Neapolitan Cheesecake Cake
Remember the cake from my first fondant adventure? I promised I’d provide details about the inside, so here we are. And, I have the winner of the giveaway. But first, let’s talk cake.
I came up with the idea for this cake a couple months ago. After the Carrot Cake Cheesecake Cake got posted, I started thinking about other cakes that would go well with cheesecake. I brainstormed a bunch of ideas – the possibilities are endless!
Hubby and I really enjoyed this cake, although it probably wasn’t the best choice for my first fondant adventure. Since I was making the layers for my cake and Megan’s cake, I made these layers about a week early and wrapped them up and put them in the freezer. As my layers were defrosting, there was moisture on the outside of the fondant, which made things a bit sticky.
You can also see in the pictures that my cheesecake wasn’t firm enough to hold up the top layer. As the cheesecake layer came to room temperature, it kind of flattened out a bit. I think this happened because it was a bit undercooked. Lesson learned. Even with the imperfections in my execution of this cake, I highly recommend giving it a shot.
I almost forgot. I had Random.org choose a number for the fondant giveaway. Congratulations Angela Wilkinson!! Please email me to claim your prize!
One Year Ago: Caramelized Apple Grilled Cheese
Neapolitan Cheesecake Cake
Ingredients:
1 layer chocolate cake
1 raspberry cheesecake, recipe below
1 layer yellow cake
For the Raspberry Cheesecake
1 1/4 pounds bar cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp coarse salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup raspberries, mashed or pureed
Directions:
Bake the cake layers. Remember that one 9" round layer uses the same amount of batter as 12 cupcakes. One 6" round layer uses the same amount of batter as 6 cupcakes. Be sure to scale your recipes accordingly.
The layers can be made in advance and frozen if necessary.
Plate the chocolate layer on a cake round. Add the raspberry cheesecake layer. Top with the yellow cake. Frost with your favorite frosting. I would recommend a cream cheese frosting for this cake.
For the Raspberry Cheesecake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Stir in pureed raspberries.
Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of the cheesecake pan. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
Raspberry Cheesecake recipe adapted from Martha Stewart
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
OMG, I am in love with these cupcakes! They’re so awesome! I love HP, and I made owl cupcakes when the movie came out. I might need to give these a try before going to see the IMAX 3D movie.
How cute are those?! And i was wondering how you got the lettering so perfect – thanks for the step-by-step. Lol – I just dragged DH to the Harry Potter exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry – I’m sure he’ll be happy when the final movie comes out and he doesn’t have to hear about it anymore!
Great job, how lucky are your friends?
I’m so jealous! My two sisters are going to the exhibit this weekend. I thought about flying to Chicago to join them. Luckily I found out the exhibit is coming here in October. Whew!
These look fabulous! You did such a great job on them!
WOW JEN!! Those are fantastic!! Better than professional! Seriously, what talent you have to make those! 🙂
Aw thanks Katie – you’re making me blush.
I hate when cupcakes do that to me too. Instead of baking up they bake out! 🙁
Love your Harry Potter cupcake toppers! Very cute and creative!
~ingrid
Hi Jen! A friend of mine forwarded me your page for HP Cupcakes and I just wanted to drop in and say that I think they’re awesome and I want to run home now and try to create some fun hp themed cakes! I had done some in the past–cauldron cakes if you will, by buying mini cauldrons and cutting the bottom off so the tops sat just on the cakes and then used a bit of green frosting on the inside. You should join up with the HP-MA crew! We’ve been organizing some meet-ups for Boston Fans!
Sounds awesome Manda.
Oh my goodness, what adorable little cupcakes!
So so cute! And yeah, those “HPs” must have taken FOREVER. I have a fabulous vanilla cupcake recipe that never fails me here: http://annies-eats.com/2008/07/18/vanilla-cupcakes/. Also, I recently made Dorie’s perfect party cake into cupcakes and had great results with that as well.
I love your HP cupcakes! I too am a huge Harry Potter fan but I have to admit, I don’t think I’d be patient enough to make cupcakes and toppings as cute as yours!
These are so awesome!! I wish I would have seen them and did some of these with the HP cake I did!!