Fiesta Friday

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Chocolate Chip Carrot Coconut Cheesecake Cake

Here’s a question. How do you choose the one perfect dessert for a New Year slash Anniversary Celebration? Impossible!

Carrot Coconut Cheesecake Cake | FiestaFriday.net


Chocolate Chip Carrot & Coconut Cheesecake Cake | FiestaFriday.net

I thought hard about what to bring to the 100th Fiesta Friday.

Initially, I thought cheesecakes. They reign supreme as the perfect dessert in my estimation. So quick and easy to put together and nearly fool-proof, with always-impressive results when done with a little bit of flair.

But then, I thought a celebration is not complete without a proper cake. The kind that’s layered. And frosted. And decorated.

So I thought, why not put them together?! A cheesecake and a cake. Together.

The idea is nothing new, but still, I had never made one before. So, I thought it was exciting.

But what kind of cake? What kind of cheesecake?

Chocolate, of course. Right? Chocolate cakes are the best kind of all cakes, right?

But then I thought, cream cheese and carrot cake always go together. Carrot cake and cream cheese frosting is a classic, right?

So then, in the end I just put all of them together. Chocolate, cheese, and carrot. And while we’re at it, why not add coconut, too. It belongs there; they’re all “C” ingredients.

So, that’s what I made. Chocolate Chip Carrot Coconut Cheesecake Cake.

Chocolate Chip Carrot Coconut Cheesecake Cake

And I was so glad. It was good. Very good.

When it was time to frost, there was no question that it needed to be cream cheese frosting. However, I wanted it lighter, since there was already cheesecake involved.

So, I made a skinny frosting, with much less sugar and butter/oil and added non-fat yogurt. It was very good. I was so glad.

And then I thought, what kind of decoration? It should say New Year and it should say Anniversary. And the whole thing should reflect Fiesta Friday. Tall order!

But then…well, well, what have we got here:

Lucky New Year Foods | fiestafriday.netChocolate ganache and rainbow sprinkle donuts and grapes, courtesy of New Year celebration at Casa Angie.

The grapes and donuts both reflect the New Year, while the chocolate ganache and all the sprinkling yelled out FIESTA! It was all coming together nicely. I was so glad!

Now I just need to put them all together.

But lest people mistake it for JUST a New Year cake…

A few snips later, et voilà!

Happy 100th Fiesta Friday Cake Topper | fiestafriday.net

Donut Anniversary Cake | fiestafriday.net

It’s now a New Year slash Fiesta Friday Anniversary Celebration Cake! A Chocolate Chip Carrot Coconut Cheesecake Cake for Fiesta Friday #100!

I am SO GLAD I could bring this to the big bash! PERFECTOMUNDO! At least I think so. Let’s just hope my cohorts (I mean CO-HOSTS!) agree with me. Do you? Judi? Mollie? Steffi? Suzanne?

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Chocolate Chip Carrot Coconut Cheesecake Cake
 
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Chocolate Chip Carrot and Coconut Cheesecake Cake, together and triple layered, but lower-fat, with skinny cream cheese frosting, and it is DIVINE!
Author:
Recipe type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the Carrot Cake
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ⅔ cup coconut oil (liquid/melted)
  • 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • ½ cup nuts (pecan or walnut), toasted and chopped
  • ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
For the Coconut Cheesecake
  • 1 (8-oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons non-fat Greek yogurt
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • ⅓ cup coconut milk
For the Frosting
  • 1 (8-oz.) cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, softened
  • ½ cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
To make the Chocolate Chip Carrot Cake
  1. Heat oven to 350°F.
  2. Grease and flour 6-inch round cake pans.
  3. In a medium bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  4. In another (large) bowl, combine sugar, oil, pineapple, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well.
  5. Stir in flour mixture, mix well.
  6. Stir in carrots, nuts, and chocolate chips.
  7. Divide batter into three equal parts, pour into greased and floured pans.
  8. Bake for 30 minutes or until top springs back when touched lightly in center. Let cool completely before frosting.
To make the Coconut Cheesecake
  1. Heat oven to 325°F.
  2. Prepare a 6-inch springform pan. Spray the bottom and sides with non-stick cooking spray. Cut a round piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan. Spray the paper.
  3. Mix softened cream cheese and yogurt. Add sugar and beat until blended and smooth.
  4. Add egg, vanilla, and coconut milk, and mix on low-speed, just until well blended. Don’t overbeat.
  5. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until center no longer jiggles.
  6. Cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours to overnight before assembling the cake.
To make the Frosting
  1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, coconut oil, yogurt, and vanilla on medium speed. Gradually increase mixer speed to high and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of bowl as necessary.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating on low-speed until well combined. Increase speed and continue beating on high-speed until well combined, smooth, and fluffy (about 1 to 2 minutes).
To assemble the cake
  1. Stack a layer of carrot cake, the cheesecake, and another layer of carrot cake. Frosting between the layers is not necessary to keep them together when the cheesecake is used as the middle layer (see photo below).
  2. With icing spatula, spread half of the frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. You don't have to be overly neat (see photo below). Most of the surface will be covered with the donuts.
  3. Place the cake in the fridge if frosting gets a little too soft, for about an hour or so.
  4. Spread the rest of the frosting. Decorate sides of cake with mini donuts and top with grapes.
Notes
The carrot cake recipe makes 3 (6-inch) round cakes that are about 2 inches high. You can use all 3 for a 3-layered carrot cake or 2 + 1 layer of cheesecake to make the Carrot Cheesecake Cake.

layering the cake | fiestafriday.net

how to frost a cake | fiestafriday.net

Carrot Cheesecake Cake for FF100 | fiestafriday.net

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Comments

  1. Well done Angie! This is definitely a cake worthy of these two simultaneous events. I think you already know how much we all appreciate your creating and hosting this site – 100 times no less! I wish you a very happy and prosperous 2016, and look forward to another year of the fab fiesta.

