BAKED CHEESECAKE WITH CAKE MIX

2 x 250 g tubs cream cheese
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
2 extra large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (250 ml) vanilla cake mix
1 cup (250 ml) fresh cream
1 cup (250 ml) plain full cream yogurt
To Serve
sweet sherry, Muscadel wine or honey

Cut a circle of baking paper 30 – 45 cm in diameter (See Ina’s Tip) and line a well buttered 20 cm round springform pan, or a normal 20 cm pan with the paper, allowing the paper to stick up above the pan. Butter the paper on the inside as well.

Adjust the oven rack one slot below the middle position and preheat the oven to 200°C.

Beat the cream cheese in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
Add grated lemon rind and mix well. Separate one egg. Add egg white to the mixture and beat well. Add yolk. Beat again.
Repeat with second egg. Add cake mix and beat in on slow speed until just mixed.

In another bowl, beat cream to same consistency as the yogurt.
Fold yoghurt into the whipped cream. Fold this mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Pour and scrape cake mixture into the paper lined tin.

Bake for 40 minutes.

Turn oven off, open door a few centimetres using a wooden spoon to keep it open.
Leave cake to cool in the warm oven for another 30 minutes.

Remove cake from oven and allow to cool at room temperature.

Gently ease away the sides of the springform tin and slide the cake off the base of the tin or lift the cake out with the paper.
Peel off baking paper around the sides and cut into slices.
Serve with a glass of sherry poured over the cake.

Note:

What to do with left over Vanilla cake mix.
Secure the open foil packet of Vanilla cake with a peg and store it in the fridge for the next cheesecake.

Recipe placed by: Melissa Ann Vermeulen

Photo: Melissa Ann Vermeulen