelops a luscious cheesecake center, with added walnuts for texture. Finished off with a rich cream cheese glaze, it’s a showstopper that’s sure to impress!

Want some more carrot cake recipes? Check out this carrot snack cake and mini carrot cake cups.

Overhead shot of a cheesecake stuffed carrot Bundt cake drizzled with cream cheese glaze and topped with chopped walnuts, surrounded by shredded carrots and a wooden fork.

Recipe in a Glance

Texture: Dense, moist carrot cake with a smooth, creamy cheesecake center and a rich glaze.

Flavor: A harmonious blend of warm spices, sweet carrots, creamy cheesecake, and a tangy glaze.

Ease: Easy to make with simple ingredients, but looks incredibly impressive.

Time: About 1 hour and 45 minutes (excluding the wait time for cooling the cake).

Ingredients & Substitutions

Shop efficiently (treat this as your grocery list) and gather your ingredients at home without running circles in your kitchen. (i.e. One trip to the fridge to get all your dairy needs.) You can still find the full printable recipe at the end of this post.

REFRIGERATED:

cream cheese. 340g (12 oz) cream cheese block for the cream cheese stuffing, plus another 115g (4 oz) cream cheese for the cream cheese glaze. Make sure it’s softened to avoid lumps.

sour cream. 77g (about (⅓ cup). Adds moisture and a tangy flavor to the cheesecake stuffing. Full-fat sour cream is recommended for the best consistency.

unsalted butter. 28g (about 2 tablespoons) + more for greasing the bundt pan, softened. Adds richness and a smooth consistency to the cream cheese glaze.

egg. You’ll use a total of 4 large eggs for the carrot cake batter and cheesecake filling, at room temperature. That’s about 200g of eggs -weight is without shell.

full-fat milk. You’ll need 160g (2/3 cup) for the cake batter, and another 1½ tbsps (plus more as needed) for the cream cheese glaze to help adjust the consistency of the glaze.

PANTRY:

crushed pineapple in can. 200g (7 oz) of drained crushed pineapple from can, in natural juice. Make sure to drain and reserve 62g (¼ cup) of the juice. The pineapple sdds moisture and a touch of sweetness to the cake.

cocoa powder. 10g or about 2 tbsp (unsweetened), for dusting. Natural cocoa powder is used to dust the pan to prevent the cake from sticking, as it blends seamlessly into the surface of the cake and doesn’t affect the flavor. If you use flour, you might end up with visible white spots on the finished cake.

all-purpose flour. You’ll need a total of 324g of all-purpose flour or plain flour. That’s 300g (about 2 ⅓ cups + 1 tablespoon) for the cake batter and another 24g (about 3 tbsp) for the cheesecake filling. Weighing the flour ensures the right texture. If using cups, use the scoop-and-level method.

baking soda. 2 tsps. Adds lift to the cake, helping it rise and stay fluffy.

salt. ½ tsp fine sea salt. Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor. Substitute with fine table salt.

ground cinnamon. 2 tsps. Adds warmth and spice to the cake, complementing the carrots and other ingredients.

white vinegar. 1 tsp. Works with the baking soda to create a lighter texture by helping the cake rise.

white sugar. 100g (½ cup). Sweetens the cheesecake filling and balances the tangy cream cheese.

brown sugar. 300g (about 1½ cups, packed). Provides sweetness and a rich, caramel-like flavor to the cake.

soft icing sugar/powdered sugar. 230g (about 2 cups) – Gives the glaze a smooth, velvety finish and sweetness.

canola oil. 112g (about ½ cup). Keeps the cake moist and tender.

shredded carrots. 2 cups (about 2 large carrots). Adds moisture and texture to the cake.

walnuts. 60g (about ½ cup), roughly chopped. Adds a nice crunch and flavor contrast to the moist cake.

vanilla extract. You’ll need a total of 1 tsp – ½ tsp for the cheesecake fillling and another half teaspoon for the cream cheese glaze.

PRODUCE:

carrots. 200g (about 2 cups, loosely packed) grated carrots. Don’t use the pre-grated carrots. A food processor with a grater attachment will make this job easy peasy.

lemon zest. 2 tsps. Adds a fresh and zesty flavor to the cheesecake filling and glaze.

lemon juice. 1 tbsp. Adds a tart kick to balance the sweetness in the glaze. Use fresh lemon juice and not the bottled ones.

Overhead view of an unglazed carrot Bundt cake sitting on parchment paper, with a small bowl of chopped walnuts and a golden spoon beside it.

How To Make Carrot Bundt Cake Step-by-Step

An overhead view of a Bundt pan greased with butter and dusted with cocoa powder, ready for the carrot cake batter.

STEP 1. PREP: Preheat your oven to 400°F /200°C (no fan). Grease a 12-cup (3-litre) Bundt pan with butter, then lightly dust it with cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.

