Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake

Here are some things I love in my office right at this moment,  as documented from my camera phone (because I’m too slow in the morning to ever remember to bring my DSLR to work).

The pile of exactly 11 sharpies on my desk

And the fact that at least half of them are running out of ink which makes me feel like a real artist. Even if it was for technical storyboarding.

The string of cupcake lights lining my desk.

Subtly revealing my sometimes secret desire that my office was a bakery instead.

Big Plush R2D2 and Little Lego R2D2

Because I have a thing for the juxtaposition of various sizes of the same object. Besides, plush R2 is so darn huggable.

Most of all, this basket.

October is a month of supporting charities at my workplace, and I decided to contribute by baking a Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake and forcing my co-workers to make donations to this basket in order to have a piece. All the money in the basket is going to Child’s Play, my favourite charity. They buy toys, games, books and movies for children who are sick in the hospital over the holidays.

I tempted them to donate well with a favourite recipe of mine. One that is particularly decadent.

If a cinnamon roll and a cheesecake had an illegitimate child, it would be this cheesecake.

In the end it worked. My coworkers donated $116 in total. For my little cheesecake.

I always love baking. But when it helps sick children via a combination of cinnamon, brown sugar, sweet dough and rich cheesecake? Well that’s something extra special.

Recipe from Culinary Concoctions by PeaBody

Cinnamon Roll Batter

• 2/3 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake filling

• 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 3 eggs

Cinnamon Filling

• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3 TBSP cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• milk (if needed to thin frosting)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9-inch Springform pan.
3. Cinnamon Roll Batter: Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or hand mixer) cream together the butter and sugar for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg, milk,  and vanilla. Beat for another minute. Scrape down bowl.
5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine the sifted and creamed ingredients together. Mix on low speed until throughly combined.
6. Spread half of the batter onto the bottom of the Springform pan. It will be sticky and thick so spray your hands with baking spray and press down. It will be a thin layer that will rise up during baking.
7. Cheesecake Filling: Using a stand mixer with a clean bowl fitted with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar for 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
8. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition.
9. Add the vanilla and flour and beat for another minute.
10. Pour the cheesecake batter on top of the cinnamon roll batter in the prepared pan.
11. Cinnamon Filling: In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.
12. Drop spoonfuls of the cinnamon filling over the entire top of the cheesecake.
13. Take the rest of the base batter and drop spoonfuls over the entire top of cheesecake. Once finished, take a knife to “swirl” the ingredients together. (I say “swirl” because everything is so thick that it’s more like “move around” than swirl. Give it you best shot!)
14. Bake for about 50-55 minutes, cake will be puffy and lightly browned. Let cool for 20 minutes at room temperature and then cover and move to fridge for 4 hours.
15. Cream Cheese Frosting: Using a stand mixer (and a clean bowl) with paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together for 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and beat until desired consistency is reached. If too thick, thin out with milk.
16. Remove cake and let it warm up to room temperature just a bit. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting.