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Easy Lemon Cheescake

This is the easiest cheesecake you will ever make and delicious too! Just make sure to plan baking it the day BEFORE the event, since it will need overnight refrigeration.

Ingredients

  • CRUST
  • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • FILLING
  • 4 8 ounce packages of cream cheese (softened)
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp grated lemon peel
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • TOPPING
  • 2 cups plain yogurt (you can use a flavored one as well but use less sugar)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp grated lemon peel
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

In a mixing bowl, combine crumbs and sugar. Stir in the butter little by little until the mixture starts looking like wet sand. Press onto the bottom of a greased 10in springform pan and set aside. In a different mixing bowl, combine cream cheese and sugar and beat until smooth. Then add eggs, beating at a low speed. Add the lemon juice, peel and vanilla. Beat until well blended and pour into the crust.

During our test kitchen, we found that it may be difficult at times to mix the cream cheese and sugar (especially if the cream cheese is not softened) If you find it difficult to mix sugar and cream cheese, start adding eggs, one at a time, at low speed, until the mixture is smooth.

Bake at 350 degrees for 65 minutes. Different ovens cook differently. Watch the center of the cheesecake, if the center is "set", your cheesecake ready. Another helpful tip is to place a metal container under the cheesecake in the oven to catch the drippings off the cheesecake pan.

Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Refrigerate overnight.

Before serving the cheesecake, mix the topping ingredients. To remove the cheesecake from the pan, take a knife and run it around the edge of the pan to loosen. Snap open the pan and remove your cheesecake. Top the cheesecake with prepared yogurt icing. Decorate with lemons and any other fruit. Serve and enjoy!

Presentation

This cheesecake is stunning! Serve on a cake platter or even a pretty plate. It speaks for itself!!