I’d like to say I baked this cheesecake, but the truth is I purchased it from the Biergarten Restaurant in Epcot’s Germany pavillion. It’s the real thing! We’re finishing up a short trip to Disney World where we celebrated the last few days of summer break and Fuzz’s birthday. I can’t wait to get home and bake this.
I usually associate German cakes with Black Forest rather than cheesecake, so it was a nice surprise to find out that Germany specializes in it. The Bavarian style filling is not quite as dense as other cheesecakes, not-too-sweet, and nestled between two layers of very light sponge cake that’s been dusted with a thick layer of feather-light powdered sugar. They must have sifted it a hundred times.
Here’s a link to the recipe if you want to try it.
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I love Epcot! What a great birthday / end-of-summer trip.
Yum! Can’t wait for a recipe. We are in Ocean City now and will be heading back home tonight or in the morning. I can’t wait to get home and get some baking in.
Oh, that filling looks divine. I have to check the internet though to see what Baker’s cheese is. From the looks of the final product, it must be something scrumptious!
I love to get inspired by things I see when I am out!
Looks like Baker’s cheese isn’t available except in Wisconsin. It’s a dry curded low-fat cheese. Anna, what are you going to use instead – maybe homemade ricotta?
Thanks for the info Martha.
Lucky you to be enjoying EPCOT! Happy Birthday to Fuzz!!! Will she also be getting one of those extra special birthday cakes that you make for her each year? I LOVE the Biergarten cheesecake, and the powdered sugar they top it with. I wonder if they use a special powdered sugar because I remember it tasting a bit different than what I use at home. Maybe a bit less sweet or maybe it’s just the sifting? Anyway…. Enjoy your trip!!
beth
What a fun dish to try! I look forward to seeing your creation. Safe travels!
oh yum, that looks incredible! Wish you did make it so I could have the recipe.
Hope you’re having fun in FL!!!
Lisa, the recipe is on the link so you CAN make it.
Beth, the powdered sugar was similar to some I bought while in Italy. So it must be some special type of extra light powdered sugar. I’m glad you noticed it, too.
Martha, I’ll probably use whole milk ricotta or pureed cottage cheese. I need to do a little research, but I have a feeling the special cheese helped make the filling light.
Epcot is my favorite! This cake looks unique- I like it.
While Germans do indeed specialise in cheesecakes, they would never use cream cheese or sour cream in it. In Germany, we differentiate beween Käsekuchen, which is a completely baked cake with a pastry crust and a curd filling, and Käsesahnekuchen, which sports a spongecake top and base and is filled with a mixture of curd and cream (not heavy cream, though), then chilled. Also: Raisins! Yum!
Thanks for the information, Suz.
By the way, while in “Germany” I noticed Jean Anderson German cookbook for sale. If you are a Jean Anderson fan, here’s the link. I don’t know much about German cooking, but Jean Anderson is an excellent writer and teacher.
http://www.amazon.com/The-New-German-Cookbook-Contemporary/dp/0060162023/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345897059&sr=8-1&keywords=jean+anderson+german+cookbook
The cheesecake (Käsekuchen) I was familiar with in Germany seemed much lighter than American cheesecake and used Quark instead of cream cheese, I think. Maybe cream cheese + baker’s cheese makes a passable substitute? I’ll be watching to see how yours comes out!
The cheesecake (Käsekuchen) I was familiar with in Germany seemed much lighter than American cheesecake and used Quark instead of cream cheese, I think. Maybe cream cheese + baker’s cheese makes a passable substitute? I’ll be watching to see how yours comes out!
Any look finding a suitable sub for the bakers cheese?
Tim, thanks for asking! No, I haven’t found any yet. I haven’t gone to any specialty stores, though.