I got the idea for making individual cheesecakes, and did some searching online to get some ideas for how to put them together. So, here’s a cupcake-sized version of my pumpkin cheesecake. It’s got less fat and less sugar than the original, as you don’t make a crust. Of course, if you eat four of them at once, it’ll be almost like eating a slice of the regular cheesecake (almost as many carbs, though a lot less fat), but the smaller portions should make it easier to limit yourself. Right?

Lisa’s Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

 
Makes 24 mini cheesecakes

24 ounces cream cheese — room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
3 whole eggs — room temperature
24 whole gingersnap cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Add in pumpkin, five-spice powder and eggs, and beat until thoroughly combined, with no white lumps. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl once in a while.

Place a paper liner in the muffin cups. Put a single gingersnap cookie in the bottom of the liner. Divide the cheesecake filling evenly between the 24 muffin cups.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn your oven off, prop the oven door open and let the cheesecakes cool in the oven until the trays are cool enough to handle bare-handed. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing from the muffin tins. Chill before serving.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 174 Calories; 11g Fat (57.3% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 15g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 58mg Cholesterol; 139mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 2 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

Unfortunately, neither of these things really turned out the way I hoped. I use a bread machine to make the bread dough, but I put the stuff into the pan in the wrong order, and it was a disaster. The pound cake, while not a disaster, was a definite disappointment. It didn’t have the bright lemon flavor I was hoping for, and it certainly didn’t rise as much as I thought it should have. It could be because I used Splenda granular, not sugar, but I’m not sure. I don’t know if I will make this recipe again.

Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

 
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 c. butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c. sugar
4 lg. eggs
1 c. buttermilk
2 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pan. Mix flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. Beat butter, sugar an vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk beating well after each addition until well blended. Add lemon peel and lemon juice until well blended. Pour into pans and bake a few inches apart on middle oven rack about 45-50 minutes.

I think the cake was a bit too dry, and that make have been due to the peanut butter I used. It was the Meijer brand organic peanut butter. I find that it’s a bit “drier” than regular peanut butter – not as smooth and creamy as, say Jif.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Streusel Cake

 
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350º F. Butter a 13x9x2 inch metal baking pan. (I used a glass pan)

Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Using electric mixer, beat on low speed until the mixture is blended and crumbly. Transfer 1 cup of the mix, lightly packed, to small bowl and reserve (this will be the streusel topping). Add eggs, milk, vanilla, baking powder and baking soda to remaining flour mixture in large bowl. Beat at low speed until evenly moist. Increase speed to medium and beat until well blended, scraping bowl occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chips. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved 1 cup streusel topping and remaining 1 cup chips.

Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack.

And in typing up the recipe below I discovered I forgot to put the vanilla in the cake batter…

Cinnamon Streusel Cake

 
Streusel Topping:

1 cup flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon, ground
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into chunks
1 cup chopped walnuts

Cake:

2/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

Vanilla Glaze, recipe follows (optional)
DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. For the Streusel Topping, mix flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in cold butter with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Set aside.

2. For the Cake, beat softened butter, granulated sugar and sour cream in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. Gradually beat in flour and baking soda on low speed until well mixed.

3. Spoon 1/2 of the Streusel Topping into greased and floured 12-cup Bundt pan. Spoon 1/2 of the batter over top. Repeat layers.

4. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar or drizzle with Vanilla Glaze, if desired.
Tips

Vanilla Glaze: Mix 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons water and 1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract in medium bowl until smooth. If necessary, stir in 1 to 3 additional teaspoons water until glaze is of desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake. Let stand until glaze is set.

When the weather gets better, I’m going to get a starter going again. My family loves sourdough bread, and there’s lots of things that can be made with the starter.

Sourdough Chocolate Cranberry Cake

 
From Allrecipes, by Esther Nelson. Makes one 9″x13″ cake.

1/2 cup sourdough starter
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry milk powder
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
1 (16 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce

In a large, non-metallic bowl, combine sourdough    starter, water, flour and powdered milk. Let ferment uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours in a warm place until bubbly and a clear sour milk odor develops.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 9×13 inch pan with cooking spray and, using a small sieve or shaker, dust lightly with cocoa powder.

In a separate large bowl, mix together sugar, oil, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and baking soda. Add eggs, melted semi-sweet baking chocolate, and cranberry sauce.

Combine the mixtures together and stir until well blended.

Pour into a 9×13 inch baking pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 to 35 minutes, or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool at least 10 minutes before serving, excellent served slightly warm.

