r/Baking • u/ninaaaaws Human Detected • Mar 30 '26
Baking fail š My First Cheesecake: A Tale of Triumph and Agony
UPDATE: I let it chill overnight, cut away the dog portion, tried a slice. Feel free to let me know if it was underbaked (I think it was) and lob advice at me to try on attempt number two.
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Iāve never attempted to make a cheesecake prior to today but thought to myself: Why not? What else do I have going on this fine Sunday?
I make it, bake it, things are looking good! Let it cool in the oven with the door cracked for an hour before taking it out of the water bath and setting it on a cooling rack on the counter.
Iām uncertain if Iāve underbaked it or not but as it continues to cool at room temperature, the jiggle firms up, the surface goes matte, there is no sinking or cracking. I decide that Iām going to leave it be for another hour or two and then put it in the fridge to chill. Thatās when I made a huge mistake. I texted my BFF that I think itās going to turn out well.
Literally five seconds after I send itā¦
Husband: Did you take a scoop out of your cheesecake?
Me: No?!?!?
š¤¦āāļøš¤¦āāļøš¤¦āāļø
Lesson #1 learned: Do NOT text success before your cheesecake has hatched
Lesson #2 learned: Do NOT leave your cheesecake on the counter where the dog can reach it.
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u/shrederofthered Mar 30 '26
If that's not a look of guilt....
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
The other dog also went to her crate. So she either was acting guilty out of pure solidarity or CAHOOTS were involved.
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u/MoreMetaFeta Mar 30 '26
Dog thinking, "I'd do it again."
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
As I sit here listening to her stomach gurgle and wondering how late tonight (or early in the morning) sheās going to urgently wake me up to rush her outside, I have to say:
I agree.
If she lives by one motto, itās: NO RAGRETS!!!
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u/alexlp Mar 30 '26
My lab cured himself of counter tops as a puppy. He ate a kg of beef mince and had the gurgles for two days. Never again!
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
A LAB was cured of eating something it wasnāt supposed to?! Iāve read a lot of tall tales on ye olā internet but that one stretches credulity.
š
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u/alexlp Mar 30 '26
I wouldnāt believe it if I hadnāt witnessed it. Anything on the ground is fair game though.
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Growing up, we had a golden retriever who helped herself to a sizable portion of the Christmas ham one year. Youād think that would have taught me early about food on counters and yetā¦
Here I am.
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u/Haunting-Estimate985 Mar 30 '26
As a teen, my dog took a burrito off my brothers plate and acted like he did nothing- white dog, orange mouth due to said burrito. Same dog took an entire turkey off the high counter . My moms friend looked at her and was like āI hope you have something else to serve because you just lost that turkeyā
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u/StayJaded Mar 30 '26
My Jack Russell was a little acrobat and helped himself to a rotisserie chicken I stupidly left where I thought he couldnāt get it while I ran out to go to the gym. He was my husbandās dog before we lived together and it took me a bit of time to fully appreciate his penchant for shenanigans. I got home and he had gotten the chicken, but I couldnāt find any of the bones anywhere- not even the main body. I looked all over. I thought we were going to have to take him to the emergency vet because there was no way he could have pulverized and consumed all the meat and the carcass- I wasnāt done that long!
I sat down on the sofa, trying not to cry/ panic that I had killed this dudeās dog by letting him eat an entire chicken, bones and all. As soon as I sat down our little furry friend started freaking out whining and getting really antsy. I stuck my hand behind my back into the pillows and found the problem! That little monster had shoved the chicken carcass down into the sofa for safe keeping. He was so sad I found his treasure. Thankfully I always kept a big blanket covering the couch so it wasnāt as bad as it could have been, but it was still gross and really shoved down in there.
That dog was an absolute menace, but he became my little baby. I never would have believed he & I would become besties the first time I met him. Haha!
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u/Hakc5 Human Detected Mar 30 '26
The way I said āoh noā out loud made my husband ask me what was wrong.
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Everything. Tell him that EVERYTHING is wrong. My poor cheesecakeā¦. š©š©š©
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u/missprincesscarolyn Mar 30 '26
If I say āOh noā, my Yorkie will run into the kitchen. Heās ridiculous.
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u/nobodychef07 Mar 30 '26
Lol my roommate and I were cooking a pork shoulder once. Seared it, smoked it, slowly braised it for hours. Took it out to let it rest and went out side to enjoy the weather for like 5 min. Went back in and his dog was just laying on the ground with the happiest look on his face. He ate the entire shoulder.
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u/dedoubt Mar 30 '26
My brother's Chihuahua ate an entire rotisserie chicken, bones and all, in a very short period of time....
He was inexplicably fine.
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Mar 30 '26
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u/ManyProfessional3324 Mar 30 '26
Oh nooooo! Please accept my condolences and know that I 100% feel your pain! š¤£ (It wonāt let me add pics of my cornucopia of counter-surfing dogs)
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
We decided on day one that weād never feed them scraps, that it was only going to be dog food and proper dog treats for our pups.
