This has been a family favorite for some time. It’s not really Auntie Julie’s own recipe, but one which stole our souls. It’s not a holiday or a special day in my house without this cheese cake. I just made it as an “extra” for my daughter’s birthday. I bought a fantastic chocolate cake that tasted like a Hostess Cupcake. It brought back childhood memories of eating them at a friend’s home. She came to my house for milk that wasn’t powdered. I went to her house for Hostess products. It seemed fair to me. I thought most people would want the chocolate cake. I was wrong. More wanted the cheese cake. Yet somehow the chocolate cake is gone…..

This cheesecake is pretty simple. The only special thing you need is a spring form pan. The trick is to let the cream cheese come to room temperature, just like the eggs. I mash the cream cheese with a fork and let it sit for about a half an hour. Don’t skimp and use low-fat or no-fat ingredients. It’s cheese cake for goodness sake. Celebrate something!

Crust

¾ cup fine graham cracker crumbs

2 tbsp. melted butter

2 tbsp. sugar

Blend well with a spoon. Press into bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan. I used the measuring cup to press down the crumbs. I buy the graham cracker crumbs already crumbed. If I buy a box of graham crackers, you can find me by following the trail of crumbs.

Filling

24 ounces cream cheese

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

Cream the cream cheese well. Slowly beat in 1 cup of sugar. Add one egg at a time, beating well after each additional egg. Add 1 tsp. vanilla. Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. It may need longer. The sides will look firm. Touch the center with your finger. It should feel somewhat firm. If it cracks, that’s ok. It will be covered up with the sour cream topping. Remove the pan from the oven and raise temperature of over to 500 degrees..
Topping

2 cups sour cream

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix together while oven is heating up. I like to wait until right before I put the cheese cake in the oven before I add the topping. The cake may fall a little. It’s ok. More room for the topping. Spread the topping on cheese cake and cook for about 5 minutes. I usually set my oven to 450 degrees. I can’t reach the smoke detector myself, so I avoid higher temperatures. Just cook it for an extra 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and let the cheese cake cool on a cooling rack. Never put anything hot into a refrigerator. Once it is just warm to touch, put in the fridge. I like to make this in the morning and serve at night. It really needs to chill. When I am ready to serve, I unclasp the sides and put it on a cake stand. Seems more elegant that way. You can also see who is trying to swipe a finger-full.

If you are adventurous, a raspberry coulis is the perfect addition.

Enjoy!