I made this cheesecake to bring to an Easter Dinner.
Unfortunately, I made it at about midnight the night before Easter....so, of course, the stores were all sold out of crushed pineapple and coconut flakes.
I had to use the real deal, which was a hassle. Well, the pineapple wasn't bad, but the coconut was a disaster. I finally gave up and triple bagged the sucker, then whacked it against the concrete....maybe a tad too hard....bags all shredded instantly and coconut water went EVERYwhere. Then, I got to struggle with getting the "meat" to come off of the bark.
I just put everything through my juicer.
The recipe called for really dry carrots and pineapple, so my juicer worked perfect--I just used the pulp. And it gave me pineapple juice for the icing.
Glad I could use my expensive investment for something other than juicing!
One last thing, I couldn't taste the pineapple in the frosting AT ALL. In fact, I'm convinced that the only point of the frosting is to make the cake look prettier.
Anyway, here's the recipe I used.
I found it on the blog, Sifting Focus.
http://www.siftingfocus.com/2012/03/carrot-cake-cheese-cake-cheesecake-factory/
My photography isn't nearly as stunning as the original poster's.
Cheesecake Factory Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Cheesecake:
16 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Carrot Cake:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 generous pinch of salt
1 (8 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved (I used a little over 1 C fresh)
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I used about 1/4 of a fresh coconut)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecan bits)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 generous pinch of salt
1 (8 1/2 ounce) can crushed pineapple, well drained with juice reserved (I used a little over 1 C fresh)
1 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup flaked coconut (I used about 1/4 of a fresh coconut)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I used pecan bits)
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice
Dash of salt
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice
Dash of salt
Directions:
Grease a 9 or 9 1/2 inch springform pan. Set aside.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat together 2 packages cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Beat in 1 tablespoon flour, 3 eggs and 1 teaspoons vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
For the carrot cake: in a large bowl, combine oil, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla, blending thoroughly. Stir in 1 cup flour, baking soda, cinnamon and pinch of salt, mixing well. Stir in drained pineapple, carrots, coconut and walnuts.
Spread 1 1/2 cups carrot cake batter over bottom of prepared pan. Drop large spoonfuls of cream cheese batter over carrot cake batter. Top with large spoonfuls of remaining carrot cake batter. Repeat with remaining cream cheese batter, spreading evenly with a knife. (Do not marble with the knife.)
Bake in preheated 350˚F oven 60 to 65 minutes or until cake is set and cooked through. Cool to room temperature and then refrigerate.
When cake is cold, prepare the frosting. In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine 2 ounce cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon reserved pineapple juice and a dash of salt. Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. Frost top of cheesecake.
Refrigerate 3 to 4 hours before serving.
