For as long as we’ve been together, whenever my husband’s birthday comes around, I put on my just-do-it gloves to bake him a cake. Or, something along the lines of one!
This is a belated update of last year’s birthday cake recipe, and my sotong-ness got the better of me when trying it out >.<
Because K likes cheesecakes, this isn’t my first attempt making one. But you know, I’m not the most domesticated wife. So every year, cakes are always done on a one-time attempt. That means there’s only one chance and IT HAS TO BE EDIBLE! HAHA!
Between K and I, he’s also the more arty and DIY one. Attempting more difficult recipes makes it exciting for him. I can’t quite say the same for myself, hence you’ll see that most recipes I’ve shared are always EASY haha!
If you’re looking to bake a fluffy Japanese cheesecake ala Ichiban Boshi cheesecakes, we have it right here. If you’re looking for home-cooked dishes for lunch and dinner, you’ll find them here – just search by keyword!
Without further ado, here’s K’s birthday cake for 2018!
Oven-baked Birthday Cheesecake Recipe
Adapted from here. Ingredient listing and method have been edited for clarity and to reflect the actual steps taken :)
Ingredients
CRUST
- 1.5 cups Graham Cracker crumbs – I bought the crackers and used a pestle and mortar to make the crumbs. HA!
- 1.5 tablespoons sugar
- 4.5 tablespoons melted butter
CHEESECAKE FILLING
- 3 x 8-ounce packages of Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 cup of Sugar – I reduced the sugar to just 80%.
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 cup of Sour Cream
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
Method:
To make the cheesecake crust
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (approx. 163 degrees Celcius)
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Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Or, spread a thin layer of melted butter on pan, which was what I did.
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Combine graham cracker crumbs, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and melted butter.
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Press it in the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes until fragrant and the edges begin to brown.
- Allow the crust to cool.
To make the cheesecake filling
- Combine cream cheese and sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and beat to combine.
- Add sour cream and vanilla and beat to combine.
- Pour mixture into crust and bake for 45-50 minutes.
- The top of the cheesecake should look set but still wiggle.
- Turn off oven, open the door, and let cheesecake sit for 15 minutes.
- Allow the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour at room temperature.
- Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Tips:
- If you’ve noticed, the first mistake I did was to use the wrong baking pan. HAHA! Remember to use a springform pan (the type with sides that can be unlocked and removed). But there wasn’t enough time and ingredients for me to redo everything, so dear husband had to cut an imperfectly made birthday cake :(
- All ingredients, heart sprinkles and birthday candles were purchased from Phoon Huat, except the Dairy Farmers Lite Sour Cream which was bought from FairPrice, as they were sold out at the former.
- If you’re planning to make Graham Cracker crumbs like I did, do factor in more preparation time as my pestle and mortar set is rather small, so I could only pound a few crackers each time. Biceps and wrists were working hard for sure!
The cake made a surprise appearance before bedtime, allowing it to rest in the refrigerator as required.
What do you think? A pity it could not be removed from the baking pan…
Happy birthday, my dear husband! Also, wishing us a Happy Wedding Anniversary too! :P
Do you bake cheesecakes for birthdays too? Try this simple cheesecake recipe, and let us know how it went!
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