Description
Zapekanka is a traditional Ukrainian cheesecake, rich in flavor and made with cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese. Perfect for breakfast or as a dessert, it’s creamy with a slightly tangy sweetness that delights the palate.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (500g) cottage cheese or farmer’s cheese (drained if wet)
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60ml) sour cream or plain yogurt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (75g) raisins (optional)
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter (for greasing the pan)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting, optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare the Batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cottage cheese, eggs, sugar, sour cream (or yogurt), vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt. Blend until smooth but with some texture from the cottage cheese. Gently fold in the raisins and lemon zest if using.
- Prepare the Baking Dish: Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter. Pour the cheesecake batter into the dish and smooth the top.
- Bake: Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let it cool in the dish for 10-15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before slicing, if desired.
Notes
Optional toppings include fresh berries, fruit preserves, honey, maple syrup, or a dollop of sour cream or whipped cream.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30-40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Ukrainian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 10
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 7g
- Cholesterol: 50mg