Cream Cheese

Classic Cheesecake

June 14, 2017
4
3 Ratings
Photo by Oh Sweet Day!
  • Makes one 8-inch cake
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Ingredients
  • Crust
  • 1 3/4 cups graham crack crumbs
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • Cheesecake
  • 2 packets 8-ounce cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups sour cream, room temp
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • zest and juice from a lemon
  • 3 large eggs, room temp
  • Whipped Cream Topping
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
  • 2 cups fresh berries and cherries
Directions
  1. Preheat oven at 350F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan.
  2. Make the crust by mixing all the crust ingredients together in a food processor.
  3. Press the mixture onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake crust for 10 to 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
  4. Turn down oven temperature to 250F.
  5. In a clean and dry food processor. mix cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest and juice until combined.
  6. Add eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
  7. Pour the filling in the prepare pan.
  8. Bake for 80 to 90 minutes, or until the edge of the cheesecake is puffed but the centre is still wobbly and wet looking.
  9. Turn off the oven with the door slightly opened, let the cheesecake sit in the oven to cool completely, at least an hour.
  10. Remove from the oven. Chill for overnight.
  11. Remove cake from springform pan and place on the serving plate.
  12. To prepare the topping, whisk the whipping cream and powdered sugar until it holds firm peaks. Gently spread a thick layer of whipped cream on top of the cake.
  13. Garnish with the berries and cherries. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top before serving.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

3 Reviews

SusanM January 23, 2025
So, I have made this twice. I have followed the recipe exactly as written with the exception of not adding a whipped topping. First time, the crust just wasn't that good and I've not had a problem before. The cheesecake was way too lemony tasting. Yesterday, I made it with a vanilla wafer crust and didn't add lemon juice. The crust stuck to the pan and it was worse. Both times, the cheesecake left a bitter taste in my mouth. I loved that it blended up perfectly in the food processor and didn't crack. Will go back to recipe I used before. Sadly, this recipe isn't a keeper for me.
LJF July 12, 2020
Awesome recipe! Easy to make and tasted great! Make sure you read the recipe. You can’t eat this one the day of making it.
Lori P. April 25, 2020
This was a perfect cheesecake recipe! I cook and bake but never owned a springform pan. Wow what I have been missing by not making my own cheesecake. This was an easy recipe that required no water bath and turned out delicious and perfect! I topped with a cherry reduction instead of fresh berries but the lemon juice and zest in the cake is the perfect complement to any berries or fruit! Great recipe.....is now a regular in our home! Thank you for sharing.