• 1 cup butter
• ⅔ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 24 ounces cream cheese
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
• ⅓ to ⅔ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (or more, to taste)
• 4 cups apples, peeled and sliced

Cream butter, ⅔ cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffly. Blend in flour. Press the dough onto the bottom and sides of a 9- or 10-inch springform pan.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Blend the cream cheese and ¾ cup sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, and blend well. Pour mix into springform pan. Mix the remaining sugar and cinnamon. Add the apples to the sugar mix and toss until well coated. Spoon evenly over the cream cheese. Lightly cover the top of the cake with foil before placing in oven.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes or until set. Cool cake thoroughly before removing the springform rim. Refrigerate before serving.

from Jim DeFrancisco