Ingredients:

  • 300g All-purpose flour
  • 350g Granulated sugar (for cake)
  • 1 ½ tsp Baking powder
  • ½ tsp Salt (for cake)
  • 170g Unsalted butter, softened
  • 3 Large eggs (room temperature, for cake)
  • 240ml Whole milk (room temperature)
  • Zest of 2 large lemons
  • 60ml Fresh lemon juice (for cake)
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 450g Full-fat cream cheese, softened
  • 150g Granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 2 Large eggs (room temperature, for filling)
  • 120g Sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
  • 30ml Fresh lemon juice (for filling)
  • 1 Tbsp Cornstarch
  • 180g Powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 45-60ml Fresh lemon juice (for glaze)
  • Pinch of salt (for glaze)

Instructions:

  1. Grease and line the base of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a kettle of boiling water for the water bath.
  2. Make the Cake Batter: Whisk dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt). Cream softened butter and lemon zest until fluffy. Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla last. Do not overmix.
  3. Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Beat cream cheese until completely smooth. Gradually beat in sugar, then eggs one at a time. Mix in sour cream, lemon juice, and cornstarch until just combined and smooth.
  4. Assembly: Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Carefully pour the entire cheesecake filling mixture over the cake batter layer. Dollop the remaining cake batter randomly over the cheesecake layer. Gently swirl the layers together 4-5 times using a skewer or knife for a marble effect.
  5. Water Bath: Wrap the exterior base of the springform pan tightly in heavy-duty foil (use two layers). Place the pan inside a large roasting pan. Carefully pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the springform pan.
  6. Bake for 60–75 minutes. The edge should look set, and the centre should have a slight wobble.
  7. Cooling: Turn off the oven. Crack the oven door open slightly (prop it with a wooden spoon) and allow the cake to cool slowly inside for 1 hour to prevent cracking.
  8. Chill: Remove from the oven/water bath, cool completely on a rack, then refrigerate, covered, for a minimum of 4 hours (overnight preferred) before unmoulding.
  9. Glaze & Serve: Whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. Drizzle over the chilled cake just before serving.