Prepare the pineapple: Drain the canned crushed pineapple in a fine sieve or colander, pressing gently to release any excess juice. Measure 200g of crushed pineapple and 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice. Set both aside for later use.

PRO TIP: Cocoa powder is used to dust the pan to prevent the cake from sticking, as it blends seamlessly into the surface of the cake and doesn’t affect the flavor. If you use flour, you might end up with visible white spots on the finished cake.

A piping bag filled with cheesecake filling, sealed at the top, ready for use in the carrot Bundt cake recipe.

STEP 2. Make the cheesecake filling: In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, lemon zest, and vanilla extract together using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the flour, mixing just until it’s incorporated. Beat in the egg until fully combined. Transfer the cheesecake filling into a piping bag and refrigerate it while you prepare the cake batter.

A bowl of dry ingredients, including flour, ready to be mixed together for the carrot cake batter.

STEP 3. Prepare the cake batter: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set this aside.

Close-up of a bowl with shredded carrots, chopped walnuts, and pineapple being mixed with wet ingredients using a whisk.

STEP 4. In a separate bowl, combine the milk, white vinegar, eggs, brown sugar, and canola oil, along with ¼ cup of the reserved pineapple juice. Whisk until smooth and well combined. Stir in the drained pineapple, grated carrots, and chopped walnuts (if using).

A hand using a whisk to mix the wet ingredients and shredded carrots into the dry ingredients in a large bowl, creating the carrot cake batter.

STEP 5. Gently fold or whisk the wet ingredients into the dry flour mixture (in Step 3) until just combined. Be careful not to overmix!

Carrot cake batter poured into a Bundt pan, nearly filled to the top, ready for baking

STEP 6. Assemble the cake: Pour about 2 ½ cups of the batter into the prepared Bundt pan.

A piping bag filled with cheesecake filling is used to pipe a ring of filling over the carrot cake batter in the Bundt pan.

STEP 7. Cut a 3/4-inch hole in the piping bag, and pipe a ring of the cheesecake filling directly on top of the batter, being careful not to touch the inner wall of the ring and the sides of the pan.

Carrot cake batter and cheesecake filling are layered in a Bundt pan, with the top layer of batter added and ready to be baked.

STEP 8. Finish by covering the cheesecake filling with the remaining batter.

Overhead view of a fully baked carrot Bundt cake, with a golden-brown top and cracks around the edges, still in the Bundt pan.

STEP 9. Bake the cake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. After this time, remove the pan, cover it loosely with foil, and return it to the oven to bake for an additional 30 minutes. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the center of the cake. It should come out clean, and the cake slightly pulls away from the sides of the pan.

PRO TIP: For accuracy, your cake is done when the internal temperature is between 200 and 210°F (93–99°C). Refer to this Baked Goods Doneness Temperature Chart.

Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Close-up of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mixing a creamy cream cheese glaze in a stainless steel bowl.

STEP 10. Make the cream cheese glaze: While the cake cools, prepare the glaze by beating together the softened butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until smooth.

A close-up of a smooth, finished cream cheese glaze in a mixing bowl, ready to be drizzled over the carrot Bundt cake.

STEP 11. Gradually add the powdered sugar in two batches, starting at a low speed to prevent the sugar from flying everywhere.

Spreading cream cheese glaze over a carrot Bundt cake with a spatula, letting it cascade down the sides.

STEP 12. Once fully combined, beat in the milk and lemon juice. The glaze is thick but pourable. It should flow slowly over the cake but not be too runny. If your glaze is too thick, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable. It should not be thin and transparent.

Close-up view of a cheesecake stuffed carrot Bundt cake drizzled with cream cheese glaze and topped with chopped walnuts, resting on parchment paper.

STEP 13. Finish and serve: Once the cake has cooled completely, drizzle the glaze generously over the top, letting it drip down the sides. Optionally, sprinkle some chopped walnuts over the glaze for added texture. For clean slices, use a hot knife to cut the cake.

Baker’s Notes

Bundt pan: You can also use a 10-cup (2.5 L) Bundt pan. Just remove ¾ cup of batter (you can make cupcakes with excess), and only use 2 cups batter in the base of the Bundt cake (refer to step 6 of instructions) before adding the cheesecake filling. Since there’s lesser amount of cake batter in the pan, baking time might differ. It’s good to start checking if the cake is done 10 minutes before the suggested time in the recipe.

For extra moisture: Use full-fat sour cream or yogurt in the cheesecake stuffing.

Customize the flavor: You can add raisins or additional spices like nutmeg or ginger to the batter for a unique twist.

Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Since we used oil instead of butter, this cake can be enjoyed chilled or at room temperature.

Overhead view of a cheesecake-stuffed carrot Bundt cake drizzled with cream cheese glaze and topped with chopped walnuts, resting on parchment paper with scattered walnuts around it.

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