Craving a cheesecake that’s rich, rustic, and ridiculously easy to make? I feel you — the fear of cracking, water baths, and sinking centre kept me away for years, too. But this 7-inch Basque cheesecake recipe is foolproof, fuss-free, and turns out beautifully burnt with the dreamiest melt-in-mouth texture. I baked it for my cheesecake-loving husband’s birthday, and let me tell you — it stole the show! Ready to make your unforgettable cheesecake moment?
September is my favourite month as we have two reasons to celebrate - F's birthday and our engagement anniversary. I don't have any tradition around this, but I try to make a new dish, or we eat out. This year, I baked a cheesecake that didn't fail.
F loves cheesecake, but I have miserably failed in making a perfect one. I am sure we all have been there with a cracked cheesecake or uncooked centre, etc. Therefore, I used to resort to a jar of no-bake cheesecake 😉 Not any more! Here comes the baked 7-inch Basque cheesecake recipe!
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🎂 A Birthday Bake
I made this 7-inch Basque cheesecake and put to rest the fear of baking cheesecakes. On the eve of his birthday, I started prepping... and then he walked into the kitchen and took over the mixer!
Though I wasn’t entirely comfortable, I put on my best “cool and casual” face. My heart was in my mouth thinking — what if he makes a mess? But there he was, holding the mixer like a pro! So I let him have his moment.
Technically, he made the batter, and the oven baked the cheesecake. My contribution? I procured the ingredients and dumped them into the bowl. 😁
Let me tell you, my man is least interested in birthday celebrations. But this? It felt like he was joining my celebration of his birthday! 🤣
The cheesecake cooled down and was ready to eat by 10 pm, and he reluctantly agreed to cut the cake at midnight. Every minute felt like an hour. Then, I caught him yawning. Cue my excuse: “You have work tomorrow, let’s cut the cake now!” And so, at 10:45 pm, we cut the cheesecake. Grown-ups much? 😂
🤯 The First Bite Was Mind-Blowing
As soon as we took a bite — WOW.
It was unbelievably delicious — soft, melt-in-mouth texture, and that deep caramelised flavour from the burnt top.
This is honestly the best-tasting cheesecake I’ve ever had!
We wanted to keep eating, but we half-heartedly covered the cake with a large bowl and put it in the fridge. Sleep could wait — but adulting couldn’t.
Happy Birthday, booboo! 🎉
☀️ Cheesecake for Breakfast, Anyone?
Woke up on his birthday feeling fully charged. Why? Because the world’s best cheesecake was waiting in the fridge! 😋
I took it out, let it come to room temperature while doing my photoshoot, and then came the hard part: sharing.
I sent a slice to my friend and fellow cheesecake lover, Reshmi — and her feedback?
“This is one of the yummiest cheesecakes I’ve ever had!” 😊
So, don't think twice! Bake this today!
🛒Ingredients Used
- Cream cheese: I used the Almarai squares. You may use cream cheese blocks sold at the cheese counter. Please do not use cream cheese spreads that come in jars or tubs.
- Sugar: I used good old granulated white sugar.
- eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature.
- Whipping cream: Where I live, heavy cream and whipping cream are the same thing. We don't get heavy cream exclusively. Do not be tempted to whip to stiff peaks! We don't need that here.
- vanilla extract: This is to add flavour that will camouflage the egginess in the cake.
- salt: a pinch or two would suffice.
- plain flour: aka maida or all-purpose flour. Some recipes use cake flour.
🔪How to make Burnt Cheesecake
This is a simple, straightforward, easy 7-inch Basque cheesecake recipe but yet these kinda recipes are the ones that many fail. Remember upma? 🙂 Make sure you read the recipe well before you attempt. The recipe process involves four stages, and each one has important steps to execute.
- Prep the cake pan - grease and line with a large baking paper
- Prepare the batter - mixing one egg at a time
- Bake the cheesecake until brown and golden, NOT black and charred
- serve the cheesecake - room temperature
Prep the cake pan - grease and line with a large baking paper. Keep the cream cheese and eggs out to bring them to room temperature.
Prepare the batter - mixing one egg at a time as per the recipe.
Bake the cheesecake in a preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until brown and golden. Don't take it too far to black and charred.