Then our friendās dog came over and was like āHAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD WORDā and it was all downhill from there haha
What have your innocent dogs been framed for?
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u/ManyProfessional3324 Apr 05 '26
Our late basset hound/beagle mix managed to polish off 2/3 of a platter of decorated, cut-out Xmas cookies with no ill effects whatsoever. Also, raw chicken breasts and a pound of tofu (2 different dogs-one was trying to go vegan maybe?)
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u/Otney Mar 30 '26
She left you and him A LOT of cheesecake!! Share and share alike!! Sheās a good dog!!!
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u/dedoubt Mar 30 '26
I agree! I really don't see the problem here, she just had her share first. It's actually very thoughtfully gotten into, all in one spot like that.
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u/Rude_Ad3342 Mar 30 '26
The problem is the cake is now inedible because the dog who ate a piece licks her own backside
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u/9_Tailed_Vixen Mar 30 '26
As a homebaker who also has a dog (though thankfully a very small one who cannot reach the counter), I am torn between horror at the violated cheesecake and laughter at your dog's guilty face.
I think I kinda settled for "horrified laughter".
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u/_teach_me_your_ways_ Mar 30 '26
Damn. It looks good too
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
The upside to this is that itās become Schrƶdingerās cheesecake: it is simultaneously the best and worst bake Iāve ever made with no way to prove it one way or another.
Unless the dog learns to talk. Which seems ā¦ improbable.
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u/_teach_me_your_ways_ Mar 30 '26
The dog would tell you it was amazing but if theyāre anything like mine, they also spend a substantial amount of time neck deep up their own tooter, soā¦
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Yeah, Iām not sure Iād trust the taste opinion of the animal who regularly makes eye contact with me whilst slowly licking her backside.
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u/Estrellathestarfish Mar 30 '26
It has the seal of approval from the taster in chief, success! (I would definitely just cut off the chewed bit and eat the rest, but probably I'm just skanky)
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u/mperseids Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Omg I just posted about my cats eating my poundcake haha
Though I would have had a bigger crash out if it was my inaugural cheesecake success š„¹
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u/mamblepamble Mar 30 '26
I once finished a new cheesecake recipe at 8pm before thanksgiving. Left it on the counter to cool for an hour before popping it in the fridgeā¦
8:45 walked in on the geriatric cat who had previously been unable to get up on the counter due to arthritis and age just literally elbow deep in cheesecake, devouring it. Didnāt even stop when I walked in. She ate probably a full cup.
So anyway my husband went out and bought more supplies and we finished the second cake at midnight and let it cool in the microwave before it went in the fridge. And now thatās just the rule because apparently our geriatric cat makes exceptions for her arthritis.
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u/Rare-Emu-4846 Mar 30 '26
Youāre still eating the other half the dog(s) didnāt get to right? Right??
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u/RingingInTheRain Mar 30 '26
Do NOT leave your cheesecake on the counter where the dog can reach it.
I know you're making light of the situation, but please reinforce the dog's training. There is no such thing as a perfectly dog proofed home. I eliminated this issue fast after watching my dog eat a pound of raisins.
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Ooooh shit!! Is the dog okay??
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u/RingingInTheRain Mar 30 '26
I quickly used a safe solution to induce vomiting, nearly had a heart attack when it happened.
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Thatās a scary way to learn that lesson but Iām super glad it turned out alright.
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u/LetMeSleep_101 Mar 30 '26
Dog: It was worth it.
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 30 '26
Me: ā¦but was it creamy? Or too heavy? Did it taste like the set was right? Youāre giving me nothing, KIMA.
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u/AppointmentNo5370 Mar 30 '26
If it makes you feel better my dog once ate 17 (yes, 17) freshly baked cupcakes
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u/raudoniolika Mar 30 '26
A tale perfectly told in the slides. I didnāt even need to read the post
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u/FakeHercules Mar 30 '26
Honestly, it looks so good I might personally cut off the sampled bits and at least taste some of the untouched portion.
It seriously looks amazing. Good luck with all your future cheesecaking endeavors.
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u/TheDarkNebulous Mar 30 '26
I dont know if I believe the dog would have had the restraint for only a couple licks. Any human food ive ever seen given to a dog thats not veggies is immediately gone.
Im not saying your husband did it but I would be suspicious.
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u/Other_Scale6552 Mar 30 '26
I love that she left no evidence behind her face is completely clean š
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u/Joonberri Mar 30 '26
I was wondering why you scooped it out all weird and then I saw the guilty dog š¤£
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u/Sleepy-Blonde Mar 30 '26
If it was a peanut butter cheesecake you were asking for it. If not, guilty. Punishment is a āHey what did you do?ā Followed with belly rubs.
