# What You'll Need:
→ Cheesecake Layer
01 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
05 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
06 - 3/4 cup sour cream
07 - 1 teaspoon lemon extract
→ Lemon Cake Layers
08 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 2 cups granulated sugar
10 - 3 large eggs
11 - 3 cups cake flour
12 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
13 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
15 - 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
16 - 1/4 cup lemon juice
17 - 1/4 cup vegetable oil
18 - 1 tablespoon lemon extract
19 - Zest of 2 lemons
→ Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
20 - 1 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
21 - 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
22 - 1 teaspoon lemon extract
23 - Zest of 1 lemon, optional (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
24 - 6 to 6 1/2 cups powdered sugar
25 - Yellow coloring gel, optional
# How to make it:
01 - Fill a 9x13 inch baking pan with 1 inch of water and place on a lower oven rack. Preheat oven to 300°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add sugar, salt, and flour, and blend on low speed until well combined. Add lemon extract and sour cream, then mix until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition until just combined.
03 - Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared 9-inch springform pan. Set pan on oven rack above the water bath. Bake for 45 minutes or until the cheesecake is set but slightly jiggles. Turn off oven and leave cake inside, door ajar, for 30 minutes. Remove and cool on the counter, then chill in the freezer for 2–3 hours or in the refrigerator for at least 5–6 hours or overnight.
04 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. In a bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, vegetable oil, lemon extract, and lemon juice.
05 - In an electric mixer bowl, beat butter on medium until creamy. Gradually add sugar, then beat 3–5 minutes until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing fully after each addition. Alternate additions of flour mixture and buttermilk mixture into the butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just incorporated.
06 - Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and smooth tops. Bake for 20–24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Slice butter into 1/2-inch pieces and beat until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until completely incorporated. Mix in lemon extract and optional lemon zest. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Chill frosting before use if soft.
08 - Place one layer of lemon cake on a cake plate and spread with a thin layer of frosting. Release sides of the springform pan and invert cheesecake onto the first cake layer. Spread a thin layer of frosting over the cheesecake, then stack the second lemon cake layer. Frost sides and top as desired. If frosting softens, chill assembled cake briefly to firm before serving.
