Show Stopping Gluten Free Lemon New York Style Baked Cheesecake with Sponge Base

This post was most recently updated on November 19th, 2022

My hands-down favorite dessert is a New York baked cheesecake. A good New York baked cheesecake. Since having had an amazing baked cheesecake at local restaurant years ago, nothing else ever stacked up. Everything else I tried was an absolute letdown. UNTIL one day I made this: Dana’s Gluten Free Lemon New York Style Baked Cheesecake with Sponge Base. My life was complete.

Lemon baked cheesecake isn’t your everyday sort of dessert. It is a crank-it-out-at-Christmas, birthdays or special occasions only kind of thing.

This cheesecake contains several of what I would call “fancy ingredients”. They are things that you will have to buy specially. But do you know what? It is TOTALLY worth it.

RELATED: Caramel and white chocolate no fail fudge

RELATED: AMAZING gluten free brownie

All up it costs me about $15-18 to make this baked cheesecake. It is still worth it. It does use 4 x 250g/8oz packets of cream cheese. I only use the boxes of Philadelphia Cream Cheese as I find it has the least amount of fillers and rubbish in it. You want a pure, full-fat cream cheese for this recipe.

As a flavoring, I use Boyajian Pure Lemon Oil. It isn’t cheap, but it lasts pretty much forever, and it is exactly what you need for this recipe. You can substitute a lemon essence, but the flavor won’t quite be the same. I don’t like the texture of lemon rind in my cheesecake, but you could use the rind and juice of 2 lemons instead.

You can substitute a lemon essence, but the flavor won’t quite be the same. I don’t like the texture of lemon rind in my cheesecake, but you could use the rind and juice of 2 lemons instead.

While $15 is a lot in my books to spend on one dessert, I would pay $15 for one slice at the restaurant!

Note: You can make it ‘not gluten free’ by using plain wheat flour or wheaten cornflour (cornstarch) in the sponge, and wheaten cornflour (cornstarch) in the cheesecake mixture.

Whatever you do, you must try this Gluten Free Lemon New York Style Baked Cheesecake with Sponge Base – you will be so glad that you did.

Have I convinced you to give it a try yet?

Gluten Free Lemon New York Style Baked Cheesecake with Sponge Base

Yield: 10

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

The best, most delicious baked cheesecake you ever did see. Or eat.

Print

Ingredients

• Sponge base
• 3 eggs separated
• 1/2 C white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Essence
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 1/2C plain flour, gluten free baking mix or Cornstarch (cornflour in NZ)
• Cheesecake
• 1/4 Cup Cornstarch (cornflour in NZ),
• 4 250g/8oz packets Cream Cheese
• 1 1/2C white sugar
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Oil or the juice and rind of 2 lemons
• 1 Cup Double Cream
• Optional extra curd topping
• 3/4 C Lemon Juice
• 1/4 C water
• 1/3 C sugar
• 50g Butter
• 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch (cornflour)
• 1 egg yolk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F
2. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform tin with baking paper.
3. In a bowl whip the 3 egg whites until stiff.
4. Add 1/2C sugar, vanilla and the 3 egg yolks and beat in.
5. Fold through 1/2C sifted flour of your choice and baking powder.
6. Pour into the tin and bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked.
7. NOTE: Don't panic if you are super good at making sponge and it rises up most of the tin. I use a ladle or spoon and simply push it back down to about 1cm/ 1/2 in thick.
8. While the sponge is cooking make the cheesecake mix. In a bowl beat one packet of the cream cheese with the last 1/4C of the cornstarch until well combined.
9. While the beater is running, add the rest of the cream cheese and the sugar.
10. Beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides several times.
11. Add the final 2 eggs and the lemon oil (or lemon juice and rind). Beat well for a further 2 minutes, scraping down the sides every minute or so.
12. Scrape down the sides again, and add the cream. Beat until just uniformly combined.
13. Wrap several layers of tinfoil around the cake tin. I find I need three layers to keep the water out.
14. Pour into your tin and smooth the top.
15. Add the wrapped up tin to a larger dish and add 2.5cm/1in of hot water.
16. Put the whole thing into the oven at 180C/350F for 70 minutes or until only just set - it will still wobble in the middle.
17. Allow to cool on the bench for 20 minutes (add the lemon curd now if you are using it) then chill still in the tin in the fridge for at least 3 1/2 hours.
18. To make the optional curd, mix the lemon juice, cornstarch, water, cubed butter, and sugar in a small saucepan until the cornstarch is mixed through. Warm until it just starts to simmer and thicken slightly. Add 2-3 spoonsful of the hot mixture to the egg yolk to temper the yolk, mixing well. Then add this back into the curd over a low heat and whisk until it thickens slightly more - the mix should coat the back of a spoon. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then pour over the cheese cake and chill until set.
19. To serve, remove from the fridge 10-20 minutes before serving. Run a knife around the edge of the springform tin, then release the spring and remove the ring.Cut with a hot knife.

Notes

Store any leftovers in the fridge and consume within 3 days. You can also wrap well in foil and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

I have based this recipe on the Junior’s cheesecake recipe you will find repeated over and over out in internet land.

Gluten Free Lemon New York Style Baked Cheesecake with Sponge Base – The best, most delicious baked cheesecake you ever did see. Or eat. – Eggs (3 eggs separated for the sponge), White Sugar (1/2C for the sponge, 1 1/2C for the Cheesecake), Vanilla Essence, Baking Powder, Cornstarch (cornflour in NZ) (1/2C for the Sponge and 1/4C for the Cheesecake), Cream Cheese, Lemon Oil, Double Cream, , Preheat the oven to 180C/350F; Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform tin with baking paper.; In a bowl whip the 3 egg whites until stiff.; Add 1/2C sugar, vanilla and the 3 egg yolks and beat in.; Fold through 1/2C sifted cornstarch and baking powder.; Pour into the tin and bake for10-12 minutes until cooked.; NOTE: Don’t panic if you are super good at making sponge and it rises up most of the tin. I use a ladle or spoon and simply push it back down to about 1cm/ 1/2 in thick.; While the sponge is cooking make the cheesecake mix.
In a bowl beat one packet of the cream cheese with the last 1/4C of the cornstarch until well combined.; While the beater is running, add the rest of the creamcheese and the sugar.; Beat for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides several times.; Add the final 2 eggs and the lemon oil. Beat well for a further 2 minutes, scraping down the sides every minute or so.; Scrape down the sides again, and add the cream. Beat until just uniformly combined.; Wrap several layers of tinfoil around the cake tin. I find I need three layers to keep the water out.; Pour into your tin and smooth the top.; Add the wrapped up tin to a larger dish and add 2.5cm/1in of hot water.; Put the whole thing into the oven at 180C/350F for 70 minutes or until only just set – it will still wobble in the middle.; Allow to cool on the bench for 20 minutes then chill still in the tin in the fridge for at least 3 1/2 hours.; To serve, remove from the fridge 10-20 minutes before serving. Run a knife around the edge of the springform tin, then release the spring and remove the ring.
Cut with a hot knife.; ; – Store any leftovers in the fridge and consume within 3 days. You can also wrap well in foil and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. – Desserts – Cook – Baking – Recipe