Lemon Buttermilk Pound Cake

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup buttermilk
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped or grated

Glaze:
Juice of 1 lemon
4 tbsp conf. sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 8x5x3 loaf pan or line with parchment paper.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. With a hand mixer, beat the butter until it’s very pale and little tails have formed. Add the sugar and beat well until slightly fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl well. Add eggs one at a time, beating until blended before adding the next.

With the mixer on low, add about one-third of the flour and mix until almost combined; then add half the buttermilk and mix until just combined. Repeat with another third of the flour, and then the last half of the buttermilk, ending with the last third of flour. Just before all the flour is blended in, switch to a rubber spatula and add the lemon zest, and slowly stir to blend in the flour and zest, taking care to scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides.

Scrape the batter into prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it when inserted in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes; as it’s cooling, stir together the lemon juice and conf. sugar. Carefully invert the loaf pan, tap it to release the cake, and then brush the glaze on the cake while it’s still warm. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

NY Style Cheesecake

Crust:
1¾ cups Graham cracker crumbs (about 15 crackers)
2 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp butter, melted

Filling:
2 lbs cream cheese, at room temperature
1⅓ cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 large eggs, at room temperature
⅔ cup sour cream
⅔ cup heavy cream

Topping (optional):
2 cups sour cream
⅓ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Raspberry Sauce (optional):

12 ounces of fresh raspberries
½ cup sugar
½ cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in lower third of oven.

Combine Graham cracker crumbs, sugar. Stir in the melted butter. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9x2¾ inch springform pan with a slight rise along the inside edges of the pan.

Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Reduce oven to 325 degrees. While the crust is cooling start on the filling.

Cut the cream cheese into chunks and place in the bowl of an electric mixer, with paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for 4 minutes until smooth, soft and creamy. Add the sugar, beat for 4 minutes more.

Add the vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add the sour cream, beat until incorporated. Add the heavy cream, beat until incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl to combine any bits of cream cheese that have stuck to the bottom of the bowl.

Pour the filling into the springform pan, smoothing the top with a rubber spatula*. Bake at 325 degrees for 1½ hours. Turn off the heat of the oven. Crack open the oven door 1 inch and let the cake cool in the oven for another hour to prevent cracking.

Once cooled, cover with foil and chill in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours.

Sour Cream Topping (optional): Place the sour cream in a medium size bowl, stir in the powdered sugar and vanilla, until smooth. Chill until you are ready to serve the cake. Recipe produces enough for a thick topping and some extra to spoon over individual slices. If desired, reduce the topping ingredients in half for a thinner layer and no extra.

Raspberry Sauce: Place raspberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Use a potato masher to mash the raspberries. Heat on medium, whisking for about 5 minutes, until sauce begins to thicken. Remove from heat. Let cool.

*If desired, place the cheesecake in a water bath. There are many suggestions as to how to prevent water from getting into a foil wrapped springform pan. Using slow cooker plastic bags works well:

https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/how-to-prevent-your-cheesecake-water-bath-from-leaking/

If you do not use a water bath, you risk more cracks in the top of your cheesecake and a somewhat drier texture.