In search of recipe for baked no crust cheese cake rather than cheesecake.

[lunchslut]

When I was a kid, my friend's Oma used to make a cheese cake that was more like a cake than the traditional North American cheesecake. The cake did not have a second crust and was cake-like on the bottom and edges but progressively more moist and cheesecake-like as you moved to the centre. Lately I have been craving this cake. I have searched no crust baked cheese cake recipes online with no success. Does anyone have a recipe for this type of cheesecake or suggestions on where I should start my search?

[babette feasts]

What heritage was your friend's Oma?

If it was cakey and drier on the outside edges, I'd guess it was not baked in a water bath, and possibly lightened with beaten egg whites. Maybe something like this: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[lunchslut]

She was German but of Russian Heritage (seem to remember a story about their grandmother fleeing the revolution with jewels hidden in her hair).

This is the closest I have seen so far. Thank you!

[oldunc]

The ever-dependable Maida Heatter has one in her "Book of Great Desserts"- maybe more, the one I remember was a Craig Claiborne recipe originally from the NY Times. You will need a special cheesecake pan (it's baked in a water bath, so a springform is inadvisable).