Eat... don't think! Cake in Augusta, GA

It's going to be a long week of baking and wedding hair and makeup, but I thought I would drop in to tell you about something I made last week.

Zebra Cake in Augusta, GA

Yes!  I made this cake (well, with God's help)!  Please don't mind the horrible piping; it always seems like a good idea before I start.

Despite the grandiose exterior, the real treasure of this cake is on the inside.  The young lady who ordered this cake wanted a "Vanilla Cake with Cream Cheese Filling." Ordinarily I would make a cream cheese frosting, but this time I decided to make a from-scratch no-bake cheesecake filling. And then I filled some cupcakes with it.

Cheesecake filling

Chocolate Cake, Whipped Ganache, and Cheesecake Filling.  Don't think about it too much, just eat.

Cheesecake filling

The tart filling is perfect in this otherwise very sweet cupcake, and there is just enough to enjoy the textural decadence, but not enough to make you regret (if you are prone to such an emotion as I am).

Cheesecake filling

To finish, top them with some crushed chocolate cookies (I had graham crackers), and they become altogether divine.

No-Bake Cheesecake Filling
2 blocks of cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 t vanilla extract
juice of one lemon, freshly squeezed

Cream the cream cheese in a bowl until... well, creamy.  Beat in the sweetened condensed milk an mix until smooth, being sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl on occasion.  Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract, and mix until thoroughly incorporated.  Use as desired.

As far as a chocolate cupcake recipe, I used this one.

Enjoy, and have a really, really good day.

Rachel Bee