I am just starting out with cheesecakes, and I would like to try to have an actual cake "crust" under my cheesecake. Has anyone ever tried this? Do I need to modify my boxed cake recipe at all? Thanks!

<Starkie>

I have a recipe at home that the crust starts with a cake mix,it is from Duncan Hines older cookbook. I can look it up if you want,but it is a cross between a cookie and a cake. It is good and you can do all kinds of flavors.

I've done this with just a thin layer cake. I put parchment paper in the bottom of the cake pan - then sprayed the sides (well) and the parchment (a little). I baked the cake as normal. While it cooled, I kinda smashed it back down. When it baked it pulled away from the sides. I made sure the cake layer filled the entire bottom of the pan and it was kinda packed down before I poured the cheesecake batter in on top. After baking the cheesecake (I used a water bath), I left it in the oven an hour, then cooled it at room temperature a couple hours then overnight in the fridge - still in the pan. The next day, with the cheesecake well chilled, I quickly turned the whole thing out onto a large enough (sturdy) board and then quicly turned it back onto the board I would decorate it on (cake-side down). Does that make sense? It worked great!!

I have used toasted cake scraps instead of graham cracker crumbs - very good. I crumbled up and gently toasted cake trimmings and them crushed them after toasting. Added the butter and pressed into the springform pan as usual.

I make my cheesecakes on a sugar cookie. Sugar cookie dough in the pan, poke with a fork, bake for like 10-12 minutes - mostly cooked. Put the cheesecake batter on it, then bake it again... it's amazing.

Oooh, aligotmatt, the sugar cookie idea sounds GREAT! I think I will try that tonight and see how it goes. I will also have to look into the Duncan Hines recipes ~ maybe they will have that on their website?

Thanks everyone for your help!

<starkie>