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We’ve Found the Best Cheesecake in Austin

August 30, 2012 by Eric Highland 27 Comments

The best cheesecake in Austin is from Cinnaman

CinnaMan Cheesecakes in Austin

How does one of the founding members of USA Today’s LA Bureau become the creator of the best cheesecake in Austin? By partnering with a Belgian powerhouse and following a dream.

Editor’s Note: CinnaMan Cheesecakes closed in September 2015 when the founder moved to Houston.

Someone Call a Screenwriter

Michael Hurd of Cinnaman Cheesecakes

Michael Hurd of Cinnaman Cheesecakes

Michael “CinnaMan” Hurd  and Viviane Tondeur, Michael’s partner in cheesecake goodness, have known each other for 30 years.

Michael spent his childhood in his mother’s kitchen in Houston.

Viviane spent her younger years in Antwerp, working in a Belgian bakery owned by her father.

Through a meeting fit for a Hollywood screenplay, the two met.

In California.

From their separate parts of the world, Michael and Viviane both ended up on the west coast. Michael had taken the role of sportswriter for the LA office of USA Today and Viviane had landed in the corporate travel industry.

Viviane never booked travel for individuals, but through the twisting hands of fate she ended up needing to book travel for Michael. Through the lifelong friendship they formed and the baking background they had in common, CinnaMan Cheesecakes was born.

The Making of a Passionate Cheesecake Chef

Michael Hurd fondly recalls wonderful conversations he had with his mother in the kitchen of their modest Houston home, as she did her baking. It was her influence that originally sparked his interest.

One Sunday after Michael had left home, he discovered a recipe for Cinnamon Streusel Cake in the Parade insert of that day’s newspaper. Michael gave the recipe a shot and took the cake into work the next day. It was instantly devoured with a myriad of compliments to the blossoming chef.

Sample of Cinnaman Cheesecakes in Austin

CinnaMan Cheesecake sampler plate: Blueberry Crunch, White Chocolate, Chocolate Espresso and Tart Lemon

Michael’s passion for baking grew, and the praises continued to roll in.

Cheesecakes became his forte, though he is known to make a mean plate of brownies.

When asked why he developed his preference for cheesecakes, Michael stated, “I fell in love with the process. There is just so much you can do with a cheesecake. With the different kinds of crusts, fillings and toppings, the imagination is the only limit.”

With genuine humility and a passion for his craft, Michael beamed as he told me, “Just tell me your favorite flavor and I’ll make you the best cheesecake you’ve ever had.”

CinnaMan Cheesecake Looking for Restaurant Partners

Cheesecakes paired with wine

Cinnaman Cheesecakes and Wine

In 2009, CinnaMan Cheesecakes was born. Michael and Viviane  started by catering events, but the demand for their creations has increased.

Having been featured at the Williams-Sonoma Artisans Market at the Arboretum, they are now being asked to expand to the Williams-Sonoma Barton Creek location as well.

But it isn’t just stores that want more of CinnaMan. Those who have enjoyed the company’s unique cheesecakes are asking for increased availability.

In response to the numerous requests, Michael and Viviane are looking to move into wholesale distribution, by partnering with boutique restaurants in Austin. If you own a boutique restaurant and are interested in serving the best cheesecake in Austin, click here.

What You Can Expect From a CinnaMan Cheesecake

Though I’ve tried cheesecake from NYC to California and everywhere in between, it’s not a dessert choice that I personally look forward to. I think it’s the consistency that I’m not a fan of. In all fairness, it’s safe to say I actually dislike cheesecake.

But when Michael and Viviane gave me a sample of CinnaMan, my perspective on cheesecakes was forever changed.

The first sample I had was a delightful and tart Blueberry Crunch. It was my favorite of the samples. Blueberry Crunch featured an oatmeal brown sugar crust, coupled with fresh blueberries and a ridiculously creamy and soft cheesecake filling that melted in my mouth. Paired with a nice Becker Vineyards Moscato wine, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better hand-crafted cheesecake in Austin.

Brittany Highland from the Austinot with Michael Hurd from Cinnaman Cheesecakes

Austinot Brittany with CinnaMan Cheesecakes’ Michael Hurd

Brittany’s favorite during our sampling was the Chocolate Espresso cheesecake. As I look over her interview notes, she simply wrote “chocolate espresso wow!”

All of the samples we had were nothing short of amazing. When I asked Michael and Viviane which Cinnaman cheesecakes were their favorite, Viviane said that her favorite is the Carrot Cake cheesecake. “I could eat that for breakfast,” she added.

Michael smiled and said, “My favorite right now is the Banana Pudding from last week. It may be the best one I’ve ever made. Vanilla wafer crust, layer of bananas, layer of whole wafers, and honey, with a vanilla cream cheese filling capped with pureed bananas and crushed wafers on top.” Are you salivating yet?

How to Get Your Hands on a CinnaMan Cheesecake

If you are local in Austin, just give CinnaMan Cheesecakes a call. 512-673-0565. If you aren’t local, don’t fret. They ship nationwide. Just remember that they need a little bit of notice, as all of their cheesecakes are made to order.

You can order from Cinnaman Cheesecakes here.

Interviewing Michael and Viviane was a delight. They are so easy to get along with and I’m sure they will work hard to make your experience with them perfect.

