Cream cheese 250g
Xiajin sweet milk 100g
2. Wrap the bottom of the mold with aluminum foil and set aside for later use. 3. After the cream cheese has softened, beat it with an electric mixer until smooth. 4. Add granulated sugar and beat until smooth. 5. Add the eggs in batches, beating until well combined after each addition. 6. Add milk and beat until evenly mixed. 7. Add vanilla extract and beat until evenly incorporated. 8. Add whipping cream and beat until evenly mixed. 9. Ensure the bottom of the mold is pre-wrapped with aluminum foil. 10. Spread the baked nuts evenly over the entire bottom of the cake mold. 11. Pour the mixture from step 8 into the mold.
12. Then scatter the black cherries evenly into the batter.
13. Pour 1 cm of hot water into the baking pan. 14. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until the surface turns slightly golden brown, then reduce the temperature to 160°C and bake for another 40 minutes.Why the water bath matters
Baking the mold in a pan with 1 cm of hot water surrounds the batter with gentle, even heat instead of the dry blast of direct oven air. That slow, moist heat keeps the texture creamy rather than dry, and it goes a long way toward preventing the surface from cracking as the cake puffs and settles. It is also why the bottom of the mold gets wrapped in foil before anything else happens: the wrap keeps the water out during the 20 minutes at 200°C (392°F) and the 40 minutes at 160°C (320°F) that follow.
When the second stage finishes, the very center should still wobble like set jelly when you nudge the pan. It firms up as it cools, so pulling the cake out while the middle still trembles gives you the creamiest result once it is fully chilled.
Tips for a smooth top
- Beat the cream cheese alone first, before any other ingredient goes in, until it is completely free of lumps. Once the eggs and liquids are added, lumps are much harder to chase down.
- Scatter the black cherries over the batter rather than stirring them in. Some will drift toward the nut base on their own, which spreads the fruit through the slice instead of parking it all in one spot.
- After the high-heat stage colors the top, lay a sheet of foil loosely over it if the surface is browning faster than you like for the remaining 40 minutes.
- Cool the finished cake in the turned-off oven with the door cracked open for about 15 minutes before it goes to the counter. A gradual cooldown helps the top settle evenly instead of wrinkling.
How to store it
Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator; it slices most cleanly after a full night of chilling and keeps well for 3 to 4 days. Let a slice sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so before eating — the cheese tastes rounder and the cherry flavor comes forward when it is not fridge-cold. This cake is best served chilled rather than reheated.
Variations to try
The base and the batter both take well to swaps. Blueberries or pitted dark cherries in syrup can stand in for the black cherries, and pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts can replace the toasted nuts — give any of them the same 10-minute toast at 130°C (266°F) to wake up their flavor before they line the mold. For a dressier finish, warm a little cherry preserves and brush a thin layer over the chilled top just before serving.
