Last Updated on December 16, 2022 by
This wonderful classic raspberry charlotte cheesecake is insane! Check out this grand dessert that we’ve created and that we are willing to share with you. It is made with the famous raspberry-flavored bavarian cream and a pound cake crust.
A delicious dessert nothing short of spectacular! You’ll definitely impress your friends and family with this fresh, light, and creamy charlotte cheesecake.
What Is Charlotte Cake?
Charlotte is an old English word that means a dish of custard. The Charlotte cake is a French dessert apparently created by a chef named Marie-Antonin Careme in the eighteenth century. It was made -to date- in a mold with ladyfingers and Bavarian cream.
According to John F. Mariani from the Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, this dessert was consumed in the eastern cities among Jewish Americans. Some of them pronounce the item “charely roose” or “charlotte roosh”.
Although there are many versions and doubts of its apparent origin, nowadays we undoubtedly enjoy this dessert in all its versions. These are some of them:
Charlotte Russe
The most famous one. This one is mostly garnished with cherries.
Charlotte Royale
This one includes a layer of Swiss roll and mousse for filling. It doesn’t include ladyfingers.
Chocolate Charlotte
This version is made with chocolate. Including the base, filling, toppings, and ladyfingers.
Fruit Charlotte
The fruit will be in the filling, it has fruit jam of course, and fresh fruit for topping.
Apple Charlotte
Made with apple and butter compote. Inspired by Queen Charlotte, who supported local apple growers.
Charlotte Malakoff
This version contains almonds, liquored cream, and it is decorated with strawberries.
Cold and Frozen Charlottes
The cold version is made with bavarian cream and frozen charlottes replace this cream with a mousse.
The Classic Raspberry Charlotte Cheesecake Recipe
This raspberry charlotte cheesecake recipe is a quick and easy-to-make dessert that won’t fail to delight. You’ll see how colorful and beautiful it is. It rocks!
You’ll need a 9-inch springform pan, parchment paper, mixing bowls, a hand whisk, a silicone spatula, and an electric mixer.
Ingredients needed for the cheesecake
- A loaf of pound cake – sliced –
- 16 oz of softened cream cheese – or 2 packages at room temperature –
- 1/3 of sour cream
- 1/3 of heavy cream
- 3/4 of white sugar
- 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
- 2 medium-sized eggs
- 1 cup of fresh raspberries
Ingredients needed for the Charlotte topping
- 10 oz of frozen and thawed raspberries – 1 package –
- 1 cup of boiling water
- A package of raspberry-flavored gelatin
- 1 cup of whipping cream – chilled –
- A package of ladyfingers – optional –
Step-by-Step Instructions – for the cheesecake
Step #1: Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 175-180 degrees Celsius.
Step #2: Prepare your springform pan
First, grease your springform pan with cooking spray or a little bit of butter. Next, cut your parchment paper and align the base with it.
Step #3: Make your pound cake base
Slice your pound cake from 1/2 to 1 inch and layer your pan base with these slices. Make sure you cover all of the spaces. Then, press firmly.
Step #4: Mix
In your mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Next, add the sugar, heavy cream, and sour cream. Combine well.
Then, add the eggs one at a time at the lowest speed.
Step #5: Fold raspberries
Turn off the mixer, remove your mixing bowl, and pour in the raspberries. Use your spatula to fold them gently into the cheesecake filling.
Step #6: Bake time!
Pour your cheesecake filling mixture onto the pound cake crust. Get it into the oven and bake for about an hour.
Step #7: Let it cool
Remove your cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature. Meanwhile, continue with your Charlotte topping.
Step-by-Step Instructions – for the Charlotte topping
Step #1: Drain and reserve
Drain your thawed raspberries and smash them. Reserve the juice into a cup.
Step #2: Start mixing
In a mixing bowl, pour the gelatine and the hot water, and whisk until dissolved. Let it cool at room temperature and beat until foamy.
Step #3: Make raspberry juice
Pour some cold water into the raspberry juice you have to measure one full cup. Then, add this to your gelatine mixture, Stir, and chill.
Step #4: Beat time
Get your electric mixing bowl and beat your whipping cream until soft peaks.
Step #5: Fold time
Carefully and patiently, fold the raspberries and the gelatine foam into your whipped cream. Use immediately if possible. If not, you can refrigerate it for a couple of hours.
Step-by-Step Instructions – Building your Charlotte Cheesecake
It’s time to get your cheesecake out of the fridge and decorate it with your raspberry bavarian cream!
