BLUEBERRY LEMON CHEESECAKE CAKE

I was originally saving this recipe for Easter, but then we had a good friend who had a birthday.  Can I just say he is very hard to buy for?  His wife suggested I just bake him something and this recipe immediately came to mind.  I sent the big cake to him to share with Heather and the munchkins, but I did have to make 2 small ones for hubby and I also. SHHH don’t tell 😀

BLUEBERRY LEMON CHEESECAKE CAKE adapted from Cafe Delites

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease an 8-inch round springform pan with cooking oil spray and set aside.

BLUEBERRY CAKE
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (juice from 1 LARGE lemon)
1/2 cup WHOLE milk
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 tablespoon lemon zest (zest of 1 LARGE lemon)
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 ounces FRESH** blueberries (I like SMALL wild blueberries)

• Whisk lemon juice with the milk and set aside to sour creating your “buttermilk”.
• In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
• Beat in the eggs and zest until light and creamy.
• Beat in the lemon juice and milk mixture.
• Add the flour, baking powder and salt, mixing them first on top of the wet ingredients, before folding them in to combine the batter.
• GENTLY Fold in 3/4’s of the blueberries.

CHEESECAKE
1 cup light cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup plain 2% Greek yogurt
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 LARGE egg
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

• Beat the cheesecake ingredients together until smooth and lump free, about one minute on low speed.

ASSEMBLY

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Evenly pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
• Pour 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture over blueberry cake layer (DO NOT SWIRL).
• Pour the remaining cake batter over the cream cheese; then pour the remaining cream cheese mixture over the top to evenly cover the cake.
• Sprinkle remaining blueberries over the top.
• Bake in preheated oven 65 – 70 minutes, until the center is just set (it will have a very slight wobble to it). If you find it is browning after 30 minutes, tent with foil being careful the foil does not stick to the cheesecake.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool for an hour or so.
• Once cake has chilled, remove from pan onto a serving dish.
• Pour the glaze evenly over the top and allow to drizzle down the sides of the cake.
• Cover and refrigerate for AT LEAST 6 hours or over night BEFORE serving.

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE
1/2 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup natural powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons water as necessary for a thinner consistency

• Beat all glaze ingredients together until smooth.

FINAL ASSEMBLY

• Prepare glaze.
• Once cake has chilled, remove from pan onto a serving dish.
• Pour the glaze evenly over the top and allow to drizzle down the sides of the cake.
• Add a few fresh blueberries for garnish.
• Cover and refrigerate for AT LEAST 6 hours or over night BEFORE serving.

NOTES: Frozen blueberries can be used, but MUST be completely thawed and drained WELL.