Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars

[Shoshanna]

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Bars




Yield 24 2-inch bars
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Additional Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 52 minutes


Ingredients

For the pound cake:

1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the filling:

8 ounces (226g) strawberries, cut into 1/4-inch slices*

16 ounces (454g) cream cheese, at room temperature

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 cup (237ml) heavy cream


For serving:

sweetened whipped cream

1 to 2 tablespoons vanilla wafer crumbs

5 or 6 chopped or sliced strawberries**


Instructions

To make the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9"x 13"x 2" baking pan.


Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.


Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.


Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing just until combined.


Spread the batter in the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 18 to 22 minutes, or until the edges are browned, and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely.


To make the filling:

Place the sliced strawberries in a single layer over the cooled cake.*


Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese, sugar, and lemon juice until thoroughly combined and smooth.


In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whip the cream on high speed until soft to medium peaks form.


Fold about a third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture. Then, gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Be sure not to overmix.


Spread the filling smoothly and evenly over the strawberries and cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.


To serve:

Cut the chilled cheesecake into squares.


Add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. Sprinkle a couple of pinches of cookie crumbs and add strawberries.


Notes

*This amount of strawberries will make a single layer of berries that's not too crowded. If you want more or fewer strawberries, then just adjust to your preference.



**It's optional, but I like to sprinkle the berries for the topping with just a bit of sugar (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) to sweeten them up a bit. If you're preparing in advance, you can combine the strawberries with the sugar and store them covered in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.

link