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Easy Lemon Cheesecake Cake

A bright, citrusy lemon cake layered with creamy cheesecake and frosted with lemon cream cheese frosting for the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 minute
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Cake, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Bakery-Style
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cheesecake Layer
  • 16 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Lemon Cake Layers
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 eggs large
  • 2 tbsp lemon zest fresh
  • 0.25 cup lemon juice fresh
  • 1 cup buttermilk
Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3.5 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice fresh
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer
  • Two 9-inch cake pans
  • One 9-inch springform pan
  • Cooling rack
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 9-inch springform pan.
  2. Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Mix in vanilla and sour cream.
  3. Bake cheesecake 45–50 minutes or until set. Cool completely, then chill.
  4. Increase oven temperature to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 9-inch cake pans.
  5. Cream butter and sugar until light. Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
  6. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Alternate mixing in dry ingredients and buttermilk.
  7. Divide batter into pans and bake 25–30 minutes. Cool completely.
  8. For frosting, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar gradually. Mix in lemon juice, zest, and vanilla.
  9. To assemble, place one lemon cake layer, then cheesecake, then second cake layer. Frost cake and garnish with lemon zest.

Notes

Chill the cake before slicing for clean layers.