With our Canadian Thanksgiving holiday right around the corner I wanted to feature these ‘fabulous fall cheesecakes’ as a dessert option for the occasion.
Traditional Thanksgiving desserts (like pecan pie, pumpkin pie, and dense cheesecakes) are notoriously heavy at the end of a massive turkey feast. The bright orange zest and sharp fresh ginger in these cheesecake desserts cuts through the heavy dairy and earthiness of the root vegetables. Because they are individual size, they offer a lighter, refreshing alternative that guests can comfortably enjoy after a heavy meal.
Think of it as a creative cross between a morning-glory spiced root vegetable cake and a classic New York mini cheesecake. The combination of carrots, parsnips, and beets mirrors the exact crops pulled from the ground during the late-summer and autumn harvest. The heavy rotation of cinnamon, cardamom, and fresh grated ginger immediately evokes classic cozy fall baking. The natural colors from the grated orange carrots, deep red beets, and golden-orange dried apricots create a gorgeous, rustic autumn palette and the use of pepita seeds (pumpkin seeds) adds an earthy crunch that is distinctly seasonal, pairing beautifully with the sweet crunch of the brown sugar streusel.
Because these cheesecake/muffins contain a baked cream cheese layer and fresh root vegetables, they actually taste better the next day, served cold, (they are so good cold) as the warm spices and ginger infuse into the cream cheese. This is an added bonus when it comes to all the preparation needed for the turkey feast alone.
In October of 2025, we published a version of this ‘apricot root vegetable’ combination in a cake format. Brion & I just loved it, so this year I though I would bring the idea back to life in a cheesecake form. Worked out great!
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Apricot Veg Cheesecakes
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Rating: 5
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Ingredients
Ginger Cream Cheesecake Filling
Ingredients
Ginger Cream Cheesecake Filling
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Streusel
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar & cinnamon. Add cooled melted butter & whisk with a fork to make coarse crumbs. Set aside.
Ginger Cream Filling
In a small bowl, beat softened cream cheese, egg, sugar, ginger & flour just to combine. Set aside.
Cake Batter
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 8 muffin cups with large paper liners.
Finely dice the apricots & set aside. Peel & finely grate beets. Place between paper towels to absorb some of the juice (and color). Finely grate carrots & parsnips & place in a large bowl. Zest an orange & add to the vegetables in the bowl.
Pour in the syrup, eggs & olive oil & blotted beets. Using a fork, mix batter to just combine. Fold in the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
Add apricots to the bowl along with the nuts/seeds, then mix everything until just combined but DO NOT OVERMIX.
Assembly
Place a scoop of cake batter in the bottom of 8 lined muffin cups. Gently make a small depression in the center of each. Divide the ginger cream filling between the 8 cups placing a generous spoonful in the depression.
Top the filling with the remaining cake batter. Spoon the streusel over each cheesecake/muffin.
Bake about 28-30 minutes or until the cheesecakes test done with a toothpick. Remove from oven & cool 5 minutes in the pan then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
If using glaze, whisk powdered sugar with milk, start with a tsp of milk & add more if needed to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cheesecake/muffins.
Recipe Notes
If you are like me, maple syrup is not something I usually have on hand. Here's a good substitute ... 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water & 1/4 tsp maple extract. Place the sugar & water in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved & mixture thickens slightly, 3-5 minutes. Stir in maple extract (adjust to taste). Allow to cool before using (mixture thickens as it cools).
• I made these a large size but do them in whatever size your occasion calls for.
Today, March 28th, marks the date of my mother’s birth. Although she left this earth 48 years ago, her memory remains crystal clear. She was a wonderful mother who made our lives so much better in ways we never realized. She set a good example just by the way she lived the ‘best version of herself’.
When this date rolls around each year, I like to post something on the blog that I think she would have enjoyed making. Baking was a ‘job’ she really seemed to enjoy, and our family certainly reaped the benefits of that.
Carrot cake is considered a spring dessert primarily due to its strong association with Easter celebrations, the bright, vibrant color of carrots representing the season. With Easter being just a week away I thought it would be a fitting recipe for today’s blog.
While it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact first instance of carrot cake being made in Canada, it’s likely that it became popular in the mid-20th century, alongside its rise in popularity in the United States. In the 1970’s, carrot cake was perceived as being ‘healthy’ due to the fact that carrots, raisins and nuts are all ‘good for us.’ Then along came that glorious cream cheese frosting that forever bonded the pair. While raisins are undoubtedly the oldest compliment to carrots, pineapple, apples or applesauce as well as walnuts have all become modern day add-ins of choice.
