This Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake is inspired by cherry bakewell tarts with their thick icing topping, almond filling and hidden jam centre. The biscuit base is made from a mixture of biscuits and almonds. The cheesecake filling has cherry jam and almond extract mixed into it. There's even a hidden jammy centre inside! On top is icing, glace cherries, whipped cream and flaked almonds. It's such a delicious combination of cherry and almond flavours. Any cherry bakewell fan will absolutely love this cheesecake!
Ingredient Tips & Equipment Information
- It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecake sets. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to be sliced.
- I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
- I like to use digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like Hobnobs.
- You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
- I decorated the cheesecake with glace cherries as they are traditional on cherry bakewell tarts, however if you prefer fresh cherries and they're in season then you could use those instead.
- For better flavour, use almond extract, not essence.
- You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
For the full recipe with measurements, head to the recipe card at the end of this post.
How to make Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake
To make the biscuit base, whizz the biscuits and flaked almonds together in a food processor until they become crumbs. Stir in melted butter or baking spread, then press the mixture into the tin until compact and even. Put in the fridge to chill.
For the filling, mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and almond extract together. Then mix in the double cream until the mixture is very thick and holds its shape. Fold in the cherry jam.
Pipe or carefully spoon some of the filling around the edge of the tin, fill the centre with the rest of the cherry jam. Then cover with the remaning filling and smooth the top. Put in the fridge for 4 hours to set. Remove from the tin and place on a serving plate. Pipe whipped cream around the edge, fill the middle with a thick icing, add glace cherries and flaked almonds.
How do you make sure the cheesecake sets?
When you’re mixing the filling, you want it to get to a stage where you can scoop some up with your spatula or spoon and you have to give it a tap on the side of the bowl or slight flick of the wrist to get the mixture off the spoon. If it’s sloppy and slides right off the spoon without any encouragement needed, then you need to mix it more. Always use an electric mixer for best results. It’s also very important to use full fat cream cheese and double cream (heavy cream), as any low fat versions will affect the setting of the cheesecake. I always set my cheesecake overnight in the fridge, I’d suggest a minimum of 4 hours.
How long does the cheesecake last and can it be frozen?
The cheesecake should be stored in the fridge and will last for 3-4 days. You can freeze the undecorated cheesecake, however you do need to let it set in the fridge first. Setting it in the freezer will affect the texture and it won't be as nice. Once it's set in the fridge, you can remove it from the tin and put the cheesecake in a box or tupperware. You could also slice it up, and freeze in portions. Then you can easily defrost a few slices at a time depending on when you'd like some cheesecake!
How do you remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin?
To see step by step photos and a video showing you how to remove a no bake cheesecake from the tin, as well as the answers to lots of other common no bake cheesecake questions, check out my How to make a No Bake Cheesecake guide!
Can this recipe be made in a different sized tin?
This recipe is for a 23cm (9") springform tin, if you would like to convert this recipe for a smaller or larger tin, please check out my Conversion Guide.
Can this cheesecake be made gluten free?
Yes! To make this recipe gluten free, swap the biscuits in the biscuit base for gluten free biscuits. I would also recommend that you check the packaging of everything you're using in the recipe in case of cross contamination.
More tips for making the Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake:
- I used an Ateco 828 nozzle to pipe the whipped cream onto the cheesecake.
- I decorated the cheesecake with glace cherries as they are traditional on cherry bakewell tarts, however if you prefer fresh cherries and they're in season then you could use those instead.
- Make sure you make the icing quite thick, if it's too runny, once you slice the cheesecake it will just run off onto the plate below.
Troubleshooting
If you have any questions about this recipe, or if something went wrong and you need help, please use the comment form below and I will get back to you. You can also get in touch with me on my Twitter, Instagram or Facebook. I'd love to hear from you!