Let it cool completely to room temperature. While cooling, the cheesecake will sink, and that is perfectly ok. Serve room temp or chilled.
💡Serving Suggestions
Here are some of the best serving suggestions that I recommend:
- Fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries) or fruit compote.
- Espresso or black coffee, or cold brew.
- Chilled with ice cream like vanilla, pistachio, or berry sorbet.
👩🏽🍳Pro Tips
Always bring your cream cheese to room temperature before starting. This ensures a silky-smooth batter with no lumps and helps everything blend beautifully, giving you that signature creamy centre in your Basque burnt cheesecake!
❄️Storage
Refrigerate: Keep the cheesecake on its springform base or baking tin base, then wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for 4–5 days or freeze up to 2 months. If you have fridge real estate and a large enough container or bowl, then you can use that and skip using cling wrap.
☝️Recipe FAQS
You can safely reduce sugar by 20–25% without affecting the texture too much. Keep in mind: the caramelised top gets some of its depth from sugar, so less sugar means a paler "burnt" look — but it’ll still taste rich and creamy.
Short answer: No. While chilling helps the burnt cheesecake firm up, let it sit out for 30–45 minutes before serving to enjoy that luscious, velvety texture and rich flavour. Straight-from-the-fridge basque cheesecake can feel firmer and a bit muted in taste.
An eggy taste can come from overbaking, using too many eggs, or not adding vanilla extract. Vanilla isn’t just for aroma — it helps mellow out the flavour of eggs and enhances the creamy, custardy notes. Always use good-quality vanilla extract or paste for best results.
Similar Recipes
Looking for other recipes using cream cheese? Try these:
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📖 Recipe Card
Basque Burnt Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 450 grams cream cheese squares, softened to room temperature*
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whipping cream, chilled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Instructions
Prep the cake pan
- Grease the bottom and sides of a 7-inch or an 8-inch springform pan with softened butter.
- Grease a large piece of baking paper with softened butter all over.
- Press this paper buttered side up into the pan making sure the paper comes at least 2-inch above the pan on all sides.
- Press another plain baking paper overlapping similarly to make sure every part inside the pan is covered with the baking paper neatly.
- Place the pan on a baking tray so you can easily slide in and out from the oven.
Prepare batter
- Preheat the oven to 200℃. Use a handheld electric mixer or a standing mixer to make the batter.
- Add the softened cream cheese into a large bowl and beat to cream at medium speed for about a minute or until it is smooth.450 grams cream cheese squares
- Add the sugar and continue to whisk making sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and you have a very smooth with no lumps mixture. This will take about 2 minutes.⅔ cup white sugar
- Next, add one egg at a time, beating each egg for less than 15 seconds or just until incorporated fully. Again, make sure to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl.3 large eggs
- Lastly, pour the heavy or whipping cream, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until combined for about 30 seconds. Your mixer job is done.1 cup whipping cream1 teaspoon vanilla extracta pinch of salt
- Sift the flour over the batter and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter is very smooth and silky. Tiny lumps of flour are OK, it will eventually dissolve while baking.3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake
- Carefully slide the tray into the lower middle rack of the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the top changes to a burnt golden colour. The cheesecake would rise considerably. Keep an eye on the cake starting 35 mins as each oven is different, yours may get done sooner or later.
- Carefully remove the cheesecake from the oven, and you will see it jiggle like jelly in the centre.
- Let it cool completely to room temperature. While cooling, the cheesecake will sink and that is perfectly ok.
Serve
- Unmold the cheesecake from the pan by removing the outer ring of the springform pan and lift the cake with the excess baking paper and place it on the serving plate.
- Peel away the baking paper from the sides of the cheesecake and you may use a scissor to trim the excess for aesthetic purpose.
- Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature. You should serve this at room temperature, which is the best way we love or you may pop it in the fridge overnight completely covered and eat it cold or bring it to room temperature again before you serve any remaining cheesecake.
Store
- Store any leftover covered in the fridge for no more than 3 days. You may freeze the cheesecake wedges, cling-wrapped in an airtight freezer container, for not more than 2 weeks or be kind and share some with your neighbour!
Notes
Nutrition Info
Origin La Vina!
Safa Basheer says
I have always wanted to make this. But the decadence and knowing I will eat the whole thing since my husband is not a dessert person and my kids don't like cheesecake, has stopped me.