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Simple Lemon Sugar Burnt Basque Cheesecake…just what your weekend needs. This cheesecake has a crinkly, flaky, sweet top with a creamy lemony cheesecake filling. Its deep brown top has cracks all around for a rustic, but pretty, and very unique look. It’s really not like any other cheesecake you’ve had before. It’s flaky on the outside, but the inside is creamy, rich, and bursting with notes of springy lemon flavor. Bonus? This is the easiest cheesecake to make and (almost) impossible to mess up.
Well look at that, not one, but two non-chocolate desserts this week. Between Tuesday’s crème brûlée and today’s cheesecake, I am really on a vanilla-themed dessert kick. I wasn’t planning to share this cheesecake today, but after I gave a little preview on Instagram the other day, it was clear that everyone seemed to want this recipe now.
With Easter rapidly approaching, I definitely have spring-themed desserts on my mind. In the past, I’ve share shared mostly chocolate Easter desserts, but this year I’m embracing more of the classics. But classics with a twist…of course.
Enter this burnt Basque cheesecake. I made a blueberry Basque cheesecake a few summers ago. But today I wanted to share a more traditional take with the addition of sweet lemon. It’s truly the simplest cheesecake you’ll ever make and possibly the most delicious too.
This one is pretty hard to beat.
The background on the Burnt Basque Cheesecake
A little back story on the Basque Burnt Cheesecake. It originated in San Sebastian, Spain in 1990 and was created by chef Santiago Rivera of La Viña. It’s traditionally a crustless cheesecake made with a lot of cream cheese and plenty of eggs. The biggest difference between a Basque cheesecake and a more traditional American cheesecake is that the Basque cheesecake is baked at a higher temperature. The high heat creates a deep dark brown “burnt” exterior, while still maintaining a super creamy and almost custard-like interior.
Personally, what I love the most about the Basque-style cheesecake is that it’s no-fuss, no-stress, and absolutely nothing too fancy. It’s OK that it looks burnt, and it’s OK that the top has crinkly cracks throughout. In fact, the more imperfect-looking it is the better.
I’m all about that imperfect, but perfect look.
Making the Basque cheesecake is easy, here is how…
Traditionally, this cake is made very, very simply with just cream cheese, sugar, heavy cream, and flour. A splash of vanilla is also added and a pinch of salt too. This helps to lighten up and balance out the rather rich cheesecake.
I kept my changes pretty simple, but I think they make a big difference.
I added in fresh lemon zest, doubled up on the vanilla, and used a smidge smaller amount of eggs for an even creamier and sweeter cheesecake.
But it’s the lemon sugar that’s the star here. It adds just the right amount of lightness to this rich cheesecake.
Start with the your ingredients. Everything should be at room temperature, but especially the creamy cheese and eggs. You’ll want the cream cheese to be able to easily be whipped together with the sugar and lemon zest. It turns extra light and fluffy, which creates the perfect texture for the cheesecake.
I like to cream the cream cheese with sugar and lemon to really infuse the lemon zest into the cream cheese and create an even more flavorful outcome.
My grocery store had the pretties pink lemons so I used those, but Meyer or regular lemons both work wonderfully within this cake.
Once the cream cheese is light and fluffy, simply beat in the eggs, then the cream. Once the batter is smooth, sift over a bit of flour and a pinch of salt. The sifting is key and ensures you’ll end up with a light creamy cheese cheesecake with no clumps of flour.
And now you bake.
Pour the batter into a parchment-lined cake pan, then sprinkle with a little lemon sugar. And that’s it, one of the simplest cake batters.
As I mentioned above, you’ll bake this cheesecake a high heat…400° F, for about an hour. As the cheesecake bakes, it rises tall in the oven and turns a deep, deep golden brown with burnt patches all around. The sugar on top is not traditional, but so delish. It ends up caramelizing and creates a flaky, crackly top…which I adore.
It’s very unique and at the same time, so pretty.
I let the cake cool in the pan. I then remove it from the pan and carefully pull away the sides of parchment paper. You’ll want to be careful when removing the parchment paper. If you pull too fast, you’ll end up tearing into the cake, as the cake does like to stick to the parchment around the sides.
Once the cake has cooled, you can slice, sprinkle with a little more lemon sugar, and serve. Unlike an American cheesecake, this is best served at room temperature. Though you can certainly chill it if you prefer.
