Strawberry Vanilla Buttercream Cheesecake Shortcake

By Nannithree

nlrockrecipes.com

July 09, 2013

Ingredients

• Cream together:
• Ingredients
• Pound Cake Base
• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup milk
• Vanilla Cheesecake Layer
• 3 eight ounce packages ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Italian Buttercream Frosting
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 6 egg whites at room temperature
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups unsalted butter, soft but cooler than room temperature works best
• 2 pints fresh ripe strawberries (small to medium sized berries work best)

Details

Servings 1
Adapted from keyingredient.com

Preparation

Step 1

Directions

Pound Cake Base
Grease and flour a 10 inch cake pan. I use the same spring form pan that I bake the cheesecake portion in to get them exactly the same size.

Cream together butter and sugar
Add, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffy
Add vanilla extract
Sift together flour and baking powder

Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with milk beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes. Rely on the toothpick test to ensure that it is properly baked. Cool completely.

Vanilla Cheesecake Layer
10 inch spring form pan wrapped in heavy duty. Boiling water is then poured into the larger pan filling it from 1/2 to 2/3 of the way to the top.

Line the bottom of a 10 inch pan with parchment paper. There is no crust in this cheesecake layer so the paper is essential to remove it from the pan later.

Cream together cream cheese and sugar
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add vanilla extract
Finally whipping cream

Pour over the prepared base and bake in a bain marie at 300 degrees F for 55 minutes to an hour. The cheesecake does not have to brown at all in order to be fully baked; the surface of the cheesecake should lose any shine when the cake is properly baked. It can still be slightly wobbly just at the center at this point.

Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp knife completely around the edge of the pan. This will allow for the cheesecake to shrink as it cools and hopefully not crack. Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack at room temperature. (NOT in the fridge). Refrigerate for several hours after fully cooled down until the cheesecake firms up well.


Buttercream Frosting
Combine sugar and water and bring to a boil. Continue to boil over medium heat without stirring until the mixture reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Meanwhile beat together egg whites, cream of tartar and vanilla to stiff peaks.

Slowly pour in the sugar syrup hitting the side of the bowl and not the beaters. Continue beating the frosting for 10-15 minutes until the meringue is completely cool. I dip my mixing bowl into ice water several times during this time to help with the cooling process and speed it up a little.
When completely cool, slowly begin to add, a few tablespoons at a time
unsalted butter, soft but cooler than room temperature works best
Beat until smooth after each addition.
As the frosting cools to room temperature it will come together like stiffly whipped cream. Be careful not to over beat at this point or your frosting can separate. As soon as the textural change occurs, stop beating the frosting. You may have to chill it in the fridge for a few minutes before using, just to firm it up a little.

To construct the cake, place the cooled vanilla pound cake on top of the cheesecake in the spring form pan. Invert the cake and cheesecake layers onto the serving plate, remove the spring form pan and peel off the parchment paper, which is now on top of the cake.

Clean, trim and pat dry with paper towels the strawberries

Arrange the berries all over the top of the cheesecake layer. Frost the entire surface of the cake with the Italian Buttercream Frosting, covering the berries.

Store the cake in the fridge but take it out an hour or so before serving so that the Italian Buttercream Frosting has a chance to warm up a little to it's creamy, luscious, melt-in-your-mouth texture.