This classic baked cheesecake made with lemon curd will make your taste buds dance! Follow my step by step instructions and you'll find it's easy to make this descant dessert!
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Why Choose This Recipe
- A classic baked cheesecake with lemon curd to give it a delicious zippy flavor!
- Step by step instructions and pictures
- Easy! Trust me, you can do this!
- As Lemony as my Lemon Danish Sweet Rolls!
Step by Step Instructions
- We're going to start with the lemon curd.
- In a small pot bring ⅔ Cup sugar, ⅛ tsp salt, zest of 2 lemons, ½ Cup lemon juice and 6 Tbs. butter just to a boil.
- While waiting for the contents in the pot to boil, soften the unflavored gelatin in the cold water.
- Whisk it into the boiling lemon liquid in the pot until dissolved.
- Crack the 2 eggs into a small deep bowl or a 4 cup measuring cup.
- Whisk them well.
- Once the gelatin in the pot is dissolved, slowly drizzle the hot lemon liquid into the eggs while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
- After you've whisked all the hot liquid into the eggs pour it back into the pot and place it back on the stove over medium heat.
- Continue to whisk until the lemon curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat.
- It's best if the lemon curd is not super hot when it's used in this cheesecake.
- Cool it down quickly by setting the pot of lemon curd over a container filled with ice.
- Stir it once in a while to help it cool faster.
- Crush the shortbread cookies into fine crumbs and incorporate the sugar and butter into them.
- Press into a 9 inch spring form pan.
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese until smooth.
- Beat in the ⅔ Cup sour cream and ¾ Cup lemon curd until smooth.
- Beat in ⅔ Cup sugar.
- This is the time to make sure your mixture is completely smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so there are no cream cheese lumps.
- Add 2 tsp vanilla and 3 Tbs. flour. Beat until smooth.
- Add the eggs and only beat until the 3 eggs are incorporated.
- The eggs must be the last ingredient mixed in and after they are added only mix until the eggs are incorporated. The eggs hold air bubbles the more you mix after you've added them which will cause your cheesecake to collapse in the center upon cooling.
- Pour the lemon cheesecake filling over the crust in the spring form pan.
- Spoon ½ cup lemon curd into 3 or 4 strips across the top of the filling.
- Move a knife in figure 8 type motions through the lemon curd and cheesecake filling to swirl it.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes.
- The center 2-3 inches should still be jiggly.
- Cool the cheesecake to room temperature then place it in the fridge overnight to cool and chill completely.
- Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake and remove the outer ring of the spring form pan.
- Slice your cheesecake and serve.
Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips
Nope, this baked cheesecake does not need to be baked in a water bath. There isn't any advantage in doing so. As long as only bake until the center 2 to 3 inches of the cheesecake is still jiggly when the cheesecake is done rather than solid, you'll be just fine.
Yes, ALWAYS use fresh lemons for this recipe. You just can't get a good lemony flavor without fresh lemons.
Cheesecakes crack from over baking. Don't bake until the entire cheesecake is solidly set. You're going to do a jiggle test before taking it out of the oven. Slightly jiggle the cheesecake. The center 2-3 inches should still jiggle.
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Lemon Swirl Cheesecake Recipe
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: One 9 Inch Cheesecake 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This classic baked cheesecake made with lemon curd will make your taste buds dance! Follow my step by step instructions and you'll find it's easy to make this descant dessert!
Ingredients
Lemon Curd:
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- Zest of 2 medium sized Lemons
- ½ Cup FRESH Lemon Juice
- 6 Tbs. Butter
- 1 Tbs. Cold Water
- 1 tsp Unflavored Gelatin
- 2 Eggs
Crust:
- 1 Cup Keebler Sandies Classic Shortbread Cookies (15 cookies)
- 3 Tbs. Sugar
- ½ Tbs. Butter
Filling:
- 4 (8 oz) packages Cream Cheese (room temp)
- ⅔ Cup Sour Cream
- ¾ Cup Lemon Curd
- ⅔ Cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Tbs. Flour
- 3 Eggs
Swirl:
- ½ Cup Lemon Curd
Instructions
Lemon Curd:
- In a small pot bring ⅔ Cup sugar, ⅛ tsp salt, zest of 2 lemons, ½ Cup lemon juice and 6 Tbs. butter just to a boil.
- While you are watching for that to boil, soften the unflavored gelatin in the cold water.
- Add the soften gelatin to the boiling contents of the pot and whisk until dissolved.
- Crack the 2 eggs into a small deep bowl or a 4 cup measuring cup.
- Whisk them well.
- Slowly drizzle the hot liquid into the eggs while whisking vigorously to temper the eggs.
- After you've whisked all the hot liquid into the eggs pour it back into the pot and place it back on the stove over medium heat.
- Continue to whisk until the lemon curd thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat.
- It's best if the lemon curd is not super hot when it's used in this cheesecake. To cool it down quickly put the pot over a container filled with ice. Whisk it here and there as you continue to work on the rest of the cheesecake.
Shortbread Crust:
- Crush the shortbread cookies into fine crumbs and incorporate the sugar and butter into them.
- Press into a 9 inch springform pan.
Filling:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
- Beat in the ⅔ Cup sour cream and ¾ Cup lemon curd until smooth.
- Beat in ⅔ Cup sugar. This is the time to make sure your mixture is completely smooth. No cream cheese lumps.
- Add 2 tsp vanilla and 3 Tbs. flour. Beat until smooth.
- Add the mix and only beat until the 3 eggs are incorporated.
- Pour over the crust in the springform pan.
- Spoon ½ cup lemon curd into 3 or 4 strips across the top of the filling.
- Move a knife in figure 8 type motions through the lemon curd and cheesecake filling to swirl it.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 50-60 minutes. The center 2-3 inches should still be jiggly.
- Cool the cheesecake to room temperature then place it in the fridge overnight to cool and chill completely.
- Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cheesecake and remove the outer ring of the spring form pan.
- Slice your cheesecake and serve.
Notes
- Lemon juice must be fresh
- No you don't need a water bath.
- Cheesecake is done when the center 2-3 inches is still jiggly.
Keywords: classic lemon cheesecake, baked lemon cheesecake, lemon cheesecake with lemon curd
Any nutritional analysis on this Site is based on an estimate, calculated by Nurtifox plugin (or other third-party source) from the individual ingredients in each recipe. Variations may occur for various reasons, including product availability and food preparation. We make no representation or warranty of the accuracy of this information.
Liat
My sister made this for a family birthday and it was hands down the best cheese cake I've ever had! Just delicious!
★★★★★
mindeescookingobsession
Thank you so much!!!