Pasca: Romanian Easter Cheesecake (No-Crust)

Name: Pasca fara blat | Romanian Easter crustless cheesecake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 700 g sweet cottage cheese; 400 g sour cream; 200 g sugar; 200 g butter; 150 g raisins; 6 eggs; 4 tablespoons flour; 4 tablespoons semolina grits; 1 tsp vanilla extract

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This authentic Romanian Pasca—a crustless Easter cheesecake—delivers silky farmer’s cheese filling beneath a caramelized ‘burnt’ top. Ready in 1 hour with 9 ingredients! The perfect balance of creamy and lightly sweet for your holiday table.

A slice of Basque cheesecake resting on top of the whole cheesecake.

🧀 Serves 12 | 🕒 1h Prep + Bake | 🌱 Vegetarian | ✨ Easter Dessert

Perfect for any occasion, this Burnt Basque Cheesecake will impress with its rustic charm and delicious taste.

Looking for some delightful dessert recipes? Try our Brownies Topped with Pink Berry Cream for a rich and fruity twist on a classic treat. If you enjoy layered cakes, you'll love the Pink Crèpes Cake, a beautiful and delicate dessert perfect for any celebration.

For coffee lovers, the Mocha Loaf offers a delicious mix of chocolate and espresso in every bite. Our Vegan Carrot Cake Banana Bread is a healthy and tasty option everyone can enjoy. The Lemon Cake with Cheese Frosting is a must-try if you crave something tangy and sweet. Lastly, don't miss out on the Cherry Clafoutis, a classic French dessert that's simple and elegant.

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💭Expert Tips
💗 Why This Recipe Works
🥧 Ingredients
♻️ Substitutions
👩‍🍳 How to Make Pasca: No-Crust Romanian Easter Cheesecake
❓FAQs
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Pasca fara blat | Romanian Easter crustless cheesecake

💭Expert Tips

Soak raisins in warm water and a splash of rum extract for a burst of flavor. Just like in this Moldavian Walnut Roll (Cozonac cu nuca si stafide), an Easter must.
For a smooth, lump-free texture, toss all the ingredients into a blender – it works like a charm! I also use this trick in my easy flourless yogurt cake recipe.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. This helps everything blend together beautifully.

💗 Why This Recipe Works

No crust = no stress: Simple and no fuss! The crustless version is super easy and quick to make.
9 ingredients, 1 hour: Faster than traditional cheesecake but just as special.
Burnt top: High heat caramelises the sugars for that iconic Romanian taste.

🥧 Ingredients

Sweet cottage cheese, sour cream, sugar, butter, raisins, eggs, flour, semolina, on table

*See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Sweet Cottage Cheese: I prefer using sweet cottage cheese, curd cheese, for its creamy texture and mild sweetness. Avoid low-fat options as they can change the texture and won’t be set properly.
Sour Cream: I add sour cream for richness and tanginess. Full-fat sour cream ensures the best texture. NO LOW FAT! It won’t work as well.
Sugar: Caster or superfine sugar dissolves quickly, but regular granulated sugar is fine too.
Butter: I use unsalted butter to control the saltiness.
Flour: All-purpose, plain flour works great.
Raisins: For a beautiful golden hue, use golden raisins/sultanas instead of regular dark ones.
Vanilla Extract: Real vanilla extract or bean paste is best. Avoid imitation vanilla as it doesn’t taste as good.

♻️ Substitutions

Cottage Cheese: You can substitute cottage cheese with regular cream cheese or ricotta.
Sour Cream: Greek yoghurt can be used as a substitute for sour cream to add a tangy hint
Sugar: You can with brown sugar or honey.
Butter: Substitute butter with an equal amount of margarine or vegetable oil for a lighter option, though this may slightly alter the texture.
Raisins: Dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots can be used.
Eggs: If you prefer an egg-free option, you can use a commercial egg replacer or substitute each egg with ¼ cup of unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana.
Flour: Substitute all-purpose flour with almond flour or gluten-free flour blend for a gluten-free version of the cheesecake.
Semolina Grits: Cornmeal or ground oats can be used as a substitute for semolina grits, or just skip it.
Vanilla Extract: Almond extract or other flavoured extracts.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Pasca: No-Crust Romanian Easter Cheesecake

Making this cheesecake is a lot easier than it looks! You don’t need any fancy techniques—just simple mixing, folding, and baking. Here’s how to put it all together step-by-step so you can get that rich, creamy texture every time. Same like my easy flourless yogurt cake.

Eggs, sugar, and vanilla were whisked until pale and slightly fluffy in a large bowl.

Step 1: Whisk the eggs with the sugar and vanilla until the mix looks pale and a bit fluffy.

Sweet cottage cheese and sour cream were stirred into the egg mixture until smooth.

Step 2: Mix in the sweet cottage cheese and sour cream. It’ll look creamy and smooth when it’s ready.

Room temperature butter was added, then flour and semolina were mixed in gently.

Step 3: Pour in the melted butter, then stir in the flour and semolina. Keep mixing just until it comes together.

Raisins were folded into the batter without overmixing.

Step 4: Gently fold in the raisins. No need to overmix — you want to keep the batter light.

Batter was poured into a lined springform pan and spread out evenly.

Step 5: Spoon the batter into a 9-inch springform pan lined with baking paper. Spread it out nice and even.

Cheesecake was baked at 180°C until golden and slightly wobbly in the center.

Step 6: Bake in a 180°C/350°F oven for about 50–60 minutes, until it’s golden and still a little wobbly in the middle.

•Don’t worry if it puffs up and sinks a bit as it cools — that’s totally normal!

💡 Pro Tip: Let the cheesecake cool completely before slicing. It helps the filling set properly and gives you nice clean slices without the center falling apart.

❓FAQs

What is Romanian Pasca?

Pasca is a beloved Romanian Easter bread, traditionally baked during Holy Week and served on Easter Sunday. It's a sweet, rich bread filled with a delicious mixture of cheese, eggs, and raisins. The bread is typically round and decorated with a cross, making it a festive centrepiece for the holiday.

For those looking for a quicker and easier version, there's also a crustless Pasca variation. This no-knead recipe cuts down on time and effort, yet still delivers the same great flavour. It's perfect if you want to enjoy the classic taste without the extra work!

What does Pasca mean?

The name Pasca comes from the Latin word Pascha, which means Easter. Easter is a major Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a central event in the Christian faith. It is a time of joy and reflection for Christians worldwide.

What Romanians Really Eat At Easter?

Olivier Salad (Salata de Boeuf) Traditionally Romanian, loaded with spring veggies and tender meat, ours has homemade 4-ingredient mayo and extra gherkins.
Romanian-Style Deviled Eggs with Pâté-Oua Umplute
Roast Lamb Stuffed with Rosemary and Garlic Pro tip: We rub it with pork fat (untură) for extra crispness!
Stuffed Grape Leaves (Sarmale) are usually served with traditional Romanian polenta - mamaliga and a dollop of sour cream -smantana or with fresh sheep's cheese.
This Moldavian Walnut Roll (Cozonac cu nuca si stafide) takes 5 hours to make... and 10 minutes to disappear! The secret? Kneading in warm milk.
Pasca: Romanian Easter Cheesecake (No-Crust)

How should I store pasca: Romanian easter cheesecake?

You can store Basque cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just make sure it's tightly covered to keep it fresh and prevent it from drying out.