Lemony Cream Butter Cake

I haven't blogged in so long. I've had this recipe forever in my files to try and finally gave a try.  I found the recipe on this blog Blackjack Bake House when browsing through blogs.  A friend of mine had a bumper crop of lemons and I froze lots of juice.  Lemon is one of my favorite flavors.  I've made a lot of lemon desserts lately it seems.

LEMONY BUTTER CAKE

For the cake:

2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs
1 Tablespoons lemon juice (about 1-2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon zest


Cream cheese filling:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease or spray a 9" springform pan with vegetable spray.
Make the filling -- In a large bowl beat the cream cheese on medium-high to high speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.  Add powdered' sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Add butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.  Beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Make the cake -- In large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in melted butter, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla extract and lemon zest until combined. Do not overmix.

Pour batter evenly into springform pan. Carefully pour filling mixture evenly over the cake batter to within about 1/2 inch of the edge of the pan. (The filling should cover all but the outer 1/2 inch, at which point the cake batter will be visible.)  Bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until the cake has puffed up and toothpick inserted near edge of cake comes out clean.

Key Lime Babycakes

I needed to make a dessert for a dinner party this past weekend.  I had searched for a key lime pie recipe and did some research and found recipes for not only key lime pie but key lime cheesecake.  My version is below.

KEY LIME BABYCAKES

Crust:
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 Tablespoons sugar
3/4 stick of butter, melted (6 tablespoons)
1/4 cup pecans, chopped very fine

Filling:
3 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
7 egg yolks
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup key lime juice (this took about 12 key limes)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Place a 9 x 13 pan on bottom rack of oven with boiling water half-way up.  Line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

To prepare crust, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until well combined and crumbly.  Put about a tablespoon of mixture in the bottom of each muffin cup, pressing down with fingertips.

In a mixing bowl mix cream cheese until creamy.  Add egg yolks one at a time, blending well.  Add sugar, condensed milk, and lime juice and mix until light and creamy.  Pour mixture into muffin cups just to the top.  Bake at 325 degrees for 24 minutes or until set.  Chill and serve with Cool Whip and graham cracker crumbs on top.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

A birthday in August for a coworker and I thought I'd try my hand at a chocolate chip cheesecake. My first time trying one and it was pretty good. This one doesn't rise really high and is a pretty dense cheesecake. It reminds me a little of the cheesecakes you buy at Sam's or Costco.

CHOCOLATE CHIP CHEESECAKE

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour


Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter. Press onto bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch springform pan. Set crust aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk. Beat well. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed until smooth. Toss 1/3 of the miniature chocolate chips with the 1 teaspoon flour to coat (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cake). Mix into cheese mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off oven (do not open oven door) and leave the cake in the oven to cool in the oven for another hour. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate before removing sides of pan. Keep cake refrigerated until time to serve.

Pumpkin Praline Cheesecake

We are having our Thanksgiving feast at work tomorrow. It is early, but many people will be out of town, so this day worked best. I am taking my usual broccoli casserole. I decided to try a different pumpkin cheesecake than the Paula Deen one I made before. I have to say Paula's didn't split but this one did. The praline topping covers it up nicely though. I used Paula's crust and a couple of different recipes for the filling and this is how I made it:

PUMPKIN PRALINE CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs2 tablespoons light brown sugar1/2 teaspoon cinnamon1 stick melted butter(I also added about 1/4 cup of ground pecans)In a medium bowl combine crumbs, sugar, cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press into a 9 inch springform pan that has been sprayed with Pam and press into bottom and up the sides. Set aside.

Filling:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
4 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
5 eggs

Heat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix flour, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin. Set aside. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat cream cheese at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time at low speed just until blended. Beat in pumpkin mixture until smooth. Pour liquid over crust.

Bake for 10 minutes at 450 and then reduce to 370 and bake for another hour or until outside of cake is set but center still jiggles slightly when shaken. Allow to rest in oven for 30 minutes with door open. Cool pan on cooling rack for 30 minutes. Refrigerate at least six hours before serving, overnight is best.

