Friends, you’re invited to help celebrate the 1st Birthday of Gather and Graze today! Hard to believe that a year ago, I pressed that ‘Publish’ button for the very first time, sending my heart and soul (along with a no-fail recipe for Perfectly Fluffy Scones) out there for all to see.
I realise that Gather and Graze is still very much in it’s infancy, but it feels like I’ve travelled a rather long way in this short period of time. I’d like to let you know how grateful I am to each and every one of you who read and comment on my posts… for your friendship, your humour and your kindness. So with 50 posts now published and a desire to continue this crazy journey (wherever it may lead), please know how happy I am to have taken the leap to become a part of this wonderful blogging community.
My celebratory cake is one that, year after year, is requested by both my children and husband for Birthdays and special occasions. The recipe was passed on to me by my dear friend Steph (a wonderful cook herself, who came across it in a Family Circle cookbook). We’ve adopted it whole-heartedly over the years, changing only the cooking time and temperature to ensure a silky smooth texture. It’s a joy to bake and an absolute indulgence to eat, so what better way to celebrate the first Birthday of my sweet little Gather and Graze!
Baked Cheesecake with Sour Cream Topping
Ingredients
For the Base:
- 250g (9 oz) Butternut Snap Cookies
- 1 Teaspoon Mixed Spice
- 80g (2.8 oz) Unsalted Butter (Melted)
For the Filling:
- 500g (17½ oz) Cream Cheese (Softened)
- 160g (⅔ Cup) Caster Sugar
- ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 4 Large Free-Range Eggs
For the Sour Cream Topping:
- 250g (1 Cup) Sour Cream
- ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 175°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 24cm springform cake tin.
Crush the biscuits in a food processor, then add the mixed spice and melted butter and stir until all the crumbs have been moistened. Press the mixture evenly into the base and sides of the cake tin (a dessertspoon comes in handy for smoothing and pressing). Refrigerate the lined tin for about 20 minutes.
While the base is chilling in the fridge, beat the cream cheese until smooth (in a food processor or electric mixer). Then, add the sugar, vanilla and lemon juice and continue beating until completely incorporated. Now add the eggs, one by one, beating well after each addition. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for about 35 minutes (until almost set).
While the cake is cooking, prepare the sour cream topping, by mixing together the sour cream, vanilla, lemon juice and sugar until smooth.
Spread the sour cream topping over the hot cheesecake and return to the oven for a further 7 minutes.
Allow to cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until firm.
Top the cheesecake with fresh fruit – halved strawberries or grapes work beautifully, as do raspberries or kiwi fruit… and if you like, add a glossy finish to the fruit by brushing on some warmed, strained raspberry or apricot jam.
* Recipe from a Family Circle Cookbook
Gather & Graze 
This is absolutely beautiful Margot. Absolutely, positively celebration-worthy. Congratulations on reaching one year in the blogging world, woooop! I can hardly believe that you’ve only been blogging for a short(ish) time as you’ve achieved so much! Amazing quality stories, recipes and discussions. Here’s for many more to come! xx
Thanks so very much Laura – very kind of you! It’s been a wonderful year! 🙂
Happy Birthday to Gather and Graze!! Well done Margot – can’t wait to see what the next year brings 🙂
Thanks very much for being so supportive over the past year Karen – I appreciate it more than you can know! I hope all is well with you, Mr LG and the LGCC! Cheers, Margot
Congrats, Margot! happy 1 year anniversary! the cheesecake looks delightful! love the addition of the sour cream topping and of course, the pretty red raspberries!
Thanks very much Jo! The sour cream topping makes this cake extra delicious – it provides a great balance for the sweetness of the filling! Oh and the raspberries have a bit hit and miss lately, so when I saw these ones… how could I refuse?!
Congratulations, Margot! Your blog is so well-written that I thought you’ve been doing this far longer than a year. You certainly know how to celebrate, too. I once had a cheesecake recipe very much like yours. Heaven only knows where that recipe went. Once, while I was enjoying dinner with my guests in the next room, my cat licked all of the sour cream topping off of the cheesecake. There wasn’t a speck left on it. I would have served it but the top was covered by the tiniest tongue markings. It looked a little too artisanal for its own good. 😀
May you enjoy many more years blogging, Margot.
