Copycat Recipes - Desserts

​Junior’s Original New York Cheesecake

Here’s what you’ll need for a 9-inch cheesecake:

For sponge cake crust

1⁄3 cup sifted cake flour
3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 extra-large eggs, separated
1⁄3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 drops pure lemon extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 
1⁄4 teaspoon cream of tartar 
​

For cheesecake filling

Four 8-ounce packages of cream cheese (full fat, at room temperature)
1 ⅔ cups sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs
¾ cup heavy or whipping cream

Here’s how to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. The first step is to make the cake crust. 
   
   
2. In a small bowl, sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together.
   
   
3. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until thick light yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.
   
   
4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no more white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.
   
   
5. Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters really well (if even a little fat is left, this can cause the egg whites not to whip). Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don’t worry if you still see a few white specks, as they’ll disappear during baking.
   
   
6. Gently spread out the batter over the bottom of the pan, and bake just until set and golden (not wet or sticky), about 10 minutes. Touch the cake gently in the center. If it springs back, it’s done. Watch carefully and don’t let the top brown. Leave the crust in the pan and place on a wire rack to cool. Leave the oven on while you prepare the batter. 
   
   
7. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1⁄3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one. 
   
   
8. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1⁄3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.
   
   
9. Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1⁄4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away—don’t move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours.
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10. To serve, release and remove the sides of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice the cold cake with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

MAGNOLIA BAKERY VANILLA CUPCAKES

Here’s what you’ll need for a dozen:

For cupcakes:

1 ½ cups self-rising flour
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
​

For Magnolia Bakery Vanilla Buttercream frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
​

Here’s how to make the cupcakes:

​Here’s how to make the frosting:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.
3. In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth.
5. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
6. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
7. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla.
8. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not overbeat.
9. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
10. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full.
11. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
12. Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

1. Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. 
2. Add the vanilla. Gradually add sugar one cup at a time.
3. Scrape down sides of bowl often. When the mixture starts to thicken and appears dry, add 2 tablespoons milk.
4. Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2-4 minutes. Add more milk as needed if you want a thinner consistency. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly.
5. Store the icing at room temperature. Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

​​SPRINKLES RED VELVET CUPCAKE RECIPE

​Ingredients

For the cupcake batter

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
⅔ cup buttermilk, shaken
1 ¾ teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¾ teaspoon red gel food coloring
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons, sugar
2 large eggs

For the cream cheese frosting

1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, slightly softened
½ cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
⅛ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
3 ¾ cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions

​Directions

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup cupcake tin with liners. In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.

In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla, and food coloring.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. Reduce the speed and add the eggs, one at a time, beating until the mixture is creamy, 1-2 minutes.

Slowly add half of the flour mixture. Once combined, add the buttermilk mixture and then the remaining flour mixture. Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake tin, and at bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the middle of one comes out clean, approximately 17-19 minutes, depending on your oven. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, butter, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, approximately 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, gradually add the confectioners' sugar, and beat until incorporated.

Increase the speed to medium, add the vanilla, and beat until fully blended, 1-2 minutes more, making sure not to incorporate too much air into the frosting. Use a spatula or piping bag to frost the cupcakes.