Topping:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons evaporated milk or cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans

Bring butter, brown sugar, and milk to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla. It will thicken as it cools. Add pecans. Pour over cheesecake.

Dinosaur Birthday Cake

I had a birthday a few weeks ago. I've been watching my sugar intake recently, so my son baked this sugar-free cheesecake for my birthday. My 3-year-old grandson decided that Gram needed a dinosaur on her cake, so he decorated it. For someone who hasn't had many treats lately, this tasted just great to me!

SUGAR-FREE RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

24 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup extra-fine whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups sugar substitute (he used Splenda)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon no sugar added vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
3 egg yolks


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8 inch springform pan with nonstick vegetable oil cooking spray. Set aside. In a shallow roasting pan big enough to fit the cake pan, pour about 1-inch of water and place it on the center rack of the oven to preheat. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat softened cream cheese, ricotta, sour cream and sugar substitute on low speed for about 1 minute until well blended. In a separate bowl, using a wire whisk, mix heavy cream, vanilla, lemon juice, eggs, and egg yolks until blended. Turn the mixer on medium speed and slowly pour the egg mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Beat just until blended and then turn off; be careful not to over-whip. Pour batter into the greased springform pan. Place pan into the heated water bath. Bake for 15 minutes, and then lower the oven temperature to 275 degrees. Continue baking for 1 1/2 hours, or until top is light golden brown and cake is pulling away from the sides of the pan. Turn the oven off when finished cooking and leave the cake in the oven to cool for 3 more hours. (This will keep the cake nice and tall.) Then remove cake and refrigerate before serving. Serve chilled.

Savannah Cheesecake Cookies

We celebrated Mother's Day on Saturday. I made lunch and fixed these for dessert. This is a Paula Deen recipe. I'm leaving Saturday for Savannah for 4 days. I'll be taking the Paula Deen Tour. I know she is a busy lady, but I would be thrilled if I happened to see her. These are really light and the crust is really good.

SAVANNAH CHEESECAKE COOKIES

Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans (toasted)
1 stick butter, melted

Filling:
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, brown sugar, pecans, and butter in bowl. Press dough into an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

For filling, beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a bowl until smooth, using a handheld electric mixer; add eggs and extract; beat well. Pour over crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into squares before serving.

New York Style Cheesecake with Strawberry Topping

It's birthday week at work, we have 3 of them to celebrate. This is my offering. I like this style of cheesecake because it is not quite as creamy but dense. Even though I know all the tricks of a water bath, cooling it slowly, not mixing the eggs too much, this cheesecake always cracks on me, so I have to cover it up with a topping.

NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE
Crust:
1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 stick melted butter
(I added some finely chopped pecans)

Mix together and press into a 9 inch springform pan that has been buttered. Set aside.

Filling:
4 8 oz. packages cream cheese, softened at room temperature, beat until creamy
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar, add slowly while mixing cream cheese
Add 1 tablespoon vanilla
Add 4 eggs one at a time while still mixing
Add 1 cup sour cream
Add 1/2 cup milk and while mixing that in add 4 tablespoons flour one at a time.

Pour into crust. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and then reduce oven to 370 (do not open door). Bake for one hour. Remove and cool to room temperature. Add 1 can pie filling or fruit of your choice. Refrigerate overnight.

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Cheesecake

We had a wonderful feast on Thanksgiving at my son and daughter-in-law's home. In addition to taking cornbread dressing and broccoli casserole, I made this pumpkin cheesecake. I saw Paula make this on her show and decided it was worth trying and as with all her recipes it is a keeper. There were no cracks in this cheesecake. It is very creamy.

PAULA DEEN'S PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crust:
1-3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick melted butter
(I also added about 1/4 cup of ground pecans)

In a medium bowl combine crumbs, sugar, cinnamon. Add melted butter. Press into a 9 inch springform pan that has been sprayed with Pam and press into bottom and up the sides. Set aside.

Filling:
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese at room temperature
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin (not the pie filling)
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
(I just used 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice)
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar, and the spice. Add flour and vanilla. Beat together until well combined. Pour into crust and bake at 350 for 1 hour. Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight. Slide a knife around the edges and remove springform. Serve with whipped cream.