3-Tier Wedding Cheese Cake Recipe

10 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese 

5 cups sugar 

1/3 cup cornstarch 

15 large eggs (3 cups) 

3/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 

2 1/2 T vanilla 

1 1/4 t salt 

15 cups (3 qts. plus 3 cups) sour cream 

Cheesecake is becoming a very popular choice. This luscious recipe is from The Cake Bible by Rose Beranbaum 

Use 12 in., 10in, and 6 in. cake pans, each 3 in. deep, plus 3 large pans to serve as water baths. (The sides of the water bath pans must be 3 in. or under or baking will be slowed.) Grease the baking pans and line the bottoms with parchment or waxed paper. 

To Mix Batter Arrange oven racks as close to the center of the oven as possible with at least 4 in. between them. Preheat oven to 350°F. 

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar, preferably with flat beater, until very smooth (about 3 minutes). Beat in the cornstarch. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down sides of the bowl until smooth. Add the lemon juice, vanilla and salt and beat until mixed. Beat in sour cream just until blended. 

Pour the filling into the prepared pans. Set the pans into the larger pans. Fill larger pans with at least 1 in. hot water. Bake in preheated over for 50 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cakes to cool in oven without opening the door for 1 hour. Remove to racks and cool to room temperature (1 hour for the smaller layers, longer for the larger one). Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 

Recipe requires a 5-quart mixer large enough to handle the batter in 2 batches. It can also be prepared in several batches in a food processor. 

Note: Use glass measuring cups. 

To Unmold: Have ready, matching size cake circles. Attach to Floating Tier Stand Plates with icing. 

Run a thin-blade metal spatula between pan and cake, making sure to press well against the sides of the pan. Place pan on heated burner for 10 to 20 seconds, moving it back and forth. Place prepared plate against pan and invert. Remove pan and parchment. If cake does not release, return to the hot burner for a few more seconds. 

Refrigerate until ready to frost with White Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows). 

Store: Three days refrigerated before frosting or decorating: 24 hour refrigerated after decorating. Texture is changed by freezing. 

Serve: Lightly chilled. *Used with permission of William Morrow & Co. 

White Cream Cheese Icing 

Ideal for frosting tiers and piping simple decorations. 

INGREDIENTS: 

24 ounces White Candy Melts 

4 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 

2 cups unsalted butter, softened 

1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed 

DIRECTIONS: 

Melt Candy Melts according to package directions. Allow the coating to cool slightly, stirring occasionally (don't let it set up). 

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese (preferably with a flat beater) until smooth and creamy. Gradually beat in the cooled coating until smoothly blended. Beat in the butter and lemon juice. 

Store: 2 weeks refrigerated, 2 months frozen. Allow to come to room temperature before rebeating otherwise icing may curdle. 

Hints: Buttercream may separate slightly if room temperature is very warm. This can be corrected by setting the bowl in ice water and whisking mixture. The buttercream becomes spongy on standing. Rebeat to restore smooth creamy texture. 

Use ice to chill your hands during piping to maintain firm texture. 

TO DECORATE: 

Tools 

Decorating Tip 21 

Floating Tier Cake Stand 

Cake Circles 

pastry brush 

INGREDIENTS: 

7 pints of medium size strawberries (extras may be served alongside) cleaned and dry 

a jar of strawberry glaze 

Ice cakes smooth with White Chocolate Buttercream Icing. 

DIRECTIONS: 

Coat cake tops with a thin layer of strawberry glaze. 

Cover tops with half and whole (in center) strawberries. 

Brush with strawberry glaze. 

Edge tops with tip 21 "fleur-v-lis" (no center shell). Edge bases with tip 21 comma-motion shells. 

YIELD: Serves 150. Note: Portions are smaller than regular wedding cake servings. Top tier is served, not saved. 

Easy Blueberry Cheesecake Recipe (using sponge cake)

Ingredients

1 (9-inch) sponge cake (store-bought or homemade recipe) 

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, room temperature 

1 cup reduced-fat sour cream 

1 tablespoon rum (or 1 teaspoon rum flavoring)* 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup brown sugar 

2 cups fresh blueberries, divided use 

Cooking Directions

Cut sponge cake in half horizontally to create two thin layers; set aside. For the filling, combine cream cheese, sour cream, rum, vanilla and sugar; beat until smooth. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of the blueberries. Place one layer of sponge cake on a plate; spread with half of the filling. Top with second layer of cake and spread with remaining filling. Garnish top with remaining 1/2 cup of blueberries. Refrigerate until well-chilled. Cut into 6 to 8 pieces and serve cold. 

Note: If rum or rum flavoring is not available, omit it and increase the amount of vanilla extract to 1 1/2 teaspoons. 

Elvis Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

This delicious Cake Recipe is an inspiration from the episode of "An Elvis Twist".

Ingredients

Cake: 

1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix 

1 egg 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted 

Mint leaves, for garnish 

Whipped cream, for garnish 

Filling: 

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 

3 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1/2 cup peanut butter 

1 whole banana 

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter 

1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar 

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter together and mix well. Pat into a lightly greased glass 13 by 9-inch baking pan. Prepare the filling. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla. Add the peanut butter; beat. Add the banana and butter and mix well. Add the powdered sugar and mix well. Spread over the cake mixture. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. You want the center to be a little gooey, so do not over bake. Top each cake slice with a mint leaf and dollop of whipped cream 

Extreme Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

Crust:

2 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs

2 tablespoons chocolate sugar (Chocolate sugar is sugar stored in an airtight container for at least 3 months with cocoa beans. Discard beans when using sugar.)

