Layered Cheesecake Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

I really couldn’t figure out how to word this title. Basically, the recipe is a bread pudding made with carrot cake as the bread that is layered with a traditional cheesecake. What I’ve been calling “cheesecake bread pudding,” in other recipes, is when cream cheese is mixed into the custard base. In that case, the custard itself is sort of a very thin cheesecake. I couldn’t call this recipe a “cheesecake bread pudding,” nor did I want to because this is a layered cheesecake–carrot cake bread pudding.

This recipe was partially inspired by The Cheesecake Factory’s carrot cake and the fact that Easter coming up makes me want carrot cake! More on that in my blog post.

Now for some recipe notes: Large cupcake/muffin liners were too thin and soaked up the moisture of the custard, so I had to make my own ramekin liners out of parchment paper. Leave a comment if you want instructions on how I made them. With the parchment liners, the cake-puddings unmolded from the ramekins without no problem! You can also make this recipe into a big cake using a springform pan. I used ramekins because I liked that I could cut out circles of the cake to make the layers obvious. You can use cake cubes for both of the pudding layers, if desired.

Layered Cheesecake Carrot Cake Bread Pudding

Ingredients

For bread pudding:

Carrot cake (I used this recipe, see direction #1)
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 c half and half
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

For Cheesecake:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
4 oz. sour cream
1/2 c granulated sugar
1 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg

For Crust:

1 c crushed graham crackers
1/4 c butter, melted
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For Cream Cheese Frosting:

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
16 oz confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

yield: 6 ramekins or one 9-inch cake (use springform pan)

Directions

1. Make a carrot cake. I halved this recipe (omitted the frosting) and baked it in an 8-inch square pan for 45 minutes. You can use any carrot cake you’d like.
2. Cut circles the size of your ramekins out of the cake then cut the circles into half-inch tall cylinders (you should end up with 6 of these). Tear the rest of the cake into 1-inch pieces. Place all circles and pieces in a single layer on baking sheet. Broil on low (about 300 degrees Fahrenheit), far from the heat for about 3 minutes per side.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool while mixing the custard.
4. Whisk together sugar and melted butter in large mixing bowl, until smooth.
5. Add in eggs and whisk until smooth,
6. Whisk half-and-half into egg mixture slowly.
7. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
8. Place the cake circles in a tall, round container, or just in an extra ramekin or two. Cover with the custard mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
9. Place cake pieces in a separate container and pour in the remaining custard mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
10. Meanwhile, prepare the cheesecake filling, graham cracker crust, and cream cheese frosting.
11. For cheesecake: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, and sugar on medium speed with an electric mixer, until smooth. Add the flour and vanilla, beat until smooth. Stir in the egg until well incorporated.
12. For crust: In a small bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and ground cinnamon.
13. For frosting: In medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and softened butter on medium speed, with an electric mixer. Slowly add the confectioner’s sugar, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat until incorporated. Cover and refrigerated until needed.
14. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit) .
15. Line 6 ramekins with parchment paper.
16. Press 1/6 of the crust mixture into the bottom of each ramekin.
17. Pour about 2-3 tbsp of the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust in each ramekin.
18. Take one cylinder of the soaked carrot cake, and place it on top of the cheesecake layer in each ramekin. Pour about 1 Tbsp of the excess custard on top, for each ramekin.
19. Then pour another 3 Tbsp of the cheesecake mixture on top of the carrot cake cylinder, in each ramekin.
20. Top off with a single layer of the soaked carrot cake pieces, in each ramekin.
21. Place the ramekins on a foil-lined baking tray, and place this in the center of the oven.
22. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until custard is set (the bread pudding will have puffed up and not look too jiggly or moist in the center).
23. Place on cooling rack for at least 25 minutes.
24. Serve warm or cold with cream cheese frosting on top.