I love baking for no reason. But I really love having an actual event to bake for…particularly because then I know the goods won’t be sitting in my kitchen, calling my name at all hours of the night. I only wish I was kidding about my abilities to communicate with cake.
Birthdays are the perfect reason to bake up something good. So I took this opportunity for Nate’s friend’s birthday to make a Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake I’ve been wanting to try.
The recipe said it made 2 cakes. Even with a celebration like a birthday, I’m not sure why anyone would want to make 2 cakes…or at least 2 of the same cake. Ridiculous. Plus, I didn’t have 2 springform pans. So I halved the recipe and hoped for the best.
It turned out beautifully, and delicious. And the birthday boy seemed to enjoy it, which is the real result you hope for on any birthday baking endeavor :)
cheesecake, pre-glazing
Now if you’ll excuse me, I think I hear something calling my name from the refrigerator.
Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake
Adapted from Southern Living
makes one 9-inch cheesecake
Cake
1/4 cup toasted, chopped pecans
2 (1-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking squares
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla
Sprinkle 1/4 cup pecans evenly over the bottom of each of 1 greased and floured 9-inch springform pan.
Microwave chocolate squares in a microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 1 1/2 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.
Beat butter and 1 cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.
Add flour, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and chocolate morsels. Divide batter evenly between pans, spreading over chopped pecans.
Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; add 3/4 cups sugar, beating until blended. Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in 1/2 teaspoons vanilla. Divide cream cheese mixture evenly between each pan, spreading over brownie batter.
Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until set. Remove from oven; cool completely on wire rack.
Spread top of cooled cheesecake with 1 recipe Chocolate Glaze (see below); cover and chill 8 hours. Remove sides of pans before serving. Garnish, if desired.
Chocolate Glaze
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup whipping cream
Melt 1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels and 1/2 cup whipping cream in a 2-quart microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth.
*Note: The top glaze layer came out extremely thick and rich. I think if I were to make it again, I’d halve the amount.
