Monday, June 13, 2011

The Secret Recipe: Cinnabun Cheesecake

This is my second month participating in The Secret Recipe Club held by Amanda from Amanda's Cooking. If you didn't see my post from last month, each month members are assigned a participating food blogger secret santa style. We choose a recipe from their blog to make (keeping it secret), and everyone reveals their recipe and blogger on the same date. It has been a great way to meet different bloggers, and I think it is fun to see what someone else will pick from my blog. 

The blog that I had this month was Katie from Betcha Can't Eat Just One. She has a great list of recipes and even began adapting some of her recipes to make them healthier while she was pregnant earlier this year. I had a hard time choosing between a couple of her recipes, but in the end, I decided on her cinnabun cheesecake. I have been working hard over the past month to study for my board exams and finishing something like that calls for some celebration. This cheesecake was a great way to do it! I still want to try her black bean brownies, so be looking for those in the future.
The cheesecake came together beautifully. I actually made it while I was at my parent's, so I had my dad, our resident cheesecake chef, as help. We weren't able to find any cinnamon cookies at the store, so we swapped them for cinnamon graham crackers. It was a little meticulous to spread the batter over each layer of crumbled cookies, but it was worth it to have little bits of the cinnamon mixture throughout the cheesecake. Mine turned into layers throughout the slice, and I liked the way it looked throughout the cheesecake. The graham crackers seemed to work just fine. I was a little worried that they might be more prone to be soggy than a cookie, but I did not notice that at all. 

My only complaint is that from the side the cake seemed to sink a little bit. It was a still quite warm when I moved it from the oven to the refrigerator, so I am guessing that is the reason. Other than the aesthetics (my fault completely), we really enjoyed this recipe. Thanks Katie! I really enjoyed your blog! 

(Printable Recipe)

Cinnabun Cheesecake
Adapted from Betcha Can't Eat Just One and A Passion for Baking

Ingredients:
For the crust: 
1-1/2 cups cinnamon graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Filling:
3 pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
4 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup coarsely crumbled cinnamon graham crackers
1 tsp. cinnamon mixed with 1/4 cup sugar
Caramel sundae topping 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick cooking spray. For the crust, mix the cookies, butter, and sugar together in a bowl and press into the bottom of the pan. 

In the bowl of a mixer, beat the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and whipping cream until smooth. Stop to scrape the bowl with a spatula often. Mix 3-4 minutes until very smooth. Mix in the eggs, flour, and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth for another 3 minutes.

Pour about a third of the filling on top of the prepared crust. Layer a handful of the crushed graham crackers and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with another layer of filling and crackers. You may have to spoon the filling over the crackers and spread it carefully to cover the previous layer. Top with the last 1/3 of the filling and a final topping of crackers and cinnamon-sugar. 

Bake 45-55 minutes or until the cheesecake only jiggles slightly in the middle when shook (I had to bake ours closer to an hour. Just keep checking on it and add a few minutes at a time). Do not take the cheesecake out of the oven. Turn the oven off and crack the door slightly. Allow the cake to cool in this manner for 1 hour. Remove and allow to cool further to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight before serving.


27 comments:

  1. Your Cheesecake looks fantastic, the graham cracker layers look great! I think that has become my favorite cheesecake to make! Thanks for all of the kind words! :)

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  2. What an interesting idea for a cheesecake. It sure looks pretty with all of those layers!

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  3. That looks like the ultimate in dessert fusion. I can smell it from here!

    I wonder if it could be made to look like a cinnamon bun (maybe in flat layers, then rolled after baking?).

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  4. how aboslutely GENIUS of you! Really- I mean combining the ultimate two sinful desserts into is just magical!

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  5. That looks like a really decadent treat!

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  6. Um wow. I was trying to eat healthy lately but this would make me stray! I saw this over at Secret Recipe Club... had to check it out! I am your newest follower! :)

    Check out my blog and follow back if you like!

    http://steaknpotatoeskindagurl.blogspot.com

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  7. Oh my! That cheesecake looks so delicious it practically makes me want to lick the computer screen :) I want to make some of that asap! I love your blog and I'm your newest follower. Have a great day!
    Katie
    PS- I host a recipe swap every Wednesday and I'd love to have you if you get a chance.

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  8. Wow, this looks amazing! Cinnabun flavors plus cheesecake is a match made in heaven! :)

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  9. Yum, tell Cheesecake Factory they better watch out cause your cheesecake is gonna beat theirs.

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  10. Wow what a dessert! I ate at the Cheesecake Factory last night and they have NOTHING on you! YOur cheesecake looks amazing! Found your blog through SRC!

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  11. I'm probably totally in the minority on this, but I actually kinda like the way sunken cakes look. Assures me they're homemade... I would have made the same recipe, looks mouth-watering!

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  12. Cinnabun cheesecake- get out!I love cinnamon rolls and I love cheesecake- so this dessert hits all the right notes for me! Excellent choice for SRC and the cheesecake looks delicious!

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  13. Oh this looks amazing!!! Cheesecake can be so touchy when it comes to cooling, sinking is common.

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  14. Oh boy this looks just sinful - and so good! Love the idea. This was my first month participating in the secret recipe club, what fun!

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  15. Oh, my, what an incredible cheesecake...I've never seen anything like it! Great selection for the SRC...it was my first month...such fun :)

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  16. Cinnamon bun flavors in a cheesecake, are you kidding me? This is such a great recipe, it looks (and probably smells) wonderful. I would devour it in a heartbeat! Glad to find you through SRC.

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  17. This cheesecake makes me happy!

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  18. This is my first month in The Secret Recipe Club and it's so much fun! I'm just loving all the new blogs and recipes I'm seeing. Your cheesecake looks wonderful!

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  19. Yummm this cheesecake looks out of this world. Thanks for sharing......

    I'm now a follower of yours, you have some great recipes.

    erica-sweetonyou.blogspot.com

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  20. Oh my goodness, this looks so decadent and delicious! I'm making this ASAP!

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  21. Wow! I'm so going to make this. (And probably eat the entire thing!)

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  22. This looks excellent! I so want to try it, thanks!

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  23. Your presentation of the recipe looks so good! Cinnamon, caramel and cream cheese sound like a divine combination! I know I'd love this one :)

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  24. I bookmarked this recipe! Thanks

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  25. it is a nice blog.Pour about a third of the filling on top of the prepared crust. Layer a handful of the crushed graham crackers and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Repeat with another layer of filling and crackers. Your family and friends will be impressed by the taste and quality of the meals made from recipes which duplicate the kind of favorite meals from famous popular restaurants.

    secret recipes

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  26. If you just read my other comment about the other cheesecake, you will understand, my frustration. There is no way, I am making two cheesecakes so which one do I make? This looks scrumptions, also.

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