Lemon Cheese Cake
This Lemon Cheese Cake is a decadent and sumptuous treat. It is a blend of silky cream cheese with a sweet lemony zing. A creamy smooth interior texture is accentuated by the crumbly crunchy graham cracker crust. This is truly a luxurious dessert perfect for your next special occasion.
So what do you do when you turn 14 years old and you want something really delicious but also very sophisticated? This mouth watering Lemon Cheese Cake is obviously the answer. Everyone was very full and happy by the end of the day but it’s hard to believe that my twin boys are 14 now!
This recipe is easy to make but it will take some time. It is completely worth it though. Just make sure to allow enough time for the cheese cake to cool in the refrigerator.
I always forget how bad I actually am at cake decorating. The amazing image I had in my mind of the beautiful flowing whipped cream curlicues somehow just did not translate into real life. But it was still beautiful and even more delicious. After all, that is what I’m all about at Toast At Home, real life cooking!
Lemon Cheese Cake
To make this amazing and delicious Lemon Cheese Cake you will allow cream cheese to stand at room temperature for a few hours to allow it to soften. Prepare the graham cracker crust according to the directions below. Make sure you leave out the cinnamon.
When you are ready to cook the cheese cake preheat your oven to 300°. Position a broiler tray filled with about an inch of water below the main cooking rack. This will prevent your cheese cake from drying out and cracking while it is cooking.
Mix your cream cheese with the sugar until it is smooth. Add the sour cream and stir until it is incorporated. Crack your eggs into the bowl and mix well. Lastly, add the lemon juice and grated lemon zest and mix in.
Pour into your graham cracker crust and bake for about 50 minutes. Then turn off oven and let it rest inside the hot over for about 1 hour. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours to cool down before serving. Top with lemon curd and homemade whipped cream if desired.
Lemon topping
The lemon curd is optional. My kids said they preferred the cheese cake with the lemon curd. I found that I liked it better without. I did love the sweet intense flavor of the lemon curd, it was really fantastic, but I liked the complex sweet and sour blend of the cheese cake without any other distractions.
To make the Lemon curd topping you just mix the lemon juice, eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a medium glass or enamel pan. Using a metal pan may give you lemon curd a slight metallic taste from the lemon juice reacting with the metal. So if possible, use a glass or enamel pan.
Place over medium-low heat and heat slowly, stirring constantly until thickened. This will probably take about 10 minutes. If it does not begin to thicken then turn up the heat a little bit and continue to stir. Avoid getting it too hot because the eggs might begin to curdle.
Remove from heat. Cut the butter into pieces and add to the curd. Allow it to melt then stir until it is well mixed. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Place some plastic wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a film from forming as it cools. Place in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
Basic Graham Cracker Crust
Ingredients
- 7 Graham crackers
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 2 Tb. Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Crush Graham crackers in a zip top plastic bag with a rolling pin.
- Mix sugar into the crumbs. Melt butter over medium heat then add to the crumbs and mix in.
- Press mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan or into the bottom and sides of a regular pie pan.
- Bake for 10 minutes then allow to cool slightly before filling
Notes
Lemon Cheese Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Sugar
- 2 8 oz Packages cream cheese softened
- 1/2 Cup Sour cream
- 2 Eggs
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 2 Tb lemon zest
Instructions
- Allow cream cheese to stand at room temperature for a few hours to allow it to soften.
- Preheat oven to 300°. Position a broiler tray filled with about an inch of water below the main cooking rack. This will prevent the cheese cake from drying out and cracking while it is cooking.
- Mix the cream cheese with the sugar until it is smooth.
- Add the sour cream and stir until it is incorporated.
- Crack the eggs into the bowl and mix well.
- Lastly, add the lemon juice and grated lemon zest.
- Pour into graham cracker crust and bake for about 50 minutes. Then turn off oven and let rest inside the hot over for about 1 hour.
- Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours to cool down before serving. Top with lemon curd and homemade whipped cream if desired.
Lemon Curd Topping
Ingredients
- 1/3 Cup Lemon juice
- 2 Eggs
- 2/3 Cup sugar
- 1 Tb. Lemon zest
- 6 Tb. Butter
Instructions
- Mix lemon juice, eggs, sugar and lemon zest in a medium glass or enamel pan.
- Place over medium-low heat and heat slowly, stirring constantly until thickened. This will probably take about 10 minutes. If it does not begin to thicken then turn up the heat a little bit and continue to stir. Avoid getting it too hot because the eggs might begin to curdle.
- Remove from heat. Cut butter into 8 pieces and add to curd. Allow it to melt then stir until it is well mixed.
- It will continue to thicken as it cools. Place plastic wrap directly on top of the curd to prevent a film from forming as it cools. Place in refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours.
Notes
Homemade Whipped Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup whipping cream heavy or light
- 2 Tbs. sugar
Instructions
- Whip together with an electric hand mixer or egg beater until light and fluff and soft peaks begin to form.
- Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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