Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake

Instructions

To prepare the Vanilla Butter Cake

1. Grease and flour a 9 inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper for easier release from the pan.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar very well until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until light and fluffy.
4. Add the vanilla extract.
5. Sift together the cake flour and baking powder.
6. Fold dry ingredients into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
7. Bake at 325 degrees F for about 35 - 40 minutes. Rely on the toothpick test to ensure that it is properly baked.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then release the cake from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack until completely cooled

To prepare the cheesecake batter

1. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with a layer or two of parchment paper. I like to lay the squares of parchment paper over the bottom section, then clip on the side section and trim the excess paper from the bottom. This helps keep the pan from leaking. out a little of the batter.
2. Wrap the outside of the pan with a couple of layers of aluminum foil. This buffers the heat and allows for slow even baking and a more creamy cheesecake.
3. Cream together the cream cheese and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes until well combined.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Beat in the vanilla extract.
6. Finally blend in the whipping cream well until the batter is very smooth. Using a rubber bowl scraper/spatula, scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl as well as the electric beaters/paddle and give the batter a final beating for 1 minute on a higher speed. This final step ensures that there are no lumps in the batter and introduces a little air into the cheesecake to make it lighter.

Baking the cheesecake

1. Pour into the prepared pan and bake  at 300 degrees F for 60-70 minutes. (Oven temperatures will vary slightly. Mine takes the full 70 minutes and you can go to 75 if you feel you need to.)
2. Don't be an compulsive oven door opener! Don't open it at all in the first hour.
3. The cheesecake does not have to brown at all in order to be fully baked; the surface of the cheesecake should lose any shine when the cake is properly baked. It can still be slightly wobbly just at the centre at this point.
4. Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp knife completely around the edge of the pan. This will allow for the cheesecake to shrink as it cools and hopefully not crack.
5. Allow the cheesecake to cool thoroughly on a wire rack at room temperature. (NOT in the fridge). Refrigerate after fully cooled for several hours or overnight if possible.

To prepare the filling

1. Add the gelatin to the 1/4 cup cold water and set aside for a few minutes until needed.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups of the sliced strawberries, the sugar and 1/4 cup water to a small saucepan and simmer for only a few minutes until the strawberries have release most of their juice.
3. Dissolve the corn starch in the 1/4 cup of water and stir into the simmering strawberries.
4. Stir constantly for 2 to three minutes while the strawberry mixture thickens.
5. Remove from heat and stir in the gelatine mixture until it is fully dissolved.
6. Allow to cool to almost room temperature before stirring in the 2 cups of fresh sliced berries.

To prepare the Vanilla Whipped Cream

1. Simply beat the whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract in the bowl of an electric mixer until firm peaks form.

To construct the cake

1. While the cheesecake layer is still in the pan, take the cake base and place it evenly on top of the chilled cheesecake layer.
2. Place the serving plate on top of the cake and invert the entire thing.
3. Unclip the pan, remove the side section, then remove the bottom section and carefully peel off the parchment paper.
4. Pipe a whipped cream border around the  top of the cheesecake. ( this can be done with a large Ziploc bag with the  corner snipped off if you don't have a piping bag.
5. Spoon the strawberry filling into the middle of the whipped cream border. Chill for another couple of hours to let the filling set. Garnish with fresh cut strawberries.