Ingredients
1 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
1 t of sugar
6 tablespoons salted or unsalted melted butter works well here
For the cheesecake:
8 oz pack cream cheese, we using Philadelphia cream cheese
1 2/3 c sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon of vanilla
2 extra large eggs
3/4 cup heavy cream*
For the cake:
20 ounces pineapple slices in juice, drained
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 tablespoons salted butter maraschino cherries 7 or more depending on your design
5 tablespoons salted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 large extra egg
1/2 c buttermilk
1 t powder -aking
1 t vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 t soda baking
1 1/4 c flour
Instructions
The day before serving the cake, prepare the cheesecake. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by wrapping the bottom and sides with heavy-duty foil. This is to make sure nothing in your pan leaks and water doesn’t get into your pan when the cheesecake bakes.
Blending graham cracker crumbs, sugar &; butter. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan and using your hands or the bottom of a glass, press the crumbs into the bottom and up the sides about half an inch. (My husband/kids only pressed the bottom so that’s what you see in the pictures. Either way, it’s fine.
Bake the crust for 8 minutes and let cool. Make the filling. In bowl, use an electric mixer , beat 1 package cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and cornstarch together over low heat until to a creamy consistency, about 3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl if necessary. Stir in remaining cream cheese, one packet at a time, beating well after each addition. Increase mixer speed to medium and stir in remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. at time, beat well after . Stir in cream to blended. The mixture should be light, creamy and
stormy. Be careful not to overmix at this stage. Placing pan , shallow baking plate (we used a roasting pan) &; pour hot water to it comes halfway up (about 1 inch), on side of cook la stove.
Gently transfer the mold to the oven. Baking to browned & center barely moves, fofr 1 h & 15 minutes.
Remove the cheesecake from the double boiler and let cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Covering top of pan loosely with plastic wrap & chill overnight in refrigerator. On the day of the service, prepare the cake. Spraying 9-inch cake pan with cook spray. Melt 1/2 cup brown sugar and 4 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan until sugar dissolves and mixture is fully blended. You just need the sugar and butter to melt and mix together. Remove from the heat and pour into the prepared cake pan, tilting it back and forth to evenly cover the entire bottom.
We use 7 pineapple rings (some cut in half) and 13 cherry halve for our design. You don’t have to cut your cherries, you can leave them whole if you wish. Time you have determined how many fruits you need for your design, pat them all dry with paper towel, then organize them in pan on top of caramel sauce layer. If your cherries are cutting in half, placing them in pan, cutting side up so that uncut side is on top when you flipping your cake.
Making cake batter. Melt the 5 tablespoons of butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high power for 1 minute or until butter is melted. Adding sugar, stir with a whisk. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Whisk together buttermilk and next four ingredients (buttermilk to baking soda.) Add flour and stir until well blended (do not over stir.) Pour inGently spread the batter in the pan over the fruit layer. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 mn Leave to cool for 1 minute in the pan. Place a rimless baking sheet (or flip it over for a flat surface) upside down on top of the cake pan and invert the cake onto the sheet. Cool completely.
To assemble, remove the chilled cheesecake from the fridge and remove the sides from the springform pan. Leave the cake in the bottom of the springform pan to serve. Place the cake on a serving platter, then using a large spatula, lift and slide the cooled pineapple cake out of the pan and onto the top of the cheesecake. (You need the rimless sheet/plate so you can easily slide the cake off.Slice and serve with warm caramel sauce and additional cherries, if desired.
Enjoy !
