My Kind of Birthday Cake

[Caribou]

For my bday I decided to make a cheesecake with my little girl since she has been begging to make one.
We just used a standard cheesecake recipe, the kind that uses 2 1/2 pounds of cream cheese kind.  :D
I replaced the regular cream cheese with light cream cheese (neufchatel cheese) and didn't even notice it.
After it cooled completely, we topped it with a huckleberry topping made with frozen berries, sugar and corn starch (used Cleargel corn starch...I love that stuff!)
Came out really good and rich

Cheesecake with Huckleberry Topping

Use a 9 inch spring pan lightly sprayed with Pam.

Ingredients

Crust

    * 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
    * 2 tablespoons sugar
    * 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling

    * 5 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
    * 1 1/3 cups sugar
    * 3 tablespoons flour
    * 3 large eggs
    * 1/2 cup sour cream
    * 2 teaspoons lemons, zest of
    * 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Topping

    * 1 egg white
    * 1 tablespoon sugar
    * 1/2 cup sour cream
    * 3 cups frozen huckleberries or blue berries
    * 3 TBS cornstarch (I used Cleargel)
    * 1/4 tsp almond extract

Directions

For the Crust:
    In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and sugar.
    Add melted butter; stir to combine.
    Press crumb mixture into a 9-inch spring pan and chill for 30 minutes.
   
For the Filling:
    In a large bowl, using an electric mixer (med. speed) beat cream cheese for 2 minutes.
    Add sugar, gradually add flour and mix well.
    Beat in eggs one at a time.
    Add sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla.
    Pour into crust.
    Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
    Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
    Remove cake from oven and cool 15 minutes.
 
For the Topping:
    Beat egg white with sugar until soft peaks appear.
    Fold in sour cream; spread on top of cake.
    Return cake to oven; bake until topping is set, (not brown) approx. 20 minutes.
    Turn off oven; with door open continue to let the cheesecake cook for another hour.
    Cool completely.
 
    For the berry topping, mix sugar and corn starch. 
    Combine w/berries in a sauce pan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until mixture thickens.
    Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
    Cool to room temp and spread over cooled cheesecake, then chill in frig.


Carolyn

[Tenpoint5]

Great Looking Cake Carolyn!!

BTW What Happened to Bailey? Never Mind I know the answer. EMMA!!

[Caribou]

Great Looking Cake Carolyn!!

BTW What Happened to Bailey? Never Mind I know the answer. EMMA!!

:D :D :D
She won those glasses at the school carnival and couldn't wait to get home to try them on him.
Carolyn

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Wow!  Looks at that pic and feel like I gained 2 lbs.

Beautiful!

[Caneyscud]

I'm on my knees - salivating!

[DTAggie]

Mighty fine indeed! I LOVE cheesecake.

[classicrockgriller]

Cheese Cake w/ Huckleberry topping!

Man that looks delicious.

Doc Holiday would be Proud!

[KevinG]

Cheesecake is pretty much the only cake I eat any more. Man I love that stuff, you did a good job on that cake, never tried huckleberry.

[Sailor]

That is one pretty cake.  I can almost taste it.

[pensrock]

Great looking cheesecake there Carolyn. I love that stuff.  ;D
Looks too nice to cut, you better send it to me to watch over.  ;) ;D

[DarqMan]

Awesome looking cheesecake Carolyn.  I'm a cheesecake maker myself. 

[DarqMan]

Oh, and happy birthday!

[deb415611]

My piece of cheesecake has not arrived yet :D

Looks awesome!

[ArnieM]

I'll ship you a piece of mine when I get it Deb  ;D

It certainly looks good.  Mine usually comes a little less high.  I've never tried the huckleberry topping either.

Would you care to post the recipe?

And, again, happy B'Day!

[Caribou]

Thanks Guys!
I will post the recipe soon :)
Arnie, the huckleberries around here are a type of wild blue berry but they are incredible tasting: wild, more tart and way more intense.
Deb, I think it got lost in the mail ;)
Carolyn