Basque Burnt Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter (for pan)
• 2 lb. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 400°.
2. Butter pan, then line with 2 overlapping 16x12" sheets of parchment, making sure parchment comes at least 2" above top of pan on all sides. Because the parchment needs to be pleated and creased in some areas to fit in pan, you won’t end up with a clean, smooth outer edge to the cake; that’s okay!
3. Place pan on a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Beat cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-low speed, scraping down sides of bowl, until very smooth, no lumps remain, and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.
5. Increase speed to medium and add eggs one at a time, beating each egg 15 seconds before adding the next. Scrape down sides of bowl, then reduce mixer speed to medium-low.
6. Add cream, salt, and vanilla and beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Turn off mixer and sift flour evenly over cream cheese mixture.
7. Beat on low speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl (yet again) and continue to beat until batter is very smooth, homogeneous, and silky, about 10 seconds.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan.
9. Bake cheesecake until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center, 60–65 minutes.
10. Let cool slightly (it will fall drastically as it cools), then unmold.
11. Let cool completely. Carefully peel away parchment from sides of cheesecake.
12. Best after cooling completely and some refrigeration. 

Butter Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup whole milk, room temperature
• ½ cup buttermilk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Prepare three 9-inch round cake pans with nonstick baking spray or coated well with shortening or butter and floured, taking care to remove all excess flour.
2. Cream together butter and shortening until light and fluffy with an electric mixer. Slowly add sugar one cup at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each cup before adding another. Beat on a high speed for up to 4 minutes to make sure the sugar cream is very fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, making sure to fully incorporate each egg before adding another. Do not overbeat after adding the eggs or the cake will become tough.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour milks and vanilla into measuring cup and whisk together with a fork. Add to butter and shortening mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
4. Gently stir all ingredients until well combined. Stop mixer and scrape down sides and bottom of bowl, making sure to have all ingredients mixed well.
5. Evenly distribute cake batter between cake pans and place pans into oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove and allow to cool slightly in cake pans for about 5 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Frost cake as desired.