Celebrate Spring with this delicious and very pretty cake. 3⁄4 cup (180ml) water for mixing. Make it a day or two before and add the fruit and flowers after turning out. We are using the ‘upside down’ method. In other words the cheesecake is poured into the tin, then the biscuit base is sprinkled over the top. 

You will need:

Crust

• 1⁄2 pkt (7 biscuits) Romany Creams, crushed
• 2 T (30 ml) melted butter
• 1 t (5 ml) ground cinnamon

Cheesecake

• 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) cold tap water
• 1 x 250 g Ina Paarman’s Lemon flavoured Cheesecake Mix
• 1 t (5 ml) ground cinnamon
• 1 cup (250 ml) fresh cream
• 250 g tub of Cream Cheese or Smooth Cottage Cheese

Topping

• 1 punnet strawberries
• Violets or other edible garden flowers

Method

Line the base of a 20 cm loose-bottom pan with a neat circle of baking paper. Melt the butter, add the crumbed biscuits and cinnamon, mix together and keep on one side. Measure water into a medium size mixing bowl. Sprinkle contents of pack and cinnamon over the water and beat until well blended. In a smaller mixing bowl whip cream until firm. Gently fold half of the whipped cream into the cheesecake mixture using a spatula or metal spoon. Add the tub of cream cheese to the remaining whipped cream and stir gently until softened. Add to the cheesecake mixture and beat on slow speed until evenly blended. Pour the cheesecake mixture into the lined loose-bottom pan. Sprinkle the crumbed crust mixture over. Smooth crumbs over gently with the back of a spoon. Cover and set in the fridge overnight.

To turn out

Place a cake stand or large flat serving plate upside down over the loose-bottom tin and invert the cake onto the plate. Gently push the cake out by pressing on the loose base of the tin. Remove the base. Peel away the paper, which will now be on top of the cake. Decorate with fresh strawberries and edible flowers.

INA'S TECHNIQUE TIP

NB: When adding cream cheese we deviate from the recipe on the box by mixing the cake with slightly less water. 3⁄4 cup (180 ml) instead of 1 cup (250ml).