Oh dear, what a very lucky cat! Must have been heartbreaking for you and your guests though… and hilarious at the same time! I actually thought of you the other day John when I saw a Triple Chocolate Cheesecake (not a baked one unfortunately, but looked incredibly delicious all the same!) – the base was made of crushed chocolate cookies and then there were 3 layers of cheesecake – dark/white and milk! Just might need to give it a go… 😉
Thanks for your very kind and thoughtful words too – truly appreciated!
Congratulations! I haven’t made a cheesecake for ages but my mouth is watering at the sight of yours and I’ve already added cream cheese to my shopping list. This is definitely going to be eaten over the Easter weekend.
Looking forward to sharing another year of Gather and Graze.
Cheers Anne! I really hope you enjoy it… I find it hard to even contemplate trying any other baked cheesecake recipes, as this one always works so perfectly and brings a smile to everyone’s face!
Happy 1th birthday! Your cheesecake is perfect!
So kind of you… thank you! 🙂
Congratulations! Cheesecake is a perfect way to celebrate. One of my favorite desserts! 🙂
Mine too Lisa – thanks so much!
Happy anniversary! The cheesecake looks mouth watering and the pictures are beautiful! Warmly, Bridget
Thanks very much Bridget for your kind thoughts and support of G&G! Cheers, Margot
Happy Birthday and congratulations! This recipe looks fabulous and just the thing to try these holidays. Looking forward to more culinary inspiration over the year ahead.
Cheers Jess! Enjoy the school holidays… I hope you give the recipe a go – it’s such a family favourite in our house! I hadn’t realised you guys had a blog on the go while you were away last year – looking forward to catching up on your adventures and seeing some of your photos over the next week or so!
Congrats on a wonderful year of blogging – am I too late for the party…is there any left for me?!
Thanks so much Chica – it’s been a fabulous year! Never too late for the party… how big a slice would you like? 🙂
Congratulations and your cheesecake look delicious and perfect for this special Birthday!
Very kind of you – thank you! 🙂
Happy blogoversary!! It’s been great fun following your blog and getting glimpses into your kitchen. I also like the little snippets of Canberra! Here’s to the next year! 🙂
Thanks SG! I’m always so inspired by the dishes you create and the beautiful way you write each of your posts. I’m looking forward to getting stuck into my 2nd year of blogging – it should be a fun year!
Oh Happy Year! And lots more of them.
Your cheesecake cooks quickly, doesn’t it? I’ve just bought a 20cm springform so I’ll be making mine again, just so I can tweak it to fit. And hopefully this time it won’t crack on top!
Thanks so much for your support over the past year Johnny – your comments are always a pleasure to read! As for the cheesecake, any longer in the oven and it would crack on top (like you mentioned) and be a little overcooked for my liking… I take it out of the oven straight away and allow it to chill still in the tin, in the fridge, before removing it to a plate. The texture is like silk and the lemon juice and sour cream balance out the sweetness perfectly!
Congratulations Margot…what a perfect celebration cake! x
Thank you Sam! This cake never fails to please – especially when it’s topped with a couple of punnets of beautiful raspberries!
Happy 1st Bloggy Birthday! Gather and Graze is beautifully and thoughtfully written. Congratulations, dear friend. As for the cheesecake…..it holds wonderful memories of very special times.
Thanks dear Steph! Your support and friendship is something I treasure greatly – you’ve been such an inspiration over the years (in more ways than one)! M.xx
Congrats to you! What a beautiful cake to celebrate with. Cheers!
Thank you Cheri… very kind of you to comment! Cheers, Margot
That is a wonderful accomplishment and a lovely cake. Cheers! To many more.
Thanks very much Stacey! 🙂
A delicious way to celebrate! The cheesecake sounds scrumptious 🙂 Congratulations on reaching such a huge milestone in the blogging world!
Very kind of you Nancy – thank you! There’s nothing like a beautiful baked cheesecake for celebrating!
Happy Birthday – enjoy another year of happy cooking. Wish I could have a slice of the delicious cheesecake to celebrate – looks great!
Thanks Mum – there’s one slice left and it’s yours if you can get down here before dessert time! xx
Happy 1 year blogoversary! I am so happy that you pressed that publish button, Your cheesecake is absolutely beautiful and perfect. I love the sour cream topping and the raspberries on top are gorgeous.
Cheers Suzanne and thanks so much for your wonderful support throughout the past year! The best thing about blogging has been meeting people like yourself who are so passionate about good food and life in general!