One must have cream cheese icing with carrot cake, so why not bake the topping into the cake? This is from Jerrelle Guy's Black Girl Baking (Page Street, 2018).

1/3 c raisins

1 1/2 c flour (I used wholemeal spelt)

1 c almond meal

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp salt

3 pineapple rings

1/3 c neutral oil

1/2 c coconut sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large carrots, grated

1/4 c chopped toasted walnuts, optional

cheesecake layer:

250g cream cheese, softened

1/4 c granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp flour

icing sugar, optional

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a loaf tin with baking paper, ensuring the paper hangs over the sides.

Place raisins in a bowl, cover with boiling water and soak for 10 minutes until plump. Drain the water and set raisins aside.

In a medium bowl combine all the dry ingredients. In large bowl mash the pineapple until it's a pulp then mix in the oil, sugar and vanilla. Stir in the raisins and carrot, Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined then stir in the nuts, being careful not to overmix.

Transfer to your tin and bake for around 35 minutes until the top is set. Then turn oven down to 150C.

to make the cheesecake layer, combine all the ingredients in a bowl except for the flour. Mix in flour last until just combined. 

Remove the cake from the oven and spread the cheesecake mixture evenly on top. Return to the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the cheesecake has set.

Remove from the oven and lift the cake from the pan. Sprinkle with icing sugar if desired.