    • Thanks, Hilda! So glad I was able to squeeze this in. I was racing against time to make it to my own fiesta, lol! I thank YOU for all your help and support! Btw, did you get Selma’s sourdough starter? I’ve been cloning it and I can send some to you. Let me know.

  2. Oh Angie I do love this cake everything about it! Carrot cake and cheese cake and a skinny frosting too, I guess that means I can have seconds? The cake screams party and in the dictionary under festive there should be a picture of this cake. Gorgeous?

  3. What a gorgeous and yummy cake, Angie! You couldn’t have picked a more perfect dessert for such a special occasion. Happy anniversary and happy new year! I hope your Christmas was good, too! 🙂

    • Thanks, Shari! But we missed you at the party! At least I didn’t see you. Then again I have such bad eyes! I worked in a Hallmark store once and my neighbor came in to buy his wife a card and the whole time I was helping him I had no idea! He was always just a silhouette before, hehe… No wonder he had this grin on his face. I was like what-the-hey with this guy, hahaha…

  4. lol, I love it! It actually sounds like something I would do – AND WAIT – there’s MORE!! Seriously, it’s gorgeous and so much fun! Happy Happy Happy FF and Happy New YEar’s, too! Pinning!

  5. If ever a cake said party, this creation is it Angie! Fun, festive and looks so good too. Thank you for hosting us 100 wonderful times! I think your cake should get the feature of the big 100 party!

    • Aaw…that is so nice of you, Johanne! But like I said to all my co-hosts, it would be too weird if I feature myself. Pretty sure people would start rumbling. It’d be fodder for gossip, for sure, lol!

  6. Johanne, I can’t agree more! What an amazing cake – it’s absolutely gorgeous. Thank you so much for holding it all together, Angie: Fiesta Fridays have been so much fun and I am immensely grateful for all your hard work.
    But now back to drooling over that cake….

    • Et tu, Brute?! LOL, no I’m flattered by the compliments, especially from you. In case you didn’t know, I kinda look up to you. It’s the truth!

  7. Yay Angie – it’s a neapolitan cake of sorts with all kinds of delicious flavors going on. Perfect final recipe for Fiesta Friday #100! Good job and I want a big piece with a couple of donuts and some grapes 🙂

    • Thanks, Judi! The grapes were my favorite part, too. And the frosting!! You should have seen me. I didn’t need my kids to clean the bowl. I did it myself! 😀

  8. OK we can all step back now while you make a grand entrance with this unbelievable beauty! Wow, what a show-stopper! Just gorgeous Angie, it was worth the wait 🙂

    • Aaw…you are so sweet! You always know what to say to make anyone feel so good about themselves. You’re doing it now to me! Thanks, Loretta! XOXO

  9. You’ve really done yourself proud with this one! I’m seriously impressed with the flavour combinations. And those ingredients are healthy to boot (if you classify cream cheese as healthy). So would love to be able to share a slice – share?! Not likely! 🙂 I’m with Suzanne, I’ll have seconds.

    • Whoa…I’ve finally impressed Sir! I think I’ve done my job now 🙂 You can make it even healthier with low-fat cream cheese, which I’m sure will still taste good. And maybe add beans or something somewhere. No, really, I’ve been wanting to add black beans to my brownies. I’ve always wondered about it! 😀

  10. This cake is stunning, Angie! You did a very gorgeous cake. I never thought of donuts as decorations. How brilliant. 🙂

  11. A rainbow sprinkle theme definitely says Fiesta Friday! Wow–there is so much to gush about in this cake: I absolutely love the cheesecake layer, the doughnut decorations and the fun and delicious grapes! It really IS the perfect dessert for the big celebration 🙂

  12. Holy Cow Angie!!! I am speechless! Well, almost! What a fabulous cake! Cheesecake and cake and donut decorations, and those chocolate & sprinkle covered grapes! NYE & FF Perfection!!

  13. Waw, Angie! What a showstopper,…ooh yes & what amazing flavors in here too! Waw!
    A fabulous creation & what a delicious one too! Fab photos too! xxxx

  14. Wow, this is the most impressive looking cake I’ve ever seen. So much thought has gone into making it right, and the flavours too! You are such a skilled baker, I mean it, to be able to pull it off like that. I love the idea of adding a skinny frosting given it’s already a rich cake. Beautifully decorated!

    • Aaw…thanks, Monika. It was for a special occasion so I needed to do something extra. I wonder if I’ll have the same energy when we get to Fiesta #500. That’d be 5 yrs from now. I wonder where we’ll all be by then ?