Graham Cracker Carrot Cake Cheese Cake
Note: This is a rustic/naked type of cake.
Preheat oven 350*F. for cake and Cheesecake Filling
Special Equipment Needs:
*Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
*Blender
*3 (6 inch) round Cake Pans (like Wilton), lined with Parchment Paper Rounds
*Cooking Spray, like Pam
*Parchment Paper
*Baking Mat, Silpat (optional) for spraying round baking pans
**First Make Cake:
Carrot Cake
*1/2 cup Butter,softened
*1/2 cup Brown Sugar
*1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
*1/4 cup Extra Light Olive Oil, not regular
*2 Eggs, room temperature
*1 and 1/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
*1 and 1/4 cups All-purpose Flour
*1 teaspoon Baking Powder
*1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
*1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
*2 cups Finley Chopped Carrots, peeled (about 4 regular carrots) stir in last
*1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
In stand mixer on medium-low speed, cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy. Then drizzle in the olive oil, add salt and add 1 egg at a time and mix until incorporated.
Sift together in a bowl the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Stir 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time until fully incorporated. Then stir in the carrots and vanilla and add to cake batter into prepared baking pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until cake centers are set. Allow the cakes to cool about 10 minutes in pans, then remove and cool on cooling rack until completely cool. Wrap each layer in foil and freeze for 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
**Second Make Cheesecake Filling:
Cheesecake Filling
*8 ounce 1/3 Less Cream Cheese, room temperature
*3/4 cup Granulated Sugar
*1 tablespoon Cornstarch
*1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
*2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
*1 Egg, room temperature
In a stand mixer or hand mixer with bowl on medium-low speed, cream together cream cheese, sugar, cornstarch and salt mix until smooth. Then drizzle in heavy cream and egg. Mix until fully incorporated. Add to Pam sprayed 6 inch round baking pan and bake in 350*F. For 15 to 20 minutes the center will still be a bit jiggly. Allow to cool completely. If making the cake the next day refrigerate until ready to use.
**Third Make Graham Cracker Crumble:
Graham Cracker Crumble
*1 and 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs, more if need for slightly crumbly mixture
*1/4 cup Powdered Milk
*2 tablespoons Sugar
*3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
*2 tablespoons Melted Butter
*2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
Mix-together the crumble ingredients and divide into two equal parts. Add one part to a foil lined half baking sheet and separate into individual crumbles, bake in a preheated oven 250*F. Oven for 20 minutes or until dry, checking often until dry individual small clusters. The second part and mix into the graham cracker frosting.
**Fourth Make Graham Cracker Frosting:
Graham Cracker Frosting
*1/2 of the Graham Cracker Crumble Mixture (recipe follows)
*1/3 cup Milk
*2 tablespoons Granulated Sugar
*3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
*6 tablespoons Butter, room temperature
*1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
*1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
*1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
*1/8 teaspoon Kosher Salt
In a blender add Graham Cracker Crumble Mixture, milk and salt blend on medium speed until light and airy. Set aside.
Then add to a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer on medium-low speed cream butter, brown sugar, powdered sugar and cinnamon. Then add the blended graham cracker mixture and mix until fully incorporated and creamy texture. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until chilled through.
White Chocolate Drizzle
*1/4 cup Ghirardelli Wafers, melted according to directions on package. Melt and drizzle on finished cake. Note: Melt right before freezing the entire decorated/finished cake.
Assembly:
Make the above recipes in the order listed and refrigerate or freeze items that are indicated in each recipe. Then you will be ready to assemble cake.
Remove cakes from the freezer and the frosting from the fridge. Allow the frosting to rest for about 15 minutes.
Unwrap the 3 carrot cake layers. Then place on a cake safe cake stand or your choice of serving plate for your cake.
Divide your cheesecake filling in 1/2 and spread on 1/2 of the cheesecake filling in a even layer on top of the first cake layer to the edge. Then spread on 1/3 for Graham Cracker Frosting on top of the cheesecake layer. Then add 1/3 of the graham cracker crumbles. Now, add the second carrot cake layer and repeat procedure.
Add your third layer of cake and spreads/frost on the remaining graham cracker frosting and top with the remaining graham cracker crumbles. Drizzle over the top of the finished cake the melted white chocolate wafers. Freeze cake 6 hours or overnight. Remove from the freezer and allow to sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour before cutting/serving. If frozen overnight it might need a little more thawing time, but should be served very cold. Refrigerate any remaining cake.
Recipe adapted from Cakes by Courtney
Enjoy!
Lindy
