Lemon Cream Butter Cake - Seasons and Suppers (2024)

For the cream cheese filling:

• 8 oz. full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature **do not use light, reduced fat or no fat cream cheese
• 1 cup icing/confectioners’ sugar
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed

For the Cake:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled
• 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt, reduced to a pinch if using salted butter
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs
• Zest of 2 small or one large lemons
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 tsp vanilla, or vanilla bean paste

For garnish:

• Additional icing/confectioners’ sugar

• Preheat oven to 325F. (not fan assisted) Prepare an 8-inch springform pan by spraying with cooking spray and lining the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Place pan on a baking sheet and set aside. *Baking sheet is recommended as some small amount of butter may leak out during baking.

• Prepare the filling: In a large bowl with an electric beater or the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

• Add the icing sugar and beat for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice. Beat until completely combined, about 1 minute. Set aside.

• Prepare the cake batter: In large bowl, whisk together the flour, white sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk in melted (cooled) butter, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla and lemon zest just until combined. Do not over-mix.

• Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared springform pan. Spread to the edges and level batter. Very carefully and a bit at a time, pour the cheesecake filling mixture in the centre of the cake, spreading it to within about 1/2 inch of the edge of the pan, leaving that 1/2-inch around the outside with just bare cake batter visible.

• Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until the outside edges of the cake is light golden and the centre of the cake is set. You can test with a cake tester around the outside edges, but not in the centre, as it is mostly cream cheese. You want the center to be set, so you can test by moving the pan a little to see how jiggly the centre is.

• Allow cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and carefully remove the outer ring. Allow to cool completely at room temperature for 1 hour, then transfer to a serving plate and refrigerate to chill before serving.

• To serve, serve chilled, with a little sprinkling of icing/confectioners’ sugar.

It is important to only use full fat cream cheese, as lower fat cream cheese will create a filling that is too thin and may spread too much.

When adding the cream cheese filling on top of the batter, be sure to mound it up in the centre, then carefully nudge/spread it outward toward the sides.

Be sure to read the notes above this Recipe Card, for more tips on making this recipe.

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Course: Dessert