Best Recipes - Cream Cheese Cake with Shortcrust Base and Light Vanilla Filling

Best Recipes - Cream Cheese Cake with Shortcrust Base and Light Vanilla Filling

This cream cheese cake combines a briefly pre-baked shortcrust base with a smooth, vanilla-scented filling that’s lightened by folding in whipped egg whites. The result is rich yet airy, with clean slices once fully cooled. It’s an excellent make-ahead dessert for gatherings and tastes especially fresh with strawberries or a simple berry sauce.

Ingredients

For the base

• 250 g all-purpose flour
• 125 g butter, softened
• 50 g sugar
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon cold water (if needed)

For the filling

• 500 g cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 120 g sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• 4 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 packet vanilla sugar

Preparation Time

Approximately 1.5 hours

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the shortcrust dough. In a bowl, rub the softened butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine, even crumbs. Add the sugar and egg yolk and work it together until a smooth dough forms. If it feels too dry, knead in 1 tablespoon of cold water.
2. Chill part of the dough. Shape the dough into a ball. Cut off about 1/3 for the base and set it aside. Wrap the remaining 2/3 in foil and refrigerate to firm up.
3. Line the pan. Line a round baking tin all the way up the sides with baking paper. Press the 1/3 portion evenly into the bottom of the pan.
4. Pre-bake the base. Bake at 200 °C for 6–9 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the center is still pale. Remove and let it cool.
5. Mix the filling base. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar. Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks into the cream cheese mixture, then mix in the flour, sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla sugar until smooth.
6. Build the crust sides. Take the chilled dough and press it up the inside of the pan to form the cake sides, leaving about 0.5 cm free at the top.
7. Fold in whipped whites. Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks. Add them gradually to the cream cheese mixture, folding gently to keep the batter airy.
8. Bake. Pour the filling over the base. Bake at 170 °C for 45 minutes.
9. Cool slowly. Turn off the oven and let the cake cool inside with the door slightly open. After about 1 hour, remove it and cool completely before serving.

Tips

• Slow cooling helps prevent cracking and keeps the surface smooth.
• Fold the egg whites in gently; overmixing will deflate the batter.
• For neat slices, chill the fully cooled cake briefly before cutting.

Serving Suggestions

Serve fully cooled with fresh strawberries or a strawberry sauce. Other seasonal berries also work beautifully, either alone or mixed.