This is our favorite cheesecake recipe ever. I've been making this recipe for over 18 years now and never ever has one piece gone to waste! That is saying a lot as Grumpy is not a huge fan of lemon, but he will actually request that I make this lemon curd swirl cheesecake recipe!
For this recipe, I make my own lemon curd. I love this stuff! The sweet tang is so delicious that I can just eat it by the spoonful! Lemon Curd is very simple with only 4 ingredients - Lemon Juice (and zest), butter, sugar, and eggs!
I love the bright citrus scent of the lemon. It literally makes you feel the sunshine! I believe this is the biggest reason citrus (lemons especially) is big in the spring. It invokes the feeling of sunshine, brightness, and life!
When the lemon curd is done I always top it with some plastic wrap to prevent a "skin" forming over top of the curd. Once it has cooled enough, I put it in the refrigerator to get cold. The curd thickens up more as it chills. It is perfect for swirling into this cheesecake!
The crust for this cake is a shortbread type crust and is very thin. I love this because I'm looking for cheesecake when I eat cheesecake, not the crust!
This recipe evokes the feeling of happiness, brightness, and hope. Not to mention the love. Making this a perfect recipe for your Easter table dessert. It is gorgeous too and everyone will be so impressed!
Related Recipes
Easy Lemon Bars with Shortbread Crust
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Lemon Curd Swirled Cheesecake
Ingredients
For the crust
- ⅔ cup flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter , chilled, cut into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon ice water
- Cooking spray
For the filling
- 48 ounces fat-free cream cheese (3- 8 oz blocks), softened
- 36 ounces ⅓ less fat cream cheese (2-16 oz blocks), softened
- 1¾ cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 2½ teaspoons lemon rind , grated
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoons salt
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup Lemon Curd
For the lemon curd
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup fresh lemon juice about 3 large lemons
- 2 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- For the Lemon Curd: Combine the first 3 ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Cook until sugar dissolves and mixture is light in color (about 3 minutes). Stir in lemon juice and butter; cook for 5 minutes or until mixture thinly coats the back of a spoon, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cool. Cover and chill (the mixture will thicken as it cools).
- To prepare the crust: Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Place ⅔ cup flour and 2 tablespoons sugar in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined. Add chilled butter; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor on, slowly pour ice water through food chute, processing just until blended (do not allow dough to form a ball). Firmly press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes; cool on a wire rack.Reduce oven temperature to 325.
- To prepare the filling: Beat cheeses at high speed of a mixer until smooth. Add 1 ¾ cups sugar and the next 4 ingredients (1 ¾ cups sugar through salt); beat well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.Pour the cheese mixture into prepared pan. Spoon mounds of Lemon Curd over filling, and swirl together using the tip of a knife. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until cheesecake is almost set. Remove cheesecake from oven, and cool to room temperature. Cover and chill for at least 8 hours.
Megan @ MegUnprocessed
I love a lemon recipe! This sounds so delicious!
Claudia Lamascolo
this looks fabulous cant wait to make it for my family