Ingredients
For the cream cheese filling:
- 8 oz full-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup icing/confectioners' sugar
- 3 Tbsp unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
For the Cake:
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp 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
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F (160C). 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 peed 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 overmix.
- Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared springform pan. Spread to the edges and level batter. Carefully pour the filling mixture evenly over the cake batter, 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.
