cheesecake | A Pinch of Luv

My Mom’s birthday was yesterday and I’ve been baking 150 mini cupcakes for a shower all week . My sister asked me what are you going to bake for Mom’s birthday? I laughed and said mini cupcakes but no really what are you going to bake for mom…hmmm…Well let’s check the refrigerator? I made key-lime mini cups earlier in the week and noticed I have quite a few key-limes leftover. My mom loves key-lime and I have excess cream cheese I had an Aha moment cheesecake it is!

This recipe is supposed to taste similar to the Cheesecake Factory’s Key-lime Cheesecake. I did make some alterations to reduce the calories since one slice of the real version yields 870 calories and 34 grams of saturated fat! Yikes!

This recipe calls for a an 8 inch springform pan and yields 12 to 16 servings

Filling Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
2 TB Keylime Zest
1 (8oz package) fat free cream cheese room temperature
1 (8 oz package) 1/3 fat reduced cream cheese room temperature
1 (8 oz package) cream cheese (you could get away with reduced fat here but I didn’t have another reduced fat in my refrigerator) room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Splenda for baking (or sugar substitute of your choice or real sugar)
1 tsp Mexican pure vanilla
1/2 cup egg substitute or 4 egg whites
1 whole egg

Crust ingredients:
1 & 3/4 cup reduced fat graham cracker crumbs
5 TB reduced fat Margarine or unsalted butter
1 TB sugar

Coconut whip-cream
1 cup heavy cream
4 TB powdered sugar
1 tsp coconut extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Spray springform pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Place graham crackers in food processor and pulse until refined.

Add into a medium mixing bowl crumbs, melted butter, 1 TB sugar.

Mix until texture of the blend looks like wet sand.

Pour the crumbs into springform pan and press the crumbs into the pan with hands. Don’t go up the whole side only about half way.

Bake for 5 minutes in 350 degrees. Allow to cool while preparing the cream cheese filling.

Place softened cream cheese in electric mixer with spatula attachment.

Beat until consistency is creamy without signs of chunks.

Add sugar, Splenda, and vanilla beat to incorporate.

Add egg substitute and whole egg along with zest and key lime juice. Mix to incorporate.

Pour the batter into the slightly cooled springform pan.

Spread the batter with spatula evenly prior to placing the cake in the preheated oven. Place on bottom rack of oven a 8-9 inch cake pan filled with water in oven for steaming effect.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until
slightly brown. I let mine go to 70 minutes which was too long as you can see below.