Junior's Pure Cream Cheesecake

To make spongecake

• 1

  Preheat the oven to 350°F and generously butter a 9-inch springform pan. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

• 2

  Beat the egg yolks together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 3 minutes. Then, with the mixer still running, gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and continue beating about 5 minutes or until thick light-yellow ribbons form in the bowl. Beat the vanilla and lemon extracts into this batter.

• 3

  Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand until no more white flecks appear. Then blend in the butter.

• 4

  In a clean bowl, using clean dry beaters, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar together on high speed of electric mixer until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites should stand up in stiff peaks, but not be dry). Stir about 1/3 cup of the beaten whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining whites (don’t worry if a few white specks remain).

• 5

  Gently spoon the batter into the pan. Bake the cake about 15 minutes or just until the center of the cake springs back when lightly touched (watch carefully;it will not be completely cooked as the cake layer will be cooked more once the filling is added). Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack while you continue making the cheesecake.

To make filling

• 1

  Meanwhile, place 1 package cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer 3 minutes on low speed until creamy. Then beat in the remaining 3 packages cream cheese.

• 2

  Increase the mixer to high and beat in the remaining 1-1/3 cups of sugar, then beat in the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating the batter well after adding each one. Blend in the heavy cream. At this point, mix the filling only until completely blended. Be careful not to over mix the batter.

• 3

  Gently spoon the cheese filling on top of the baked spongecake layer. Place the spring form pan in a shallow pan that is large enough to hold it. Place in the middle of the oven. Fill the shallow pan with enough hot water to come about 1 inch up the side of the spring form pan. Bake the cheesecake about 1 hour or until the center barely jiggles when you shake the pan.

• 4

  Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Then cover the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight so that it is completely cold. Remove the side of the spring form pan. Cut cake into slices and serve. Wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Before making the filling