Loaded with fresh lemon flavor, this baked German style lemon cheesecake with sour cream and cream cheese is creamy, refreshing, so good and easy to make! Easy enough to be made by beginners too.
Made up of a cake base, filled with cheesecake filling with an amazing fresh lemon and buttery flavor and finished off with sour cream meringue topping. So good!! Even my husband who always claims not to be a fan of cheesecake loves it.
What you’ll need to make lemon greek yogurt cheesecake
For the base
- 200 g (7 oz/ 1 2/3 cup) plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 75 g (2.6 oz) butter
- 75 g (2.6 oz/ ¼ cup+ 2 tablespoons) sugar
- 1 medium egg Germany, large US
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the filling
- 250 g (8.8 oz/ 1 1/8 cups ) cream cheese
- 650 g (23 oz/ about 2 2/3 cups) sour cream
- 40 g (1.4 oz/ 1/3 cup) corn flour (cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 egg yolks
- 130 g (4 ½ oz/ 2/3 cup) sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz/ ½ cup + 2 tablespoons) melted butter
- 125 ml (½ cup + 1 teaspoon) milk
* All filling ingredients must be at room temperature!!
For the creamy topping
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 egg whites
- A pinch of salt
You’ll also need
- Springform with removable base
How to make German lemon cheesecake with sour cream topping
Start off by lining the cake tin with a parchment paper at the bottom and grease the sides with butter. In a bowl combine an egg, sugar, butter, flour and baking powder. Using your hands mix all the ingredients together to form a firm dough.
Crumble the pastry into the prepared cake tin. Using your hands, press the cake base until the bottom of the cake tin is covered. Make the dough a bit high on the sides as well and set aside. Then preheat the oven to 175 ° C (347 °F), with both top and bottom heat.
Next, separate the eggs into two separate bowls. Put the bowl with egg whites in the fridge. Add sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, corn flour (cornstarch), milk to the bowl with egg yolks. Whisk to a smooth cream.
Add melted butter, lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice and combine well. Pour 3/4 of the filling into the cake base and for 45 minutes. Put aside the remaining filling for later.
In the meanwhile make the creamy topping. Take the egg whites out of the fridge; add a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Using hand mixer, whip until light and fluffy and fold in the cream that you previously kept aside.
After 45 minutes take the cake out of the oven and spread the creamy topping over it. Bake for another 20 minutes.
After remove from the oven and let it cool completely, so that it will have enough time to cool and become firm. Remove the cake from the cake tin, dust it with icing sugar (powdered sugar) and enjoy.
More cheesecake recipes
German Style Lemon Cheesecake With Sour Cream
Equipment
- 26 cm(10 inch) spring-form (or cake tin with removable base)
- Parchment paper
- Silicone spatula
- kitchen machine or hand mixer
Ingredients
For the base
- 200 g (7 oz/ 1 2/3 cup) plain flour/ all purpose flour
- 75 g (2.6 oz) butter
- 75 g (2.6 oz/ ¼ cup+ 2 tablespoons) sugar
- 1 medium egg Germany, large US
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
For the filling
- 200 g (8.8 oz/ 1 ⅛ cups ) cream cheese room temperature
- 650 g (23 oz/ about 2 ⅔ cups) sour cream room temperature
- 40 g (1.4 oz/ ⅓ cup) cornstarch (corn flour)
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 130 g (4 ½ oz/ ⅔ cup) sugar
- 150 g (5.3 oz/ ½ cup + 2 tablespoons) butter melted
- 125 ml (½ cup + 1 teaspoon) milk
- 2 egg yolks room temperature
For the creamy topping
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 egg whites
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Start off by lining the cake tin with a parchment paper at the bottom and grease the sides with butter. In a bowl combine an egg, sugar, butter, flour and baking powder.
- Using your hands mix all the ingredients together to form a firm dough. Crumble the pastry into the prepared cake tin. Using your hands, press the cake base until the bottom of the cake tin is covered. Make the dough a bit high on the sides as well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 175 ° C (347°F), with both top and bottom heat.
- Separate the eggs into two separate bowls. Put the bowl with egg whites in the fridge. Add sugar, cream cheese, sour cream, corn flour (cornstarch), milk to the bowl with egg yolks. Whisk to a smooth cream. Add melted butter, lemon zest and freshly squeezed lemon juice and combine well. Pour ¾ of the filling into the cake base. Put aside the remaining filling for later. Bake for 45 minutes.
- In the meanwhile prepare the creamy topping. Take the egg whites out of the fridge; add a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Using hand mixer, whip until light and fluffy. Fold in the cream that you previously kept aside.
- After 45 minutes take the cake out of the oven, spread the creamy topping over it and bake for another 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Notes
- All filling ingredients must be at room temperature.
- If your sour cream is runny, try to strain it through cheesecloth before usage or use about 1 tablespoon more cornstarch.
- If you’re not a fan of lemon, just cut the amount in half or omit it.
Did you make this German lemon cheesecake recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.
Rita Wolf Cruz
Thursday 11th of February 2021
Was totally surprised how quick this cake came together. Love how light the cake is , the merengue on top is just the crowning touch ! All ingredients are available here in the US so no reason not to give it a try !
Christiane
Sunday 31st of May 2020
I made it, the cheesecake came out perfect and delish. The lemon flavor is just right, not overpowering at all. Danke Ester, my family loved it ❤️❤️
Ester
Thursday 4th of June 2020
Thank you so much Christiane! I'm so glad to hear your family loved it! :-)
Amanda Kerr
Thursday 2nd of April 2020
Saving this! Wow, I'm drooling over here! It looks so delicious!