Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake

Tart, tangy, creamy and perfectly sweet, this Raspberry Lemonade Cheesecake tastes like Summer sunshine in every bite. I love the combination of raspberry with lemon, and there's no shortage of either in this cheesecake. It starts with a buttery graham cracker crust and a creamy lemon cheesecake base. You make a quick raspberry puree from just pure raspberries and sugar then add this to some of the lemon cheesecake batter to make a stunning vibrant pink raspberry lemonade batter. Swirling these two batters together creates a gorgeous tie-dye effect and then some jammy swirls of raspberry on top add another layer of bold fruity flavor. If you love making cheesecake, try my New York Cheesecake with strawberry topping, this Blueberry Crumble Cheesecake or my popular Burnt Basque Cheesecake.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Simple ingredients - this recipe requires few simple ingredients and is quite easy to prepare.
• Crisp graham cracker crust - the base is a simple mixture of graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and brown sugar. It makes a crisp and sturdy base for this lovely cheesecake.
• Ultra creamy texture - the cheesecake batter bakes up into a silky smooth texture and it is so creamy. The proportions of liquid and cream cheese along with gentle baking create this incredible texture without using a water bath.
• Bright lemon flavor - lots of lemon zest and lemon juice in the batter adds so much bright citrus flavor.
• Fresh raspberry swirl - the raspberry swirl on top is so fruity and delicious. It is simply made from raspberries, sugar and corn starch, and it sets to a lovely jammy consistency after baking and cooling.

INGREDIENTS FOR RASPBERRY LEMONADE CHEESECAKE

• Butter - you can use unsalted or salted butter to make the crust.
• Cream cheese - you will need one brick of cream cheese for this recipe. Do not use the whipped or spreadable kind as it can have a higher water content and thus a lower fat content which will affect the consistency of the baked cheesecake.
• Granulated sugar - I use regular white granulated sugar for the filling so that the flavor of the lemon and tart raspberries shines.
• Lemon zest - the yellow skin (without the white pith) is where all the lemon flavor lives as essential oils. Rubbing the zest with sugar before adding the remaining ingredients can really bring out the flavor and carry it evenly throughout the batter.
• Lemon juice - fresh lemon juice adds bright tangy flavor to the cheesecake batter so it really tastes like lemonade.

• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla boosts the creamy flavor and I prefer this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Sour cream - I love to use sour cream in my cheesecake recipes to lighten the texture while still keeping it so creamy.
• Egg - two whole eggs will set the filling into a silky smooth custard. After all, cheesecake is essentially a baked cheese custard!
• Fresh or frozen raspberries - there's no need to even cook the raspberries. You simply puree them with some sugar and mix it into the lemon cheesecake base. For the topping, you add a bit of cornstarch and after it bakes, it becomes this thick jammy swirl.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE LEMON RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE

• STEP 1). Make the raspberry puree. Combine raspberries and sugar (you'll use the corn starch later when you make the topping) in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Use a spatula to press the puree through a fine mesh strainer, discarding any seeds and pulp that remain. Scrape the underside of the strainer to get the maximum amount of puree, then set aside.
• STEP 2). Make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the sides and line the base of an 8-inch round non-stick springform pan with a round of parchment paper. Combine graham crumbs, brown sugar and melted butter in a medium bowl and blend until well combined. Press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the bottom and about 1-inch up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and feels dry. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Meanwhile, make the filling.
• STEP 3). Make the filling. Blend cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add sugar and lemon zest and mix until very smooth and creamy. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl several times to ensure there are no lumps at this stage and everything is well combined. The mixture should be lump-free before you move on to the next step.
• STEP 4). Mix in eggs. Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla and mix until smooth and evenly incorporated. Scrape down the sides and around the bottom of the bowl again and mix in eggs, one at a time until everything is blended. Transfer 1 cup of batter to another clean bowl and stir in ⅓ cup (80ml) of raspberry puree.
• STEP 5). Assemble the cheesecake. Pour the lemon cheesecake batter into the pre-baked crust, spreading it out evenly and popping any air bubbles that you see. Gently spoon dollops of the raspberry batter over top (or use a cookie scoop to portion it) and gently swirl it in with a butter knife so you get nice defined swirls. Don't swirl too much or it will fade into the batter and don't go too deep or you will disturb the crust.
• STEP 6). Make the raspberry swirl. Combine another ⅓ cup (80ml) of raspberry puree with 1 teaspoon of corn starch until smooth and dollop this mixture randomly over the cheesecake batter. Use a skewer to swirl it in just a bit to make the pattern pictured in the article.
• STEP 7). Bake. Place a cookie sheet on the bottom rack of the oven and fill it with boiling water. Place the cheesecake above on the center rack and bake for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F and bake for another 15-20 minutes until the edges are set and the center of the cheesecake has a slight wobble when you shake the pan. See video tutorial for what this looks like.
• STEP 8). Cool. Transfer pan to a wire rack and immediately run a butter knife or offset spatula around the sides of the pan to release the cheesecake, then let cool completely in the pan. Once cool, cover with foil and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours or over night. Serve with the extra raspberry puree and enjoy!

EXPERT BAKING TIPS

• Start with room temperature ingredients. This is so important! Take the cream cheese out of the fridge for 2 hours prior to baking so it is soft.
• Blend the cream cheese with sugar FIRST. You need to beat the cream cheese so it is smooth, then add the sugar. The sugar crystals will tear through the cheese and break it down so it is creamy. You'll notice that once it is well combined, it will turn glossy. This is a sign that the sugar has bound the moisture in the cream cheese.
• Add the eggs only AFTER the sugar is blended. If you add the eggs before the sugar, it will most likely leave you with a lumpy batter. That's because eggs have a very high moisture content and it will be difficult to blend smoothly unless there is sugar present to bind the water.
• Use room temperature eggs. Cold eggs will not incorporate as smoothly
• Do not over-beat. Over-mixing or mixing at a very high speed will incorporate too much air into the mixture which will create air pockets that can lead to cracking.
• Gentle baking. To ensure the filling is extra silky smooth, it is important bake these gently at a slightly lower than moderate temperature.

RECIPE FAQ

STORING AND FREEZING

If you love cheesecake, check out these recipes!

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