Carrot Cake Cheesecake Recipe

Recipe Ingredients:

Crust:
1 c Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Ground Cinnamon
3 tb Butter

Filling:
24 oz Cream Cheese -- softened & divided
1/2 c Sugar
1/2 c Flour -- divided
4 Eggs
1/4 c Orange Juice
1 c Carrots -- finely shredded
1/4 c Raisins
1/2 ts Ground Nutmeg
1/4 ts Ground Ginger

Topping:
1 tb Orange Juice
1 c Powdered Sugar -- sifted

Recipe Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 325 F. Mix crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and butter and press onto bottom of a 9-inch spring from pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

2. Increase oven temperature to 450 F. Beat 2 1/2 packages cream cheese, sugar, and 1/4 cup flour at medium speed until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in juice.

3. Add combined remaining flour, carrots, raisins, and spices and mix well. Pour over crust.

4. Bake for 10 minutes and then reduce oven temperature to 250 F and continue baking for 55 minutes. Turn off oven and let cheesecake cool for one hour inside cooling oven. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Let cool completely and then refrigerate.

5. Beat remaining 1/2 package cream cheese and juice until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing until well blended. Spread over top of cheesecake.

6. Garnish with additional raisins and orange zest or shredded carrot, if desired.

7. Recipe By: Janet Morrissey