Garnish by sifting powdered sugar onto a paper doily or just dollop spoonfuls of whole berry cranberry sauce on top of each serving of cake.

This cake can also be baked in 2 – 8 inch round layer cake pans, baking time is decreased to 20 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Another can of whole berry cranberry sauce can be spread generously between and on top of the unfrosted layered cake rounds for an impressive look during the holidays!

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 158 Calories; 6g Fat (35.8% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 24g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 140mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 1 Fat; 1 Other Carbohydrates.

The texture of the cake was fine, though I would have preferred it to be a little bit sweeter. It was also pretty difficult to mix in the order the recipe calls for. Next time I will put the milk and oil in before the egg and see if that makes a difference. If not, i will mix it in the recommended order, but in a bowl and then pour the batter into the mug.

5 Minute Chocolate Cake

4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil
A small splash of vanilla extract
1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well.
Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high). The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don’t be alarmed! Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired. Enjoy!

The recipe is in metric for the most part, but I’m sure you can figure out the conversions.

Chocolate Guinness Cake

 
Makes one huge cake.

250ml Guinness
250g butter (1 cup)
75g cocoa (a rounded 1/2 cup)
400g caster sugar (2 cups)
140ml sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
275g all purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

for the icing:
300g cream cheese
150g icing sugar (1 cup)
125ml cream

Preheat the oven to 180C, and grease and line (yes! lining is essential – if you don’t line it, you’ll never get it out of the pan in one piece) a 23 centimetre springform tin.

Pour the Guinness into a large saucepan, and add the sliced butter. Heat until the butter is melted, and remove the saucepan from the heat. Whisk in the cocoa and sugar. Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour into the saucepan. Finally, beat in the flour and bicarb.

Pour the batter into the greased and lined tin, and bake for 45 mins to an hour. Leave to get completely cool in the tin, as it’s quite a damp cake.

For the icing, beat the icing sugar and cream cheese together. Add the cream, and beat again until it’s a spreadable consistency. Ice the top of the black cake until it resembles the frothy top of the famous pint.

I use a 10″ springform pan. If you use a larger or smaller one, make sure to adjust the baking time (less for a larger pan, more for a smaller pan).

Lisa’s Pumpkin Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups cinnamon graham cracker or gingersnap crumbs
5 tbsp butter, melted
1 cup plus 1 tbsp sugar
3 8 oz packages cream cheese, soften
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 tsp Chinese Five Spice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the graham cracker or gingersnap crumbs with the butter and 1 tbsp sugar in a medium bowl. Mix it together until it’s all combined – you don’t want to make it into a paste. Press the crumbs into the bottom of the springform pan. You want to make sure the bottom as a pretty good coating, and that it comes up the sides enough to cover the seam between the bottom and sides of the pan very well. If you don’t, the filling will leak out of the pan and made a huge mess.

Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside until you’re ready to put the filling in. You can make the crust ahead of time, but it does not have to be completely cool to continue with the recipe.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla. Beat it together with an electric mixer until it’s smooth. Scrape the sides down and give it another little bit to make sure everything is mixed up well.

Add the pumpkin, eggs and Five Spice and mix until everything is smooth and creamy. Scrape the sides and bottom down then mix it again to make sure there aren’t any white shunks in the filling.

Pour the filling into the pan and bake for 40 minutes. The top will be a bit darker than it was when you put it in the oven. You’ll see some cracking around the edges, but those will disappear as it cools. Remove it from the oven and let it cool. When it’s room temperature, put it in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and cut the cake into 8 equal slices. If you wish, garnish with a dollop of whipped cream. If you really want to get fancy, sprinkle the whipped cream with some crushed crystallized ginger.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 598 Calories; 41g Fat (60.8% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 49g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 192mg Cholesterol; 502mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1 Lean Meat; 1/2 Vegetable; 7 1/2 Fat; 3 Other Carbohydrates.

(Nutrition info added 11/24/09, doesn’t include whipped cream or crystallized ginger)

We usually have Cowboy Coffee Cake for Sunday breakfast, along with scrambled eggs and breakfast sausages (another of Ari’s favorites).

Cowboy Coffee Cake

 
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup shortening
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk
2 well beaten eggs

Preheat oven to 375.

Grease and flour two eight inch round cake pans.

Combine with pastry blender flour, salt, brown sugar and shortening. Reserve 1/2 cup of crumbs.

Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg to remaining crumbs and stir.

Add milk and eggs and mix until blended. Pour batter into prepared pans (half in each). Sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.

Bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpicks inserted in the center comes out clean.

Serves 12-16.