 

@EricHighland asks:

What is your favorite dessert in Austin?

Filed Under: Archives

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Gigi Kritselis
Gigi Kritselis
9 years ago

Great article! Carrot cake cheesecake? Want! I wish I was still local to give this a go. Will definitely check it out next time I’m in town. 🙂

0
Reply
Brittany Highland
Brittany Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Gigi Kritselis

Make it your first stop, @facebook-543860739:disqus!

0
Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  Gigi Kritselis

Gigi, we look forward to meeting you on your next visit to the ATX. In the meantime, we can ship you a Carrot Cake Cheesecake to satisfy that craving …

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Reply
Gloria
Gloria
9 years ago

Awesome article. Can’t wait to try the banana pudding cheesecake. Two of my favorite things in one!

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Reply
Eric Highland
Eric Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Gloria

Michael had a HUGE smile as he talked about it with us. If he said it’s that good.. I’m sure it’s amazing.. he’s a pretty humble guy. Thanks for the comment @42b01726a4f0ab71fe1ba04f76ba9d35:disqus

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Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  Gloria

Gloria, no need to wait, order one today!

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Reply
Becker Vineyards
Becker Vineyards
9 years ago

Of course we at Becker Vineyards are HUGE fans of heavenly cheesecake. When we see you’ve chosen to pair it with our wines we get Giddy! Thank You and what a wonderful blog in your deserved honor.

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Reply
Brittany Highland
Brittany Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Becker Vineyards

@204978e8b3935295d6ec931f4df488fa:disqus, your Moscato was absolutely amazing with Michael’s cheesecake! Totally made our tasting time even more special.

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Reply
David Leon Moore
David Leon Moore
9 years ago

As Michael Hurd’s former colleague in the USA TODAY L.A. Bureau, I can only say . . . where the hell was the chocolate espresso cheesecake in 1990??? . . . Congrats, Mike!

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Reply
Eric Highland
Eric Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  David Leon Moore

Ha! @facebook-1174651683:disqus I bet you have some stories to tell of those days!

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Reply
dianne king
dianne king
9 years ago

warning: do not read this when hungry. great job.

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Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  dianne king

Dianne, thank you for your kind words. Give us a shout and we look forward to baking you the best cheesecake you’ve ever eaten.

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Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago

Thanks for the love! we’re ready to bake our gourmet cheesecakes for your readers. The September Cheesecake of the Month is Praline Pecan: a graham cracker crust with toasted pecan bits holding a cream cheese filling flavored with brown sugar, vanilla and a dose of praline liqueur. The topping is pecan pieces in a praline sauce.

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Reply
Brittany Highland
Brittany Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Team CinnaMan

Sounds amazing!

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Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  Brittany Highland

Wait until you taste it … Praline Pecan will be one of the featured flavors at the Willimans-Sonoma Artisans Markets on September 15. And yes, that is markets as we will be at the Arboretum and Barton Creek this fall.

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Reply
Anne Rodgers
Anne Rodgers
9 years ago

Congrats, Michael. I’m so happy for your success.

0
Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  Anne Rodgers

Anne, thank you for kind words. Give us a shout and we’ll bake you the best cheesecake you’ve ever had.

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Reply
Jade Whitham
Jade Whitham
9 years ago

I had the pleasure of being able to share CinnaMan Cheesecake with my guests at the company holiday party last year and let me just say – there is no better gift to give. Every morsel was absolutely delicious (seriously, DELICIOUS) and Viviane & Michael are wonderful people to work with. I’m so excited to see their business grow and look forward to all the wonderful flavors of cheesecake to come!

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Reply
Brittany Highland
Brittany Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Jade Whitham

@4c3ba92f7f82cec4d84de77128351a29:disqus, thanks for taking the time to comment. Out of curiosity, what flavor did you share with your guests?

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Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  Brittany Highland

For Jade’s party Michael created her favorite flavor: White
Chocolate Peppermint Fudge: Graham cracker crumb crust is filled with vanilla cream cheese and
white chocolate fudge flavored with peppermint. The top is white chocolate
fudge shavings. We also served Eggnog, Praline Pecan, and Chocolate Irish Cream cheesecakes. Awesome party!

0
Reply
Brittany Highland
Brittany Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Team CinnaMan

Wow, that sounds incredible! Perfect for a holiday party.

0
Reply
Team CinnaMan
Team CinnaMan
9 years ago
Reply to  Jade Whitham

Jade, we look forward to creating another signature flavor just for you!

0
Reply
kermanigbakery.com
kermanigbakery.com
9 years ago

The Cheesecake Factory,There’s still time to order the best chzcake in ATX for Labor Day parties.This is the best of the best cheesecake in the Denver area! Bar none.

0
Reply
Eric Highland
Eric Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  kermanigbakery.com

I’m so confused by this comment? Denver?

0
Reply
Luci Cook
Luci Cook
9 years ago

How do we get you guys to do an article on Stregare Cheesecake Company? I think they’d give CinnaMan a real run for the money.

0
Reply
Brittany Highland
Brittany Highland
9 years ago
Reply to  Luci Cook

@google-0c4cc09cdecd286a90335b17dde453d7:disqus, sounds like the battle is on! Use the orange contact button on the bottom left of the page and we can talk more.

0
Reply

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