Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

I love to bake.  And my family loves cheesecake.  I'm famous (well in my world anyway) for my New York style cheesecakes, but I'm also famous for trying every recipe I can get my hands on.  This cake is wonderful.  The ricotta gives it a rich, smooth, creamy texture.  It's a simple but very elegant dessert and no one will know it started with a boxed cake mix.  Plus if you call it cheesecake you sound really exciting.  My new favorite dessert recipe:

A perfect-textured, moist cake.

The Italian Ricotta Cheesecake Line-Up

Prepare cake mix according
to package directions.

Place batter in a greased
9x13-inch baking pan.

Combine ricotta with cream cheese.

Add sugar and eggs.

Add vanilla.  Beat until
almost smooth.  Swirl into
cake batter with the tip
of a knife.

Bake for 50 minutes until golden.

Remove from oven.
Sprinkle generously with
cinnamon-sugar mixture and bake
ten minutes more.

My new favorite dessert.

Italian Ricotta Cheesecake

1 box yellow cake mix
15 ounces ricotta cheese
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
cinnamon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Prepare cake mix per package directions and pour batter into a greased 9x13-inch pan.  In the bowl of an electric mixer combine ricotta, cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Beat until almost smooth.  Pour over cake batter.  With a knife, swirl into cake batter.  Bake for 50 minutes.  Remove from oven and sprinkle generously with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer.

Prep Time:  Approximately 20 minutes     Cook Time:  Approximately 1 hour