MADDIE here. Today is my next-older sister Janet's 70th birthday! We are less than two years apart in age and have been close since our teen years.
Preteen ballerinas Edith and Janet |
We attended the same university, we're the two out of the four Maxwell siblings who earned advanced degrees and traveled the world, and we just plain like each other. She's also an excellent cook.
But I can't travel to Ottawa, Canada, to help her celebrate. We can't meet in Puerto Rico for a family warm-weather birthday party as we'd dreamed of. I've arranged for a special gift to be delivered from a local indy bookstore to her, because we're a family of voracious readers, and we all have to support bookstores.
Maxwell sisters Janet, Barbara, and Edith with our mom, Marilyn, in 2012 |
Still, I'd rather celebrate in person. This is a recipe blog, and I happen to know how much my sister loves good chocolate. So I thought I'd make her a chocolate cheesecake. Jannie, I'm sorry you don't get to taste any! I hope you have some special birthday chocolate today.
Crust:
24 Oreo cookies
1/4 cup butter,
melted
Filling:
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup heavy cream, room temperature
and divided
24 ounces cream cheese, room
temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
5 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Ganache:
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cups minus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream (or just use all heavy cream)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan
Add Oreo cookies to a food processor and crush until you have a fine crumb and very few larger pieces.
Add melted butter and stir until evenly distributed.
Press the crumbs into the bottom of the
springform pan (and up the sides).
Place a rimmed cookie sheet on a lower oven rack (crust will drip). Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a four-cup measuring cup, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream and the chocolate chips. Heat for 20-second intervals until the chips have melted and the mixture is smooth with no lumps. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand-held mixer until creamy and smooth.
Beat in the sugar and cocoa powder until smooth.
Add the eggs, one at a time, and 1/2 cup of heavy cream, mixing until combined.
Fold in the chocolate mixture.
Pour the batter on top of the cooled cookie
crust.
Bake for 70 minutes (keep the rimmed cookie sheet on the lower rack). The cheesecake is done when
the sides are set but the center is still a little bit jiggly.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it
rest until the pan is cooled.
Refrigerate for 4 hours or until completely
chilled.
Combine chocolate chips and heavy cream into a large glass measuring cup. Heat in the microwave in 20-second intervals until melted and creamy. Stir in Baily's.
Pour over chilled cheesecake and let it sit for about 15 minutes or chill longer before removing the pan's outer ring.
Slice and serve!
Readers: What's your favorite birthday cake to make (or order) for others - or for yourself? To celebrate, I'll send one commenter a copy of Strangled Eggs and Ham, which includes a recipe for Southern Jam Cake.
My most recent book is Candy Slain Murder, the eighth Country Store mystery. As with all my books written as Maddie Day, you'll find easy recipes in the back.
The next book out in late March will be the wide release of Murder at the Taffy Shop, the second Cozy Capers Book Group Mystery - up for preorder now!
My favorite birthday cake is Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting.
ReplyDeleteYum!
DeleteJust finishing up your country store series. Your newest one is next. Haven't read your other series, but it's my TBR list. The cake sounds delicious. rgp1950@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteWelcome today. Happy birthday to your sister. My only sister is nine years younger than I and we couldnt be more different. We didnt really start liking each other until both of our kids were in school full time and we thought "we are sisters and we help each other so much, lets see what is there" Now many years later we are best of friends.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this recipe. It looks yummy. What a wonderful picture of you girls and your mom. Such a wonderful thing to have. I see a quilt in the back ground. Does someone quilt? Have a wonderful weekend Quilting dash lady at comcast dot net
Our mom was master quilter in her retirement. She made over a hundred gorgeous quilts for family and friends. That is one of her wall hangings. She was also an accomplished seamstress, making all our ballet costumes (including the tutus in the picture) - three girls in three or four numbers each every spring!
DeleteHappy birthday to your sister Janet! My favorite birthday cake is a chocolate cake with chocolate truffle frosting.
ReplyDeleteNancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
Delish!
DeleteMy absolutely favorite birthday cake was my Mom's Hungarian Coffee Cake. Way before the sticky bun cakes were even thought of, my Mom would make this cross between cinnamon rolls and a sticky bun cake for me for my birthdays. It consists of little yeasty balls rolled in butter and then ground pecans, cinnamon and sugar mixture before layering them in a tube pan. Extra goodies are added to the top. The result is one amazing cake in which the first bite is anticipated from the first whiff of goodness coming from the oven.
ReplyDeleteIt was my favorite of all cakes and the one I always requested for my birthday cake. After Mom's passing, I've made it several times. Although good, it seems to be missing something. I think it was the love that Mom added to everything she baked.
Thank you for the fabulous recipe for Chocolate Birthday Cheesecake. You have mixed two of my all time favorites - chocolate and cheesecake. I will be trying this recipe soon.
Appreciate the chance to win a copy of "Strangled Eggs and Ham" which is one of the few books of yours that I have not had the opportunity to read yet. Shared and hoping to be the very fortunate one selected.
So excited about the upcoming release of "A Changing Light". LOVE the Quaker Midwife Mystery series and can't wait to read more about Rose and her adventures.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
Thank you, Kay!
DeleteOh looks yummy. My favorite Birthday Cake is plain ole store bought Chocolate! Love the icing! Thanks for the chance. Happy Birthday Sis!
ReplyDeleteCan't go wrong with chocolate.
DeleteHi, Maddie - What fabulous cake! Wishing a very Happy Birthday to your dear sister, Janet. xoxo
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cleo.
