How to Make a Simple Cheese Cake
Do you want to learn how to make a simple cheesecake? Who does not love to make a simple cheesecake for a Christmas party or New Year, a Sunday brunch, or a graduation party? A perfect creamy cheesecake is always bliss. That sweetness of Cheesecake can make anyone nostalgic for these good times.
When you need to organize a party in a hurry, and the time is limited, you need not worry. You can make a simple creamy and fluffy cheesecake from scratch with the simplest ingredients in no time. If you also want to add a flair to your cake, then you have come to the right place.
This simple Cheesecake recipe will come out perfectly every time you make it! Be ready to make a smooth cake baked with a graham cracker crust. With a handful of the ingredients, you can make it the perfect Cheesecake ever.
So, let’s see what you need to have before making a cheesecake. I know that making this kind of cake can be intimidating at the start, but I’ve got you covered. Here is what you need to make the cake. Let’s start exploring how to make a simple cheesecake.
What will be in this Simple Cheesecake?
Let’s begin by looking at the baking’s two main ingredients: the graham cracker crust and the filling for the Cheesecake.
Prep Time for the cake: 20 minutes Cook Time: 60 minutes Total Time: 80 minutes + chill Serving: 12 Category: Dessert Method: Oven
To make the graham cracker crust:
Here is what you will need for the crust part:
▪ Salt- 1/2 teaspoon
▪ Butter (Melted) — 1/3 cup
▪ Sugar- 1/4 cup
▪ Graham crackers- 1 3/4 cups
To make the filling of the Cheesecake:
Here is what you will need for the filling:
▪ Eggs — 3 (at room temperature)
▪ Vanilla extract- 2 teaspoons
▪ Sour cream- 1/2 cup (at room temperature)
▪ Sugar- 1 cup (granulated)
▪ Cream cheese- 4 (8 ounce) packages [room temperature (32- ounces in total)]
Steps For How to Make a Simple Cheesecake
Do you think you are ready to bake the easiest Cheesecake? Because I’m going to give you the best recipe. Here are the baking steps made it easy for you.
Step 1: Bringing the Ingredients at the Normal Temperature
The first-ever step in making the Cheesecake is always taking out all the ingredients for the cake an hour or two before the actual work. With the ingredients at room temperature, you will be able to bake your cake very easily. This process might be annoying for you, but the purpose is your ultimate success in making the cake.
Step 2: Making the Cracker Crust
To make the perfect cake, we need to stick with a simple cracker crust. Grind the graham cracker crust in an excellent crumbly texture. A good food processor will do the trick. After that, mix the cracker crumbs with finely ground sugar, melted butter, and salt.
Now press this mixture in a 9-inch springform pan to the bottom and sides of the pan. You can also use the glass bottom for this same step. But a springform pan is necessary when you are to make a cheesecake. Using a pan will quickly remove the sides, and the Cheesecake will remain firm.
You may pre-bake your crust. Pre-baking makes for the sturdiest and crispiest cracker crust. The crust only needs to be baked for 10 minutes. You can do all this in advance if you want.
Step 3: Making the Cheesecake Filling
All your filling ingredients need to be at room temperature before making the cake, as I said before. The ingredients at room temperature ensure the perfect baking of the cake. This step will also save your cake from getting lumpy. But if you try to make the cake from ingredients that are not at room temperature, you will certainly get many lumps in the mixture. If the lumps are few, it might still be okay, but any lumps will be bad for the cake’s texture.
A pro tip: Never overmix your Cheesecake. In the case of overmixing, the cake will crack while baking because overmixing leads to a lot of air in the mixture. We will know more about the cracking problem due to overbaking in a minute.
Overall, four packets of cream cheese are needed for this cake recipe. You need to spread your Cheesecake filling over the graham cracker crust and then make it smooth with the help of the spatula.
