This layered confection stars with a base of vanilla cake and raspberry coulis-dipped lady fingers. It’ stopped with a tangy lemon cheesecake layer, followed by a fluffy lemon whipped cream topping. The flavors and some components of this cake are inspired by The Cheesecake Factory’s famous Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake.Begin this cake 2 days ahead of serving, as the lemon cheesecake layer by itself needs to firm overnight. The assembled cheesecake will also benefit from an overnight chill.
Combine the berries and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook at 100% power in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir well until the sugar is completely melted. You may also do this in a saucepan on the stove top. Allow the mixture to cool slightly. At this stage, give the cooked mixture a taste-test. If it is very tart, add up to 1/4 cup of sugar and cook again. (Berries vary in sweetness.)
Place the mixture in the bowl of a food processor or the pitcher of a blender. Puree until smooth. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl; discard the seeds and solids.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Vanilla cake layer
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Beat the sugar, egg, vanilla, and oil in a large bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat in half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
Add all of the milk and mix until combined. Add the remaining flour and beat until incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 18 minutes or until a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 5 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake is completely cool, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
Lemon Cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Set a 9x13-inch pan filled half full of water on the bottom rack of your oven.
Grease and line the same springform pan used for the cake layer; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the cream, lemon juice, flour, lemon zest, lemon extract, and food color if using. Add the eggs; beat on low speed until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place on the middle rack of the oven above the pan of water. Bake for 65 minutes. When the timer sounds, turn the oven off and prop open the oven door with a wooden spoon. Let the cheesecake stand in the oven for an hour. Remove the cheesecake in the pan to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover and refrigerate in the pan overnight.
Assembly and lemon cream topping
Remove the springform collar and carefully transfer the cheesecake to a plate; do not remove the parchment paper. Keep refrigerated.
Wash and dry the springform pan. Place the vanilla cake layer in the springform pan. Quickly dip each lady finger in the raspberry coulis, and cover the vanilla cake with the cookies (see video for technique). You may have to trim the lady fingers to evenly cover all of the cake. Reserve the leftover coulis in a small pitcher for serving with slices of cheesecake.
Carefully transfer the cheesecake layer, upside-down (parchment bottom-up) onto the layer of lady fingers. Press down gently then remove the parchment paper round from the cheesecake. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, with the pan still covered in plastic wrap, gently press the cheesecake down to slightly compress the lady fingers layer (it will have softened) and to make room for the lemon cream topping.
For the lemon cream topping, place the cold water in a small microwave-safe condiment cup and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let stand until the gelatin is bloomed.
Whip the heavy cream in a large bowl of an electric mixer until slightly thickened, and then gradually add in the granulated sugar. When soft peaks form, beat in the lemon extract.
Microwave the gelatin for 10 seconds, or until liquid. While beating the cream, pour in the gelatin. Whip until stiff peaks form. Immediately top the cheesecake with the cream. Refrigerate for one hour.
Remove the collar from the springform pan and transfer the cake to a cake stand or serving plate. Top with fresh berries, lemon slices, and lemon zest ribbons, if desired.
Store the cheesecake covered in plastic wrap in the refrigerator. Serve slices of cheesecake with an additional drizzle of raspberry coulis.
Notes
What to expect: This cheesecake has bright, fresh flavors with citrus and raspberries. It has tart-tangy elements that are well balanced with sweet, creamy elements. It is reminiscent of The Cheesecake Factory’s Lemon Raspberry Cream Cheesecake.Fresh or frozen: Use fresh or frozen raspberries for the coulis. Spread out the work: As I’ve mentioned in the post, this cheesecake is not difficult to make. But it requires a lot of hands-off time and overnight chilling. Make the cake layer, coulis, and the cheesecake layer on the first day. Then assemble the cake, lady fingers, and cheesecake the second day. On the day of serving, top with the lemon cream and decorate.Extra coulis: If you’re serving this cheesecake buffet-style to a crowd, you may want to double the coulis recipe. Having extra will allow guests to have a little drizzle or more to taste.Gelatin: You may omit adding the bloomed and melted gelatin to the lemon cream if you prefer. The gelatin stabilizes the whipped cream and makes it more mousse-like. Without the gelatin added, it will just be lemon whipped cream (but still tasty!).