The Junior’s Cheesecake Recipe That Chuck Schumer Spent $8,600 On

New York Sen. Chuck Schumer has a pretty innocuous guilty pleasure, as far as politicians’ guilty pleasures go: cheesecake. But not just any cheesecake ― world-famous cheesecake from Junior’s in Brooklyn.

The New York Post reported over the weekend that the Senate minority leader has spent $8,600 gifting the sweet treat over the past decade. In a press conference Sunday, he confirmed that number to be true.

“I give them as gifts,” he said. “I use them for bets, you know when someone wants to bet something, you know for a Brooklyn thing versus a Wisconsin thing. So I say to the New York Post and others, guilty as charged. I love Junior’s cheesecake. It’s the best cheesecake in the world.”

Junior’s has three locations in New York City ― its original location in Brooklyn as well as two in midtown Manhattan ― and a location at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut. It also ships across the country. Part of what makes it so special is its sponge cake crust. An entire plain cheesecake will set you back $43.95, while a slice goes for $7.95.

If that sounds a little out of your baked goods budget, we have good news for you. Junior’s shared the recipe with us. As a warning, it’s quite an arduous process, so you’d be justified in taking Schumer’s route and just ordering one.

In response to Schumer’s affection for its confections, Junior’s owner Alan Rosen, whose family opened the restaurant in the 1950s, told the Post it was “totally news” to him, but he is “appreciative.”

Check out how to make the iconic cheesecake for yourself below.

Recipe courtesy of the “Junior’s Cheesecake Cookbook” by Alan Rosen

Makes one 9-inch cheesecake, about 2 1⁄2 inches high

• 1 (9-inch) Junior’s Sponge Cake Crust (see below)

• 4 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese (use only full fat) at room temperature

• 1 2/3 cups sugar

• 1/4 cup cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 extra-large eggs

• 3/4 cup heavy or whipping cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Generously butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides. Make and bake the cake crust and leave it in the pan. Keep the oven on.

2. Put one package of the cream cheese, 1/3 cup of the sugar, and the cornstarch in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer on low until creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl several times. Blend in the remaining cream cheese, one package at a time, scraping down the bowl after each one.

3. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat in the remaining 1 1/3 cups sugar, then the vanilla. Blend in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after adding each one. Beat in the cream just until completely blended. Be careful not to overmix! Gently spoon the batter over the crust.

4. Place the cake in a large shallow pan containing hot water that comes about 1 inch up the sides of the springform. Bake until the edges are light golden brown and the top is slightly golden tan, about 1 1/4 hours. Remove the cheesecake from the water bath, transfer to a wire rack, and let cool for 2 hours (just walk away — don’t move it). Then, leave the cake in the pan, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until completely cold, preferably overnight or for at least 4 hours.

5. To serve, release and remove the sides of the springform, leaving the cake on the bottom of the pan. Place on a cake plate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Slice the cold cake with a sharp straight-edge knife, not a serrated one. Cover any leftover cake and refrigerate or wrap and freeze for up to 1 month.

For one 9-inch cake crust:

• 1/3 cup sifted cake flour

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 2 extra-large eggs, separated

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 drops pure lemon extract

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

For one 8-inch cake crust:

• 1/4 cup sifted cake flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 2 extra-large eggs, separated

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 2 drops pure lemon extract

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and generously butter the bottom and sides of an 8- or 9-inch springform pan (preferably a nonstick one). Wrap the outside with aluminum foil, covering the bottom and extending all the way up the sides.

2. In a small bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

3. Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 3 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly add 2 tablespoons of the sugar and beat until thick light-yellow ribbons form, about 5 minutes more. Beat in the extracts.

4. Sift the flour mixture over the batter and stir it in by hand, just until no more white flecks appear. Now, blend in the melted butter.

5. Now, wash the mixing bowl and beaters really well (if even a little fat is left, this can cause the egg whites not to whip). Put the egg whites and cream of tartar into the bowl and beat with the mixer on high until frothy. Gradually add the remaining sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form (the whites will stand up and look glossy, not dry). Fold about one-third of the whites into the batter, then the remaining whites. Don’t worry if you still see a few white specks, as they’ll disappear during baking.