Today’s blog recipe for layered pineapple carrot cake is moist, not too sweet and filled with crushed pineapple and pecans. I’ve used a fluffy, pineapple cream cheese frosting for the filling as well as topping for this decadent dessert.
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Pineapple Carrot Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Ingredients
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Cake
Place crushed pineapple in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl & push down on pineapple with a spoon to eliminate excess moisture. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 325 F. Line three 8” round cake pans with parchment paper then spray with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour pans.
In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, gently whisk eggs then stir in remaining wet ingredients, including drained pineapple, just until combined. DON'T OVERMIX.
Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients just until moistened, then stir in 2 ½ cups grated carrots until evenly combined, being careful NOT TO OVERMIX.
Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Gently tap the pans a few times on the counter to get rid of air bubbles. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean & the cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans.
Let cakes cool in pans on wire racks for 15 minutes then invert onto wire racks to cool completely.
Pineapple Cream Cheese Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese & butter until creamy. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla & salt. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until the desired consistency is reached. Mix in pineapple preserves.
Assembly
Place a small dollop of frosting in the center of the cake stand to keep the cake from moving and top with one leveled cake.
Top cake with ¾ cup frosting & spread evenly. Top with a second cake & spread evenly with ¾ cup frosting. Top with remaining cake.
Create Crumb Layer by scooping 1 cup of frosting into a smaller bowl. Frost cake starting with the top and working down until the cake is evenly frosted, removing any excess frosting. Refrigerate cake 30 minutes or until crumb layer has set. Refrigerate remaining frosting until ready to use.
Frost the outside of cake with the remaining frosting. Decorate as you wish. Serve cake cold or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
As you may have noticed in the blog picture, I divided the batter into thirds. We gifted a friend with a 2 layer cake & Brion & I kept 1 layer for us.
For the decorations, I simmered some dried apricots in the extra pineapple juice for a few minutes then sliced them & added some pepita seeds as well as black sesame.
We’re entering the in between… that time when some days are super nice and the sun is shining and if you don’t look at the date on the calendar, you’d swear it’s the middle of July, and some days you need a jacket and it’s gloomy and you can feel the season changing in the air?
The time when the flowers are still blooming and the leaves are starting to change. Fall food is popping up in the stores and it’s more than just pumpkin spice everything.
So why not make a ‘root vegetable cake’? I know, you’re thinking you don’t really want anything called root vegetable cake. But keep an open mind because it’s just a cake with carrots, parsnips and some beets. They’re all shredded and combined with warm spices to make a hearty cake, dotted with dried apricots and pepita seeds. The spice and earthiness of the cake are complemented by the rich sweetness and subtle tang of the ginger cream cheese frosting. Altogether, it’s pretty much the perfect bite – while the root veggies keep this cake soft and add a subtly sweet, earthy flavor; the apricots and pepita seeds add texture. Then it’s topped off with the luxurious creaminess of the ginger frosting. What’s not to love!
Print Recipe
Root Vegetable Apricot Cake
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Rate this recipe!
Ingredients
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Ginger Cream Cheese Frosting
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
You:
Rate this recipe!
|
Instructions
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease the base & sides of a 8-inch round cake pan with a little oil. Line the base with parchment paper.
Peel & grate the carrots, beets & parsnips into a large bowl. Zest an orange & add to the vegetables.
Pour in the syrup, eggs & olive oil, then mix to combine. Next, fold in the flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda & salt.
Finely dice the apricots, then add them to the bowl along with the seeds, then mix everything until just combined but DO NOT OVERMIX.
Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan & bake for 30 to 35 minutes, rotating the tin after 20 minutes, until the top is a light pink-golden tone. The cake should bounce back when pressed lightly, & a skewer inserted into the center will come out clean when fully cooked. Remove from the oven & leave to cool in the pan.
Ginger Frosting
Place room temperature cream cheese, ginger & butter into a mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer. beat until creamy & smooth. Slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated.
Assembly
When the cake is completely cool, transfer to a plate, then finish with the icing, smoothing it over the sides & top of the cake. Decorate as you wish slice & serve.
Recipe Notes
If you are like me, maple syrup is not something I usually have on hand. Here's a good substitute ... 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup water & 1/4 tsp maple extract. Place the sugar & water in a small saucepan. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved & mixture thickens slightly, 3-5 minutes. Stir in maple extract (adjust to taste). Allow to cool before using (mixture thickens as it cools).
