I posted a question today about covering cheesecake with fondant, but then started thinking about the reasoning behind it, and figured I needed a sounding board for this.

A close friend of mine is having her birthday this week (Halloween, as a matter of fact). She is a huge fan of the cake decorating I get to do, and is always going through my pictures and coming up with ideas she likes. Her mom (who passed away three years ago) used to make her pumpkin cheesecake for every birthday instead of regular cake. I wanted to make her a cheesecake, but decorate it so she would still get the fun part of the design, but I don't want to seem callous or tasteless by trying to replicate her mom's tradition, or by making it a "fun" thing. Do you think I should try for the cheesecake, or just stick to regular cake? And if I do the cheesecake, should I try to decorate it at all, or just leave it as a straight-up cheesecake?

Thanks for your opinions!

-Emi.

If it were me, I'd just do the straight-up cheesecake. I bet she'd love having one again and appreciate that you remembered this tradition.

Maybe you can make her a cake with a pumpink cheesecake filling...that might be good, I know some people make cakes with cheesecake filling...so like a Vanilla or spice cake with the pumpkin cheesecake filling

I'd just do the cheesecake. Maybe a nice whipped cream border. This is a super nice gesture, not tasteless at all!

I've iced (banana) cheesecake with white chocolate cream cheese buttercream (Rose Berenbaum's recipe). It was delicious! I think a cream cheese-based icing would taste great with a pumpkin cheesecake, though plain would definitely work as well.

How about making the cheesecake & then making a small decorated cake too. That way she gets both!

You know your friend. Trust your judgement. Or you could ask someone closer to her - her husband maybe?

i would do just the cheesecake and I am sure she would really love that you were considerate enough to continue such a heartfelt tradition

I wouldn't think that you decorating the cheesecake would be callous or tasteless. "I know it's not the same as your mother's but I know how much you loved them. So, I thought I'd combine your appreciation for decorated cakes with your fondness of cheesecake....Happy Birthday!" It's not like you are trying to outdo her mother but more to include the memory of her mother and her mother's love for her as well. That's just how I see it anyway.

why not just ask her what she wants

LOL! You know, madge, that's actually what my husband keeps asking! I really wanted to surprise her, though. Thanks everybody for your wonderful suggestions! After talking it out with some of our nurses with whom we are good friends (we're both neonatologists in the same unit), we decided the best option would probably be to make a cake with the pumpkin cheesecake as filling, and explain the original intent when I give it to her. That way, I can be as fun or irreverent with the design as I like, and won't be overstepping my boundaries ... and then, if she seems like it would have been okay, next year I'll just make the cheesecake plain and simple. She's not married, so our friends are probably the best way to figure out what she'd be okay with.

Thanks so very much for helping me think all this through, guys! I'll update you when I get the cake to her .

-Emi.

I love the idea to make a cake with the cream cheese filing! Have fun!

Bakerella made cheesecake pops:

http://www.bakerella.com/cheesecake-pops/

... mmm ... now I'm hungry ...

Here we go!

http://www.cakecentral.com/modules.php?name=gallery&file=displayimage&pid=1503650&done=1

Thanks again for all your help, guys. It turned out great this way!

-Emi.