6 to 8 tablespoons butter, melted

White Chocolate Layer:

20 ounce cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup chocolate sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

8 ounces milk chocolate chips, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Milk Chocolate Layer:

20 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup chocolate sugar

3 eggs

8 ounces white chocolate chips, melted

1 tablespoon vanilla

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Fudge Cake Layer:

1 store-bought fudge cake mix

Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

24 ounces dark chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

Crust:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix all ingredients together and press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

White Chocolate Layer:

Cream together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time then add remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Do not over mix. Pour white chocolate layer into a pan and refrigerate until you've finished mixing milk chocolate layer.

Milk Chocolate Layer:

Cream together cream cheese and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time then add remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Do not over mix. Pour milk chocolate layer on top of white chocolate layer and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes.

Fudge Cake Layer:

Prepare store bought cake mix as directed on package for 2 layer cake. Pour into 10-inch round battered and floured cake pan. Add batter until about 2/3 full and bake as directed. Remove from oven and cool. Torte cake by cutting it in 2 layers horizontally making about 1-inch cake layers. Put cooled, torted cake on top of cooled cheesecake.

Dark Chocolate Ganache Frosting:

In a heavy pan heat whipping cream, butter and powdered sugar to a boil while whisking constantly. Place chips in a large stainless steel bowl, add hot cream mixture and let set for 5 minutes. Whisk together until smooth. Let cool until it reaches spreading consistency. Cover assembled cheesecake. Garnish with as much chocolate as you can stand. 

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Recipe

Ingredients

8 whole graham crackers

1 cup lightly toasted walnuts, divided

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

1 tablespoon orange zest

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature (recommended: Philadelphia)

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light muscovado sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 recipe Apple Mixture, recipe follows

1 recipe Apple Caramel Sauce, recipe follows

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the graham crackers, 1/2 cup of the walnuts and brown sugar in a food processor and process until finely ground. With the motor running, add the butter through the feed tube and process until the mixture just comes together. Spray the bottom and side of the pan with cooking spray. Pat the mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan, place on a baking sheet and bake in the oven until lightly golden brown and just set, about 8 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and let cool completely.

Combine 1/4 cup of the sugar and the orange zest in a food processor and process until combined.

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a stand fixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the orange sugar, remaining granulated sugar, and light muscovado sugar and beat again until the sugar is incorporated and the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time and mix until just incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add the vanilla seeds and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Add the salt and heavy cream and mix until just combined.

Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan. Set the cheesecake pan on a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it. Place the cake pan in a large roasting pan. Pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until the water is about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan; the foil will keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake. Bake until the sides of the cake are slightly puffed and set and the center still jiggles, about 55 minutes.

Turn the heat off and prop the door open with a wooden spoon and allow the cake to cook in the water bath for 1 hour. Remove the cake to a baking rack and allow to cool to room temperature for 2 hours. Cover the cake and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours until chilled through.

Top with the warm apple topping, drizzle liberally with the caramel sauce and sprinkle with the remaining toasted walnuts. Serve additional sauce on the side.

Apple Mixture:

Ingredients

2 cups apple juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 vanilla bean, reserved from the cheesecake mixture

1 tablespoon cold butter

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced

3 Fuji apples, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced

1/4 cup apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)

Cooking Directions

Bring apple juice, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil in a large saute pan over high heat and cook until slightly thickened and reduced to 1/2 cup. Stir in the butter until melted. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly caramelized and soft. Add the apple brandy and cook until reduced by 1/2. Transfer the apples to a plate and let cool slightly.

Apple-Caramel Sauce:

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup heavy cream

Pinch salt

3 tablespoons apple brandy (recommended: Calvados)

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

Place sugar and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat (do not stir), swirling the pot occasionally to even out the color, until amber in color, 10 to 12 minutes.

While the caramel is cooking. Place the heavy cream in a small pan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm.

When the caramel has reached the desired color, slowly whisk in the heavy cream and salt and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the apple brandy and vanilla extract. Keep warm. 

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus 2 teaspoons, softened

6 large eggs, at room temperature

2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

3 1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 pounds strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and sliced

1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur, plus a little more for drizzling (recommended: Grand Marnier)

1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest

2 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9 by 13-inch glass casserole with the 2 teaspoons of butter and set aside.

Combine the eggs and milk in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy. Add 1 1/3 cups of the sugar and continue to beat at high speed until the mixture is quite thick and pale yellow, about 7 to 10 minutes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Fold this mixture gently into the egg mixture. Gently stir in the melted butter and then transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan and bake in the center of the oven until risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack before proceeding.

Make the strawberry topping by combining the strawberries, remaining 2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup orange liqueur, and orange zest in a large bowl and tossing to combine. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all sugar is dissolved. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to assemble the dessert.

Make the whipped cream by combining the heavy cream with the confectioners' sugar in a large bowl and beating with an electric mixer or whisk until slightly thickened. Add the vanilla and continue to beat until the mixture nearly forms stiff peaks.

When ready to assemble the dessert, poke holes all over the cake using a cake tester or toothpick. Drizzle cake with a little orange liqueur. Cut the cake into 1 1/2-inch cubes and place half of the cake cubes on the bottom of a deep-sided dessert bowl. Add half of the strawberry mixture over the top of the cake cubes, juices and all, spreading strawberries evenly with a spatula and allowing the juices to absorb into the cake. Top with the remaining cake cubes and then the remaining strawberries. Top with the whipped cream and serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour in advance before serving.