Tuesday, August 21, 2018

LEMON-BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE CAKE

A decadent blueberry cheesecake kissed by lemon hiding inside a layer cake. Right in the center where the filling should be for a sweet surprise.


It’s a crustless cheesecake made with cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, sugar, a ton of lemon zest and blueberries. Wild blueberries. They’re small and mighty, my favorite type of blueberry. Of course you can use whatever blueberries you like.



The cake is a super easy one-bowl yellow cake that comes together in the wink of an eye. Because there wasn’t enough cream cheese in the cheesecake I had to put more in the frosting along with butter, more lemon zest, confectioners’ sugar and heavy cream or milk.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cake Recipe
A decadent lemon blueberry cheesecake inside a layer cake.



Ingredients
Cheesecake:

  • 16 ounces bar cream cheese, at room temperature
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • the zest of 2 lemons
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (preferably wild) (don't thaw if frozen)

Cake:

  • 2 + ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 + ½ cups sugar
  • ½ cup butter or stick margarine, softened
  • 1 + ¼ cups milk
  • 3 + ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs

Frosting:
  • 8 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, at room-temperature
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 3 - 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
  • 2 - 3 tablespoons heavy cream or half & half, plus more if needed

Optional:

  • fresh blueberries, to decorate the top
  • fresh whipped cream, for serving


Instructions
Make the Cheesecake:

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides with butter. Wrap the bottom in aluminum foil and set the pan inside a larger baking pan.
  • Beat the cream cheese until soft and fluffy on medium speed about 2 minutes.
  • On low speed beat in the sour cream and sugar until smooth and well combined.
  • Beat in the eggs, one at a time on medium speed. Beat in the lemon zest.
  • Stir in the blueberries. Pour into the pan. Fill the outer pan with hot water so it reaches halfway up the cheesecake pan.
  • Bake until set in the center and firm to the touch 50 - 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
  • Cover and chill overnight.

Make the Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 2 (9-inch) round pans.
  • In a large mixing bowl beat all the ingredients together using an electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
  • Divide equally between the two pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
  • Cool on wire racks 20 minutes then turn one of them out onto a cake platter and the other onto a piece of parchment. Cool completely.

Make the Frosting:

  • In a medium bowl beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth and fluffy about 3 minutes on medium speed.
  • Add a cup of confectioners' sugar at a time and beat 1 minute after each addition alternating with a small splash of the heavy cream until you get a thick spreading consistency.
  • Beat an additional 5 minutes on low speed until light and super fluffy.

Assemble the Cake:

  • Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top of the cake you set on the cake platter.
  • Remove the ring from the cheesecake and run a butter knife around the edges if needed then use a thin spatula to help lift one side so you can get your hand under it.
  • Place it on the cake. Spread a thin layer of frosting on the cheesecake and top with the remaining cake.
  • Frost the cake (top with fresh blueberries, if you like). Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
  • Serve cold with a dollop of whipped cream if desired. Keep the leftovers refrigerated up to 4 days.