Easter Sunday Cheesecake

Submitted by SilentCricket

"I called this recipe "Easter Sunday Cheesecake" because that is when I first served it when a bunch of friends got together for Easter dinner after church. A delicious cheesecake recipe that is a bit different in that it's made in a 9x13 pan as opposed to the usual springform pan. For a little extra, I add a dash of cinnamon to the crust mixture....YUM! (Cook time includes time for cheesecake to cool overnight)"

 

• Ready In: 8hrs 50mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Yields: 1 9x13 pan of cheesecake

ingredients

• Crust

• 1⁄2 cup margarine, melted
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups ground graham crackers

• Filling

• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2 eggs
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon juice

• Topping

• 1 pint sour cream
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Sauce

• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen raspberries or (10 ounce) package frozen blueberries, thawed (save juice)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

directions

1. Make CRUST: Mix together melted margarine, sugar, and graham cracker crumbs in 9x13 pan with fork to cover bottom evenly.
2. Press down to form crust.
3. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.
4. While crust is baking, make FILLING: Beat cream cheese, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice on high until whipped.
5. Pour over crust.
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
7. Cool completely.
8. Make TOPPING: Mix sour cream, sugar, and vanilla well.
9. Pour on top of cheesecake.
10. Bake at 400 for 5 minutes.
11. Cool 6-8 hours or overnight.
12. Make SAUCE: Add enough water to reserved berry juice to make 3/4 cup of juice.
13. Combine sugar and cornstarch in a 2-cup measuring cup; mix well.
14. Stir in juice and lemon juice.
15. Microwave on HIGH for 3-5 minutes, until thick.
16. Stir occasionally.
17. Stir in fruit; cool completely.
18. Pour over cheesecake and serve.
19. (For a shortcut, you may also use canned pie fruit filling instead of the sauce).

Reviews

[bratty]

This is one of those recipes that I really wish I could give more than 5 stars. This cheesecake is simply wonderful. I served it at a family Christmas, and it was a total hit. It is rich, creamy, and tastes absolutely wonderful. Fairly easy to make as well. I chose to just use two cans of cherry pie filling for my topping. This is definately a dessert that I will keep in mind for parties at work, family gatherings, and a summer bbq! In a word: Excellant!

 

[Poohbear Pam]

Awesome cheesecake! Fresh strawberries had just come into season when I made this one so I placed fresh sliced berries on top of the cheesecake before putting the thickened strawberry topping on top of it. Absolutely wonderful and it disappeared quickly at the potluck we had at work. Many co-workers asked for the recipe! Thanks!

 

[Christineyy]

Made this for, what else, Easter Sunday. The whole family loved it. Each layer had its own distinct flavor that worked well with the others. I especially loved the strawberry glaze; it was nearly perfect, not too sugary and not too tart. I didn't bake the crust quite long enough but it turned out just fine. And I also didn't let the cheesecake set for the final 6-8 hours, but it still got rave reviews. After the final 5 minutes in the oven, I stuck the cheesecake in the freezer and left it while we ate dinner. About 45 minutes later, took it out and it was great! I'm sure it will be even better tomorrow after more chilling. Thank you!

 

[jdoe1223]

This is an incredible cheesecake - run to the store and buy the ingredients right now...you won't regret it! The number of steps make it look intimidating, but it's very easy to make. It takes some time, but a lot of that is hands-off time (cooling, etc.). I doubled it to make for my daughter's birthday party and it doubled well, too.

 

[Shiraz]

I can't tell you in words how much we enjoyed this cheesecake! It is easily my favorite dessert that I have ever made. We had this for Valentine's Day, and it was amazing. I love the sour cream topping over the cream cheese part... it is just absolutely decadent!!! I think I will experiment with making it in a round dish next time, just for fun. Thanks again SilentCricket for sharing this recipe with us!