Chocolaty Cheesecake Squares

I promised myself I would bake more in 2010. Not quite ready for anything too fancy just yet, baking in baby steps. Publix had a buy one get one sale on Betty Crocker cake mixes a week or so ago. Of course I had coupons for those so, I bought four different mixes for less than the four bucks! Saturday I planned to try my hand at a cheese cake. My brother in law and niece were coming for Sunday Dinner. The menu was deep fried turkey, home made mac n cheese, garden salad, and steamed broccoli. I figured chocolate cheesecake would be a suitable dessert.

Needless to say, I was excited. I gathered all the ingredients, got out my baking tools and started the cheesecake. When it came time to add the cream cheese I had a big surprise. Oh my gosh, the cream cheese was green and fuzzy. What happened, it wasn't green yesterday??? I had the bottom layer pressed into the pan already. "Gotta go to Publix, the Philly has gone pharmaceutical, be right back guys" I yelled as I ran out the door. Twenty minutes later I'm back in the kitchen using my new hand mixer, thanks to my DH "the carnivore", moving on to step three. I got everything together and in the pan. OK it's time for the marbling... I'm not real good at that I guess 'cause the picture I saw online didn't look like my cheesecake. When mine came out of the oven, it was more like layers, not really marbled on the top.

The bottom was a just little crisper than I would have liked. Not sure if that's because it sat for a while due to the cream cheese delay or maybe I didn't measure the butter exact or what. Cut and served in squares, this cheesecake worked beautifully with this meal. As for the overall taste, I really liked it; Very creamy, modestly rich, and oh so chocolaty! Red, my son and food critic, thought it was really good, as did my brother in law. I'm going to try this one again, checking the cream cheese first next time!

Marble Cheesecake


1 package Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® devil's food cake mix (I used Triple Chocolate Fudge)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
3 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (you know I used Philadelphia Brand)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 container (8 ounces) sour cream
3/4 cup whipping (heavy) cream

1. Heat oven to 350° (325° for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottom and sides of rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, with shortening or spray with cooking spray.

2. Reserve 1 cup dry cake mix for filling. Beat remaining cake mix, the butter and 1 egg in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until dough forms. Press on bottom of pan.

3. Beat sugar, cream cheese and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in remaining 2 eggs, the sour cream and 1/4 cup of the whipping cream on low speed until smooth; reserve 1 cup cream cheese mixture. Pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust.

4. Beat reserved 1 cup cake mix, reserved 1 cup cream cheese mixture and remaining 1/2 cup whipping cream in same bowl on low speed until smooth. Drop chocolate cream cheese mixture by spoonfuls over cream cheese mixture in pan. Cut chocolate mixture through plain mixture with knife in S-shaped curves in one continuous motion. Turn pan 1/4 turn, and repeat for marbled design. Tap bottom of pan sharply on counter to level cream cheese mixtures.

5. Bake 32 to 40 minutes or until sharp knife inserted 1 inch from side of pan comes out clean
(center will not be set). Cool 30 minutes on wire rack. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Run knife around side of pan to loosen cheesecake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Before heating oven, place small baking pan filled with 1 to 2 cups
water on oven rack below cheesecake to help prevent cheesecake from cracking. Bake 40 to 45 minutes.

You'll find the original recipe here - http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes.aspx/marble-cheesecake/34b8884e-e695-4a16-8280-8bc626b0e5ba