Description
This is a light, airy, and creamy cheesecake. The lemon flavor is not too bold and it has a delicious pound cake crust.
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon lemon extract
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup white sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 12 ounces ready-to-serve lemon pudding
- 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 egg whites
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a loaf pan
- or any pan with sides at least 4 inches high.
- Beat sugar and butter using an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl until creamy
- scraping the bowl often with a rubber spatula. Continue to beat
- adding eggs 1 at a time
- until well combined.
- Combine flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- and salt in a separate bowl.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and continue beating the sugar mixture. Gradually add flour mixture alternatively with buttermilk until well combined
- 2 to 3 minutes. Add lemon zest and lemon extract; mix well. Spread pound cake crust mixture into the prepared pan.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean
- 55 to 60 minutes.
- Let pound cake cool completely. Cut cake into pieces and press into the bottom of a 10-inch springform pan. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Beat cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time
- beating well after each addition. Add lemon pudding
- sour cream
- and lemon zest; blend well. Pour filling into prepared crust and spread evenly.
- Fill an oven-safe container with water and place it in the preheated oven under the rack where you will place the cheesecake; this will prevent cracking.
- Bake cheesecake in the preheated oven until almost set
- about 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile
- beat egg whites
- cream of tartar
- and salt together in a bowl using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Pour in sugar while beating constantly until glossy peaks form.
- Remove cheesecake from oven
- leaving oven on. Spread meringue topping over the filling to edges
- using a spatula to tap for desired peaks. Return cheesecake immediately to oven.
- Continue to bake cheesecake until meringue is golden brown
- 14 to 15 minutes. Turn off the oven. Crack the oven door open
- and let cheesecake set and slowly cool for 15 minutes.
- Remove from oven and let cheesecake cool completely
- 20 to 30 minutes more. Refrigerate 8 hours to overnight.
Prep Time: 45 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 55 mins
Total Time: 11 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 12