DeleteI love the recipe. My favorite birthday cake is Marble Cake. Moist and yummy. Your photo is special. My sister who is 3 years younger has decided not to have a relationship with me. I miss her very much. She is 70 also. Your books are wonderful. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI also love marble cake and haven't had one in decades! I'm sorry about your sister.
DeleteLooks so good! My favorite birthday cake is any type of chocolate with chocolate frosting. Yum.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance!
jarjm1980@hotmail.com
Chocolate for the win.
DeleteWhat a delectable cake and your sister is so fortunate to have you in her life. When I think of a birthday cake I would enjoy a lemon cake filled with the tartness and lemony flavor I love. Happy to read your post today. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI love a good lemon cake, too.
DeleteYour chocolate cheesecake looks so wonderfully decadent - thanks for sharing your recipe. My favorite birthday cake is chocolate Dr. Pepper cake. Happy Birthday to Janet!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of that, Celia.
DeleteHappy Birthday to Janet! My favorite birthday cakes are chocolate, or cheesecake or angel food cake with fresh strawberries and lots of whipped cream. lola777_22 at hotmail dot com
ReplyDeleteAll yummy!
DeleteThat cake looks dangerously rich! My favorite cake to bake is a marble or checkerboard one, like the mix of chocolate & vanilla, perfect for birthday cake with frosting. I also love a microwave chocolate cake for last minute company, used to make it a lot when my son was young - just let it cool & sift confectioners sugar on top.
ReplyDeleteIt is dangerous!
DeleteThat looks good! Think it would work to put some cherries on top, or maybe a little flavoring to make a chocolate covered cherry type cake too?
ReplyDeleteOf course.
DeleteMy favorite birthday cake is Chocolate! I would take any cake, actually, they are all good!
ReplyDeleteAgree, Nancy.
DeleteHappy birthday to Janet, from another 1951 baby!
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I are polar opposites in every possible way. I'm envious of women who count their sisters among their very best friends. But I have made sisters of some dear friends, so we're good.
This recipe doesn't look rich at all. LOL Heaven!
My favorite cake is a Sacher torte. Hard to come by in the US, though, so second-best is a flourless chocolate cake.
Since I just got a load of your books, Edith, leave me off the giveaway.
DeleteMy sister’s Flourless Chocolate Cake! With her homemade raspberry sauce! ❤️
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake is either a Lemon cake or French Vanilla . Unfortunately I can't eat chocolate. So I have to settle for one of these.
ReplyDeleteCarol T.
1cow0993 at gmail com
Carol, you are our lucky winner! Please check your email, and congratulations!
DeleteMy favorite cake is a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. I am blessed that my sister is also my best friend. bella_ringer@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI love carrot cake or pineapple upside down cake. Happy birthday to your sister! tWarner419(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteReally depends on who I am baking for...one of my sister's has to have homemade German Chocolate or her birthday is incomplete. My other sister loves my almond crumb cake. As long as it's chocolate, my brother-in-law is happy, so I make him a flourless chocolate with a Baily's Irish Creme or Amaretto chocolate ganache. I think that is my favorite to make...so I can clean out the bowl and lick the beaters. of course! Happy B'day to your sister!
ReplyDeleteMy mother always made pineapple upside-down cake in caste iron skillet for my birthday. My father also had a February birthday and his was chocolate mayonnaise cake with seven minute frosting. Can't go wrong with either one. I'll have to try the ganache with a touch of Bailey's
ReplyDeleteMy favorite birthday cake is The White House Cake we always order when we go to one of our favorite restaurants. Hopefully that restaurant will reopen after Covid.
ReplyDeletediannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
Growing up, my favourite birthday cake was an iced white one that came from the local department store, WOODWARD'S. I still favour the vanilla cake with yummy butter icing! mgshepherd2003@yahoo.ca
ReplyDeleteSince high school I have been having a flourless chocolate cake with raspberry sauce as my birthday cake. I love it and find it to be a wonderful indulgence. But must say that I will be trying the chocolate cheesecake recipe to treat my husband for a weekend meal. Haven't made a cheesecake in over a year.
ReplyDeletelittle lamb lst at yahoo dot com
Happy Birthday to your sister. We usually have ice cream cake for my birthday, but this year I want a Boston Cream Cake. Thank you for this chance! areewekidding(at)yahoo(dot)com
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOD! That chocolate cheesecake looks scrumptious.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite cake for my birthday is ice cream cake and the owner puts extra sprinkles in the middle of it for me.
NANCYMARIE1210@AOL.COM
OMG that cake looks delicious! My favorite cake is chocolate cake with chocolate frosting with nuts on top! lindaherold999(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI was different, I always wanted pie for my birthday. Coconut cream pie. My mom made it for me too and she baked a cake for the rest of the family and so I could blow out the candles. pgenest57(at)aol(dot)com
ReplyDeleteA perfect yellow cake with deep chocolate frosting would be fine with me.
ReplyDeleteI'd happily help eat that cheesecake however!
libbydodd at comcast dot net
Anything chocolate. Great name Janet. That’s what I named my daughter
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate cake with raspberry filling. And raspberries on top. Chocolate frosting.
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate cake with raspberry filling. And raspberries on top. Chocolate frosting.
ReplyDeleteI love chocolate cake with raspberry filling. And raspberries on top. Chocolate frosting.
ReplyDeleteCarol T is our lucky winner! Please check your email, Carol, and congratulations!
ReplyDelete