Local baker serving up a different take on the classic cheesecake

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Saturday, June 15, 2019
Local baker serving up a different take on the classic cheesecake
Duncan Cheesecakes is a Fresno based business that loves all things cheesecake, but with a twist.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Chilled strawberry cheesecake is getting sliced and packaged for customers.

Duncan Cheesecakes is a Fresno based business that loves all things cheesecake, but with a twist.

"Mine's creamy, all my flavors are swirled. You don't get a whole strawberry cheesecake. You get a swirl," said Dottie Duncan.

Duncan is the founder of Duncan Cheesecakes, which makes more than 60 flavors of cheesecake by hand from carrot cake to funfetti.

More than 30 years ago, Duncan found a recipe in the newspaper and fine-tuned it.

"That's very top secret. I don't give it out. There's only five people that know it. The four of us and my other daughter knows it. That's it," Duncan said.

Dottie has been able to share her love of baking with her own children, including daughter Alexi.

"We'd both get up at two in the morning and just start baking things. Cheesecakes, it's something I've been helping her with since I was teeny tiny and could reach the counter," said Alexi McLaughlin, Duncan Cheesecakes

That love they try to create in each slice of cheesecake they serve. They used to sell their treats to friends and now they've started selling them at farmer's markets.

"I cook to get people's reaction. This is fun for me. More than the money or anything, I just want to hear people like it, I like to make people happy and my cheesecake does," Duncan said.

Dottie hopes one day she can take her small business to a storefront and maybe even stores around the country.

A sweet legacy she hopes to pass on to her children.

"You can try out these sweet treats. Duncan Cheesecakes is at RiverPark Farmers Markets Tuesdays and Saturdays and Sunday in Clovis at the Old Town market.