Step 4: Bake Your Cheesecake
Most people feel quite intimidated while thinking of baking this cake. Many scary stories are out there saying that it is very difficult to bake a Cheesecake. This scariness comes from baking the cake in the water bath. But let me tell you categorically that baking this cake in the water bath is as EASY as it can be. What you need to do is follow the simple procedure below.
Now, you may ask why we need to bake the cake in the water bath. The reason is that the goals in baking this cake are: bake slowly, evenly, and the top should not be cracked in any case. Also, the cake should not be browned. The water bath’s purpose is to prevent the cake from baking too quickly by insulating it from the outside. A water bath can also help in keeping the oven a little moist. And there you have a perfectly moist cake in all its deliciousness.
Simple Method for Baking a Water Bath Cheesecake:
First, you need to wrap your pan in foil. You will bake the cake in the water bath, but foil is just a precautionary measure. The purpose is to ensure that water doesn’t leak or the crust doesn’t get all moist.
Then you need to look for a baking pan which must be a little bigger than your cake pan. Fill the pan 3/4- inches deep with hot water. You may use a half sheet pan if your springform pan fits in it.
Then, carefully put your cake into the oven. After that, allow the cake to be baked for about 60 minutes. Never open the oven continuously. It may be tempting to check how the cake is doing, but opening it repeatedly decreases the oven’s temperature, and the baking is affected. It is advisable to wait for 60 minutes before checking the cake.
The next step is to check if the cake is done after baking. Here’s how to check that. The cake should be regular from outside. If it’s set, that means it’s done. The main thing to keep looking for is never to overbake the cake. Overbaking can cause cracking, and it is not a good thing.
But even if there is some cracking issue, don’t panic. You can use cherry pie as a filling on the top. This will turn your simple cake into a cherry cake.
Step 5: Chilling the Cheesecake
Leave the cake for an hour at normal temperature. After an hour, cover the cake pan with foil and chill it in the freezer for 6 hours. If you chill it overnight, that would be best!
Now when your party is due, take out the cake from the freezer. If there seems some condensation on the top of the cake, remove it using a paper towel. The moisture will dab off. After that, slice the cake and enjoy your hard work!
Can You Freeze the Cheesecake?
Yes! If you want to freeze the cake, let it cool totally on the top of the stove and let it set in the fridge. After that, you may freeze the cake by wrapping it in some layers of foil. Cheesecake will be okay in the refrigerator for some months. When you need to eat the cake, then transfer it to the fridge to set overnight.
Some tips regarding how to make a simple cheesecake
Here are some tips for baking this simple Cheesecake:
● Don’t overbeat the eggs.
● Line your pan with the foil.
● Don’t overbake.
● Use a WATER BATH.
● Don’t open the oven frequently during the baking.
● Pre-bake the crust.
● Don’t over-mix the Cheesecake.
● Just make sure the ingredients are at room temperature.
Some Simple Cheesecake toppings
Here is how to make Cheesecake perfect for any party! For that, you need to set a cake topping bar. Then, let everyone come up with their creativity.
● Lemon curd
● Fresh berries
● Toffee bits or chocolate chips
● Whipped cream (can be mixed up with the flavors you like)
● Caramel Sauce
● Chocolate Sauce
● Crushed Oreos
● Reese’s Pieces or M&M’s
● Strawberry Sauce
EQUIPMENT for Baking
● A springform pan
● An aluminum foil
● Spatula
● Any food processor
● Electric hand mixer (If needed)
● Measuring cups
● Measuring spoons
● Roasting pan to hold the springform pan
Nutrition value: Amount Per Serving
Calories 372; Fat 27.9g; Cholesterol 119.1mg; Sodium 244.8mg; Sugars 23.2g; Protein 4.4g
Time to have Fun Baking a Simple Cheesecake
I hope this step-by-step recipe will help you feel very assured in your Cheesecake venture and your query on how to make a simple cheesecake is resolved now. This recipe is for making a simple Cheesecake and will be the one you will use for many years. Once you are pretty comfy making this cheesecake recipe, you may get extravagant and improve the flavors in it.