Carrot Cheesecake Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe has been circulating around Facebook and looked delicious, so I made it for my sister's birthday today. We will be making it again! (Here is the original recipe: http://www.shugarysweets.com/2016/03/carrot-cake-cheesecake-cake)

I didn't use the nuts that the original recipe calls for. 

Ingredients:

Cheesecake layer

2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 eggs

1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup heavy whipping cream

Cake layer

2 cups sugar

1 cup canola oil

4 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups shredded carrots

Frosting

1 cup butter, softened

1 8oz cream cheese, softened

1 Tbsp vanilla

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

4 cups powdered sugar

Start by making the cheesecake layer. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Fill a large roasting pan with an inch of water. Place the roasting pan in the oven so the water preheats as well. 

Beat the 2 packages of cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar with your mixer. Add the 1/4 tsp salt and 2 eggs. Beat well. Add the 1/3 cup whipping cream and 1/4 cup sour cream and whip for a couple of minutes. 

Prepare a 9 inch springform pan by wrapping the bottom and sides with a double layer of tin foil. (It was very important to put two layers of tin foil on the bottom of the pan so the water doesn't leak into the cheesecake. Place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan. 

Put the cheesecake mixture in the pan. Place the pan in the middle of the water bath that is already heated in the oven. Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for another 30 minutes. Let it completely cool on the counter. When it is cool, take the outer edge of the pan off of the cheesecake and place the cheesecake in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. 

Meanwhile, make the cake. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 inch round cake pans. 

Beat the 2 cups sugar, 1 cup oil and 4 eggs in a mixing bowl. Add 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp kosher salt, and 2 tsp cinnamon

Fold in 2 cups shredded carrots

Pour into the pans and bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and then remove the cake from the pan. 

Place the cheesecake layer between the carrot cakes. 

To make the frosting, whip the 1 package of cream cheese and 1 cup butter. Add 1 tbsp vanilla and 1/4 cup whipping cream. Add 4 cups of powdered sugar, beating well after each cup. 

Spread the frosting on the cake.