Luscious Lemon Cheesecake

October 31, 2013

I've never been a huge fan of cheesecake but my family LOVES it! I do believe that it's my husband's favorite dessert of all time. I am however a HUGE lemon lover, so the combination of the two is a match made in heaven. Just like us :) This cake is smooth and creamy (like him) and yet has a zippy punch of pucker (like me). Nothing overwhelming, mind you, just a slight reminder that says "Hey, I'm here and I don't want to go unnoticed!" And guess what else.

For the crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest (approximately 1 lemon, save the juice)

For the filling:
2 packages (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 packages (8 ounces) Neufchatel cheese (lower fat cream cheese), softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup half and half
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons raw honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (approximately 2 lemons)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)
2 teaspoons lemon extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
Yellow food coloring (optional)
5 eggs, lightly beaten (at room temperature)

For the garnish:
Lemon slices
Lemon zest
Whipped cream
Mint leaves

-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. -Prepare a 10" springform pan by spraying it with baking spray. -In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugar and lemon zest. -Press the crumbs in the...
See the full directions on my site

Nutritions

Calories
413

Sodium
421mg
17% DV

Fat
22g
34% DV

Protein
8g
16% DV

Carbs
40g
13% DV

Fiber
2g
8% DV

Snack Baked