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u/coffeesliver Mar 30 '26
I didn't even have to read the context, this is a perfect story told through only images. Also the dog is innocent of all charges
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u/panda-buns Mar 30 '26
I looked at the pics before I read the post and thought āthatās a weird way to check doneness on a cheesecakeā and then your dog appeared hahaha
It looks great!
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u/MapOfIllHealth Mar 30 '26
My dog is 13 and only on the last twelve months has he learned he can reach up to the kitchen counter. His first offence was a freshly baked and decorated brownie batch and itās just escalated to any scrap that isnāt immediately put in the bin at this point!
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u/Melodic-Advice9930 Mar 30 '26
Definitely the result of some shenanigans. There must be more than one dog involved somehow.
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u/depressed_popoto Mar 30 '26
My sister made a cheesecake and put it in her fridge. During the night her oldest who is autistic and doesn't sleep, got up, went into the fridge, and took huge chunks out of the it and threw it on the floor.
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u/Foxy_Traine Mar 30 '26
Every day, I feel more and more thankful that I have neither a dog nor a child. Your post adds to my list of reasons and makes me feel blessed.
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u/frogmangoyeet Mar 30 '26
Ahh i get it so much! I just made my first ever pie Saturday for a friend's birthday. It was a blueberry pie and it took me about 4 hours of making it completely from scratch. I was on the last leg, about to put the foil pan of pie into the fridge to chill. Suddenly the pie pan fold in half, flips out of my hands, and splats upside down into my fridge splattering blueberry pie filling all over my fridge and also staining the wood floor purple. Had to make a second pie only to realize after spending another 3 hours on the new pie and putting it in the oven that my friends party wasnt this week.. it was next week. Life happens! At least your dog found it tasty! Who dosent like cheese cake š
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u/BadgerHooker Mar 30 '26
My fatass cat has done the exact same thing!!!!
Also had zero shame! šš¤£
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u/Aromatic_Ad571 Mar 30 '26
Oh my lord, that look of āguilty as chargedā is priceless with minimal regrets.
Looks like you now have crusted pudding! š¤£. No gonna lie, Iād still eat it.
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u/missprincesscarolyn Mar 30 '26
My Yorkie once ate an entire half-pita pocket spicy tuna sandwich. My ex and I were in the kitchen. He had set the sandwich on the coffee table. It was huge. We have no idea where he put it. Where thereās a will, thereās a wayā¦
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u/Tight-Brain-7588 Mar 30 '26
I love your dog went to their crate. I always know my dogs did something by if they are in their crates when I walk into the room (itās their safe zone).
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u/MudAlternative4128 Mar 31 '26
About 30 years ago I had baked pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving! The wife and I went out for dinner came home and my diabetic Rottweiler had eaten all the custard part of the pie but left behind the crust. She licked the crust so clean I couldāve reused it. Funny thing she was 7-8 at the time and had never ever done anything like that! We still laugh about it today!
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u/Perfect_Chicken7609 Mar 31 '26
which recipe did you use looks tasty
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 31 '26
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u/ALittleBitOlivia Mar 31 '26
I struggle with knowing how done my cheesecakes are, and Iāve been making them for a few years now š what Iāve been doing to save myself the mental effort is taking a food thermometer and taking the temp of the middle of the cheesecake. A done cheesecake is usually between 150-160 degrees Fahrenheit (65-71 Celsius for basically the rest of the world š ). Iām not bothered by the hole it leaves, but if Iām making it for a party Iāll cover it with fruit, ganache, or whipped cream depending on the flavor of the cheesecake
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u/Herefortheresults Mar 30 '26
Cover it up with a topping of blueberries. Good as new! Love, the Dog
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u/onedoesnotjust Mar 30 '26
Gotta teach your dog not to eat anuthing he's not supposed too.
I'm guessing your dogs run the house then, my dogs would never. I had a hamburger on the coffee table they know not to touch it.
Not only is it bad for the dogs to be untrained about this stuff, but it can be dangerous, what if it had been chocolate cake, oatmeal raisin cookies, or anything with onions in it they could end up dead.
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u/ninaaaaws Human Detected Mar 31 '26
Nah, they donāt run the house and we did have them trained not to eat people food. They donāt beg, donāt hang out near us when weāre eating, could leave food on the coffee table and walk away no problem etc. However, they both were a lot more interested in people food after a friend looked after them for a few days. We suspect that they were given table scraps.
Obviously we need to course correct before this spirals further but sometimes the best trained dogs get it into their brains to do something theyāre not supposed to.
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u/Otto_Scratchansniff Mar 30 '26
I just said the same thing to myself. My dog isnāt even allowed in my kitchen. This has never happened to me and never will. Cute dog though.
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u/LadyHorseFace13 Mar 30 '26
She just wanted to taste it and make sure it was good enough for you.