Yield: 10 servings
Lemon Cheesecake
Rich and creamy lemon cheesecake is topped with a bright and zesty lemon curd to create this decadent lemon cheesecake.
Ingredients
- 1 prepared graham cracker crust
- 1 batch lemon curd, or store-bought lemon curd
Lemon Cheesecake Filling
- 24 oz (3 blocks) cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
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Instructions
- Graham Cracker Crust: Prepare crust according to recipe directions in a 9-inch springform pan lined with a parchment paper circle. Bake for 10 minutes in a 325°F oven. Remove from the oven and allow to cool while making the filling.
- Lemon Cheesecake Filing: In a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and lemon zest until smooth and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and lemon juice, and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs 2 at a time, mixing until well combined. Slowly add the heavy cream, while mixing on low speed, until completely combined.
- Add a double layer of aluminum foil around the cheesecake pan to stop water from leaking in when placed in the water bath.
- Pour the cheesecake batter over the crust in the springform pan. Place the cake pan into a large shallow pan. Create a water bath by filling the larger pan with hot water until it comes halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
- Bake cheesecake until the sides start to puff, the center is slightly jiggly, and the surface is no longer shiny (about 75 minutes to 85 minutes).
- Allow the cheesecake to cool at room temperature for 1 hour. Spread lemon curd in an even layer on top of the cheesecake.
- Refrigerate cheesecake for at least 5 hours, or overnight, before serving.
Notes
Storage: Once the cheesecake is cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
Freeze: Wrap your cheesecake tightly in plastic wrap and add an extra layer of foil to prevent any freezer burn or flavor absorption. If possible, freeze the cheesecake without the curd on top. This will prevent the curd from sticking to plastic wrap (and losing that delicious curd!) when it defrosts. Lemon curd also freezes well and can be frozen in a separate container.
Room Temp: Allow the cream cheese and eggs to come to room temperature. Cold cream cheese can be hard to beat and mix, creating a lumpy cheesecake.
Do Not Over Mix: If you get too much air into your cheesecake batter, the top can crack when baking. If it does crack, don’t worry! The lemon curd will hide any cracks!
Boost the Flavor: Try adding vanilla bean paste for even more vanilla flavor.
Cookie Crust: Try swapping out the graham cracker for Biscoff cookies, toss them in the food processor to create cookie crumbs. This spiced cookie flavor goes great with the tangy lemon!
Gluten Free: A gluten free graham cracker crumbs work just as well as traditional.
Cooling the Cheesecake: This is the hardest part! Be sure to let the cheesecake cool properly, according to the recipe instructions. If you try to serve it too soon, it won’t be set.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 slice, Calories: 405kcal, Carbohydrates: 30g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 148mg, Sodium: 243mg, Potassium: 134mg, Fiber: 0.1g, Sugar: 28g, Vitamin A: 1184IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 85mg, Iron: 0.4mg