Cake for Self

It's my birthday today...Happy Birthday to me :)  This is the first time i am baking my own birthday cake.   I thought I deserve some self loving :))  We all do, don't we?   So, might as well bake something that i will like and share the love!  

Being a citrus lover, I picked this kumquat orange cheesecake.  I never forgot how lovely it looked ever since i saw quite a few of my blogger friends baking it some time back.  Coincidentally, i saw kumquats at the store over the weekend and was also reminded of a kumquat bake that was made by Mel recently.  She simply loves kumquat, and it triggered my curiosity to try it out.

This is also my first bake with kumquat.  I love how it turned out, looks and taste wise.   Cake was creamy, the orange flavor was unmissable and the candied kumquat literally top it all!   And did i forget to say there wasn't much shrinkage and there were no cracks!  

Hopefully i will find some kumquats during the Lunar New Year to make this cake again.  Kumquats are auspicious for the chinese and this cake will definitely be something that will be very much welcomed. 

Recipe

Source : First spotted on Cherry on a Cake then Table for Two or More with original recipe from Vera of Baking Obsession

For the candied kumquats 
Source : Table for Two or More

Ingredients

• 250g kumquats (slice thinly about 3mm and remove seeds)
• 125g sugar
• 125ml water

Steps

1. Put kumquat slices in a heavy saucepan.
2. Add in sugar and water.
3. Stir then simmer on medium heat until kumquat slices turn translucent.  If it's too dry add a little water, there should be some syrup left.
4. Store extras in a jar.

The Crust 
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (I used savoiardi lady fingers leftover from a previous tiramisu bake and finely ground in a food processor)
• 1 tbsp packed golden brown sugar
• 30g butter (cut into small pieces)

Steps

1. Set the oven at 170C. Line a 6 inch spring form pan (i used a removable base pan) with parchment paper. 
2. Combine all the above ingredients for crust. Mix well with fingers and pat and press into pan and up the sides about an inch. 
3. Bake for about 15 minutes until the crust is golden brown and set. 

I wrapped the bottom half of the pan with heavy duty aluminium foil to prevent leakage since it was a removable base pan. 

The Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice 
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 2 T finely grated orange peel (from 1 orange)
• 250g cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1T all purpose flour
• A pinch of salt4 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg (60g) plus 1 small egg (40g)

Steps

1. Combine half the amount of the sugar and orange peel in the saucepan. Rub with your fingers until the sugar is moist and aromatic.
2. Add orange juice and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat and simmer about 5 minutes until the syrup  is slightly thicken.  Cool completely.
3. With an electric mixer beat cream cheese, remaining amount of sugar until creamy and smooth. Add in flour, salt and eggs one at a time. Combine well. Finally add cooled orange syrup/juice. Stir well to combine.
4. Pour the cheesecake batter over  the crumb bottom. 
5. Bake until softly set about 45 minutes. 
6. When baked leave the cake in the oven for an hour to cool down and to prevent cracking the top. 
7. Chill overnight and loosen the edges with a knife the next day and unmould (I manage to remove the cake from the pan after 2 hours without any chilling)
8. Arrange the candied kumquats in circular rows on the top. 

Note:

1. The recipe below is only 1/4 of the origin recipe and it is also with some slight variations from me.
2. The original recipe recommended the water bath baking method.  I didn't use a waterbath but i place boiling water in 4 small tart moulds in the four corners of the oven and place cake on a tray above the moulds.