Tropical Carrot Cake Cheesecake

Carrot Cake
3 eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
3 sifted cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups finely shredded/grated carrots (peel carrots prior to grating)
1 cup toasted coconut
1 cup/can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
(save about 1 tablespoon of the juice for the frosting)
and use fresh pineapple or pineapple packed in juice (not syrup or water)

Mix all ingredients, set aside.

Cheescake
3 lbs cream cheese
1 cup white sugar
4 large eggs
1 table spoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon almond extract
I teaspoon of fresh lemon zest
Mix until no lumps - smooth

Crust
1 cup crushed Gingersnap cookies
1 cup macademia nuts
1 cup of chopped lightly toasted pecans
2 cups crushed graham crackers
1 cup melted butter

Mix and press onto ungreased cookie sheet or use parchment paper.
Press all down like cookie crust (crust for cheese cake) bake entire thing.
Put crust into oven for 325 degrees for 10 minutes, let cool.

Put in cream cheese mixture on top of crust, then use little drops
of Carrot Cake (use ice cream scoop) this makes it come out in swirls.
Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.

Top with fresh strawberries, Carrot Cake cookies (use cold butter instead of olive oil)

One sheet pan makes 96 pieces depending on how you like to cut it.

Recipe courtesy of the St. Croix Central High School Culinary Class
Teacher is Camicha Lynch (formerly of Starlight Grille)