Recommended equipment & ingredients*
- 23cm Springform tin
- Electric hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Angled palette knife
- Kitchen scales
- Food processor
- Piping bags
- Glace cherries
- Almond extract
*I earn a small amount of money if you buy the products after clicking on the links. You will not be charged anything extra for this. Thank you for supporting The Baking Explorer!
More bakewell recipes...
Cherry Bakewell Cheesecake (No Bake)
Ingredients
For the biscuit base
- 250 g Digestive biscuits
- 50 g Flaked almonds (if you don't have a food processor, use ground almonds instead)
- 135 g Butter or baking spread melted
For the filling
- 750 g Full fat cream cheese
- 125 g Icing sugar
- 2 tsp Almond extract
- 350 g Cherry jam 150g in the mix, 200g in the middle
- 300 ml Double cream
For the icing
- 100 g Icing sugar
- 2 tbsp Water
For the decoration
- 200 ml Double cream
- ½ tbsp Icing sugar
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
- 12 Glace cherries
- 2-3 tbsp Flaked almonds
Instructions
- To make the base use a food processor to whizz up the biscuits and flaked almonds into crumbs, if you don't have a food processor, bash the biscuits with a rolling pin in a bowl and use ground almonds instead
- Mix the melted butter into the biscuit and almond crumbs, and press the mixture into the bottom of a 23cm springform tin. Put it in the fridge for 30 minutes to set
- For the cheesecake filling use a food mixer with a whisk attachment or an electric hand whisk to mix together the cream cheese, almons extract and icing sugar until smooth with no lumps
- Add the double cream and whisk until it is very thick and holds it's shape, then fold in 150g of the cherry jam
- Put the cheesecake filling into a piping bag and pipe a circle of it around the edge of the biscuit base. Or you can do this with a spoon. Fill the middle with the remaining cherry jam
- Pipe or spoon the rest of the cheesecake filling carefully over the jam, and smooth it over with a palette knife
- Put it in the fridge overnight, or for at least 4 hours, to set
- Remove from the tin and put on your serving plate. Smooth the sides with a butter knife to create a neater finish
- Whip up the double cream with the icing sugar and vanilla, and pipe it all around the edges of the cheesecake
- Make the icing, making sure it is nice and thick and not runny, and spread it out in the centre of the cheesecake
- Decorate with glace cherries all around the edge on top of the whipped cream, and flaked almonds sprinkled all over
- Serve immediately, store any leftovers in the fridge and eat within 2-3 days
Notes
- It is really important to stick to the ingredients and use full fat cream cheese and double cream (a cream with a 48% fat content), both of these ingredients are essential to ensure the no bake cheesecake sets. If you want to make a low fat version, I suggest doing this in small dessert glasses or ramekins as they will not set well enough to be sliced.
- I am based in the UK and I find that Philadelphia cream cheese is the thickest and best quality cream cheese to use for no bake cheesecakes. I have made many cheesecakes with supermarket own brand cream cheeses too, and they have worked great. If you can though, I think it is worth spending a little more for Philadelphia (and no they haven't paid me to say this!)
- I like to use digestive biscuits (Graham crackers if you're in the US) for the base, but you could substitute if for another similar biscuit like Hobnobs.
- You can use either butter or baking spread for the biscuit base, I find that baking spread makes the cheesecake easier to remove from the tin as it doesn't make the base set as solidly.
- I decorated the cheesecake with glace cherries as they are traditional on cherry bakewell tarts, however if you prefer fresh cherries and they're in season then you could use those instead.
- For better flavour, use almond extract, not essence.
- You can find lots of answers to common no bake cheesecake questions on my How To Make A No Bake Cheesecake guide. If you've never made a no bake cheesecake before, I highly recommend reading through my guide first!
- Although I provide cup measurements, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients out using digital kitchen scales*. It is the most accurate way to measure ingredients and will ensure the best results. Digital scales are very low cost and can be purchased for around £12 ($16.50) .
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons* and not the type of spoons you eat with. Again this will ensure accuracy and provide the best results.
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