Individual Cheesecakes for 2 #BakingBloggers

Our theme for Baking Bloggers this month is Cheesecake.  I LOVE cheesecake and was very excited but I am trying to cut down on the amount of goodies that I consume so I really didn't want an entire whole cheesecake sitting in my refrigerator screaming "EAT ME" each time I opened the door.

To resolve this problem, I decided to make only 2 individual cheesecakes and serve them up when Frank and I celebrated an early Valentine's Day Dinner.

Since I was making a plain cheesecake, I macerated some fresh raspberries in a little Framboise to use as a garnish and add a layer of flavor.

Topped with the berries and some whipped cream, they made a perfect ending to a romantic dinner for two.  Just in time for Valentine's Day!

Individual Cheesecakes for 2

3 sheets of Graham Crackers, crushed

2 T. butter, melted

6 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

1 t. flour

1 1/2 T. sour cream

2 1/2 T. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1 egg yolk

Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter and press into 2 (6 oz) ramekins that have been well buttered.

Beat together the cream cheese and flour.  Add the sour cream and sugar and continue to beat on low speed until smooth.  Add the vanilla and egg yolk, beat until well incorporated.

Divide the batter between the ramekins.  Place ramekins in a baking pan and fill the baking pan with boiling water until it reaches halfway up the ramekins. Cover entire baking dish with aluminum foil. Place into a preheated 325* oven for 30-35 minutes, until set.

Carefully remove the baking pan from the oven.  Remove the ramekins from the baking pan and place onto a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes.  Lay plastic wrap on top of the cheesecake, covering completely and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to one day before serving.  Garnish with whipped cream and fresh berries, if desired.  Print Recipe

Cheesecake Collection

• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: A Literal Cake of Cheese and Handmade Crackers
• Sneha's Recipe: Baked New York Style Cheesecake
• Trampling Rose: Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake
• Tara's Multicultural Table: Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
• Karen's Kitchen: Classic New York Cheesecake
• Cookaholic Wife: Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Individual Cheesecakes for 2
• Sid's Sea Palm Cooking: Savory Salmon Cheesecake
• Palatable Pastime: Sugar Cookie Cheesecake
• The Redhead Baker: Tiramisu Cheesecake

Chocolate Mug Cake #ChocolateCakeDay

Did you know that there is a day set aside to celebrate Chocolate Cake?  My friend, Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla did and invited us all to bring a chocolate cake to this virtual party.

Now, I'm still detoxing from all the junk food I ate starting at Halloween and going right through the 12 days of Christmas.  I hate missing a party though so I found a great solution.  An individual little cake mixed and baked right in a mug.

This easy peasy recipe comes from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.  It gets mixed up and cooked up in the microwave in the same mug.  The entire process from start to finish takes about 15 minutes.

It's so easy that a toddler can pretty much do it themselves. They may need some help with the microwave though.  I love that my toddler can now identify my utensils by size.  I can ask for a Tablespoon and she knows exactly which to grab.

But the toddlers favorite part of the job was scooping some out and holding it so Grammy could take a photo.

Well, not really, her very favorite part was tasting the cake.  She pronounced it "very delicious" and offered me a bite.  I declared it very delicious as well.  I was kind of surprised.  I have never made a cake in the microwave before and wasn't sure it would turn out as wonderfully moist and tasty as it did.

One more bite and then she took the mug, asked for help off the counter and went to find Grampy so he could taste it.  The next time I saw the mug was when it was ready to be washed....such is the life of a Grammy.

Chocolate Mug Cake

slightly adapted from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman

3 T. flour

3 T. sugar

2 T. cocoa powder

1/4 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

3 T. milk

3 T. olive oil

1/4 t. vanilla

3 T. mini chocolate chips

Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a 12 oz. mug.  Stir with a fork to blend.  Add the milk, oil and vanilla.  Stir until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Microwave on high for 90 seconds.  Let cool for about 5 minutes before eating.  Print Recipe

More Chocolate Cakes

• Jolene's Recipe Journal: Best Chocolate Cake Ever!
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chocolate Mug Cake
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
• The Redhead Baker: Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake
• Cindy's Recipes and Writings: Chocolate Mocha Cream Cake
• Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks: Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Double Chocolate Cake with Whiskey Ganache
• Palatable Pastime: Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Cooking With Carlee: Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
• Soulfully Made: Chocolate Cake with Whipped Oreo Icing