Step #1: Build it
Firstly, let your cheesecake from the fridge, pour your bavarian cream on the center top of it, and spread it evenly. Secondly, use your hands to cut pieces of ladyfingers and put some on top. Do this before getting it into the fridge.
Step #2: Chill time
Refrigerate your Charlotte cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or overnight. It needs time to set properly.
Step #3: Unmold, serve, and enjoy!
Run a knife around the edges. Release the cheesecake from the springform pan and garnish it with fresh raspberries. Put these to cover up the free spaces from the topping and the ladyfingers. Slice and enjoy!
Final Tips
- Do not forget the chilling time step. In fact, this is a very important step because it actually helps your cheesecake and your Charlotte to perfectly sit. Therefore, make sure you don’t miss it.
- After unmolding your raspberry Charlotte cheesecake, let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before you slice it.
- When slicing your cheesecake, warm up your knife in hot water for every slice. As a result, you will get neater slices.
- You can also include a shot of your favorite liquor directly into the bavarian cream. It can be amaretto or RumChata. Let your imagination run wild with this one!
And, remember, a Charlotte should hold its shape before a bite and then melt in your mouth.
We hope you enjoy this recipe. You’ll need a little bit of patience to make it, but, we assure you it’s worth it! Just try it.
Read more about 4-Step Easy Keebler No-Bake Cheesecake With Fresh Cherries
The Classic Raspberry Charlotte Cheesecake
Equipment
- Electric mixer
- silicone spatula
- Hand Whisk
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- 9-inch springform pan
Ingredients
Ingredients needed for the cheesecake
- A loaf of pound cake - sliced -
- 16 oz of softened cream cheese - or 2 packages at room temperature -
- 1/3 of sour cream
- 1/3 of heavy cream
- 3/4 of white sugar
- 1 tbsp of vanilla extract
- 2 medium-sized eggs
- 1 cup of fresh raspberries
Ingredients needed for the Charlotte topping
- 10 oz of frozen and thawed raspberries - 1 package -
- 1 cup of boiling water
- A package of raspberry-flavored gelatin
- 1 cup of whipping cream - chilled -
- A package of ladyfingers - optional -
Instructions
Step-by-Step Instructions - for the cheesecake
- Preheat the oven to 175-180 degrees Celsius.
- First, grease your springform pan with cooking spray or a little bit of butter. Next, cut your parchment paper and align the base with it.
- Slice your pound cake from 1/2 to 1 inch and layer your pan base with these slices. Make sure you cover all of the spaces. Then, press firmly.
- In your mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Next, add the sugar, heavy cream, and sour cream. Combine well.
- Then, add the eggs one at a time at the lowest speed.
- Turn off the mixer, remove your mixing bowl, and pour in the raspberries. Use your spatula to fold them gently into the cheesecake filling.
- Pour your cheesecake filling mixture onto the pound cake crust. Get it into the oven and bake for about an hour.
- Remove your cheesecake from the oven and let it cool completely at room temperature. Meanwhile, continue with your Charlotte topping.
Step-by-Step Instructions - for the Charlotte topping
- Drain your thawed raspberries and smash them. Reserve the juice into a cup.
- In a mixing bowl, pour the gelatine and the hot water, and whisk until dissolved. Let it cool at room temperature and beat until foamy.
- Pour some cold water into the raspberry juice you have to measure one full cup. Then, add this to your gelatine mixture, Stir, and chill.
- Get your electric mixing bowl and beat your whipping cream until soft peaks.
- Carefully and patiently, fold the raspberries and the gelatine foam into your whipped cream. Use immediately if possible. If not, you can refrigerate it for a couple of hours.
Step-by-Step Instructions - Building your Charlotte Cheesecake
- It's time to get your cheesecake out of the fridge and decorate it with your raspberry bavarian cream!
- Firstly, let your cheesecake from the fridge, pour your bavarian cream on the center top of it, and spread it evenly. Secondly, use your hands to cut pieces of ladyfingers and put some on top. Do this before getting it into the fridge.
- Refrigerate your Charlotte cheesecake for at least 4 hours, or overnight. It needs time to set properly.
Notes
Griselda is an experienced pastry chef and baker with a passion for creating delicious desserts. She has been cooking and baking for over ten years and loves the creative process of creating something special for her friends, family, and customers. Griselda has a special talent for creating beautiful and tasty desserts like cakes, pies, and cookies. She is experienced in a variety of baking techniques and loves to experiment with new flavors and textures. When Griselda isn‘t in the kitchen, she loves to spend time with her friends, family, and her two cats.