And that’s it. Every bite is a little flaky with the creamiest cheesecake center that’s bursting with sweet vanilla and lemony flavors. This simple lemon sugar burnt Basque cheesecake is every bit as delicious as it sounds.
Perfect for a bit of very early spring weekend baking…
Looking for other springy lemon desserts? Here are a few to try:
Earl Grey Blueberry Lemon Cake
Bursting Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake
Lemon Coconut Naked Cake with Whipped Vanilla Buttercream
Lastly, if you make this Simple Lemon Sugar Burnt Basque Cheesecake be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Simple Lemon Sugar Burnt Basque Cheesecake
Servings: 10
Calories Per Serving: 210 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lightly butter a 9-inch spring-form pan and line with parchment paper going up the sides of the pan. 2. In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 3/4 sugar, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl until very smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time until the eggs are fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then reduce the mixer speed to medium-low. Add the cream and vanilla, beat until combined, about 30 seconds.3. Sift the flour and salt into the batter, then beat again to combine, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.4. In a bowl, mix 3 tablespoons sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Sprinkle the top of the cake with half of the lemon sugar, reserving the remaining sugar for serving.5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until deeply golden brown on top and still very jiggly in the center. Let the cake cool 5 minutes, then unmold. Let cool completely. Slice into wedges and serve at room temperature or chilled. I like room temp best.
Made this for my birthday today and it turned out beautifully! My store was out of lemons but I did have a jar of lemon curd leftover in the fridge and some lemon juice and I used about 1/4 cup of the curd and a splash of lemon juice into the sugar on top and it still turned out great! I did reduced the sugar in the cake by 2 tablespoons since the curd does have sugar in it.
Hey Nicolette,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Love to hear that it was enjoyed!! xTieghan
does this cake freeze well? we had to postpone our dinner party and i already made the cake!
Hi Jessica,
Sure, that should be just fine for you to do!! Please let me know if you have any other questions!! xTieghan
I love your recipes and this one is a definite winner! Easy to make and the cracked lemon sugar topping was lovely. It’s a great dinner party dessert. My guests loved it
Hey Pat,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad to hear it was enjoyed! Have the best weekend:) xT
Just took my cake out of the oven. My son and his fiancé love this cake and like to have it served with homemade lemon curd.
Thanks so much for trying the recipe Claudia!!
This recipe is a keeper! It’s one of my go to desserts when having dinner guests. One question I have is, how far in advance can it be made and stored in the refrigerator?
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! I would say 2-3 days in advance. xxT
Could coconut cream be used instead of heavy cream?
Hey Samantha,
Sure, that should work well for you. I hope this recipe turns out amazing, let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Can gluten free flour be used for this recipe ? Thank you
Hi Pat,
Yes, you can use an equal amount of GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Hi, is it 8 ounces cream cheese in total or three packets of that weight (24 ounces total)? Thanks, looking forward to making this ?
Hi Lilibet,
You will want a total of 24 ounces:) I hope you love the recipe. Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
I made this cheesecake yesterday for my friends and it was so delicious. I love the rustic look and it was so easy to make. My friends really enjoyed and I will definitely make again. Thanks for the recipe.
Hey Indra,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week! xTieghan
Made this cheese cake for my friends, and they said it was the best they ever had. Definitely will make this again.
Dear Tieghan,
I just discovered your blog today and love your recipes, especially this one. I used to make cheesecakes for a restaurant (back when I could make them in my own kitchen) and continue to make them for family and friends. Will definitely be making this one soon. Thanks so much for your blog.
Thanks so much for following along Beverly! I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I am baking this for the second time in two weeks for a special occasion. Cheesecake turned out quite well. I have also baked your blueberry basque cheesecake which received rave reviews. I enjoy fixing your recipes. Fun to make and soooooo good.
Hey Veronica,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! ☀️xTieghan
I love this cheesecake. It turned out quite well. Making for a second time in two weeks for a separate occasion. I have also made your blueberry basque cheesecake which received rave reviews. I enjoy all your recipes. Fun to make.
Hey Veronica,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am so glad that it was enjoyed!! ☀️xTieghan
This so so good! One of the best desserts I’v ever made…thanks!
Hey Alice,
Awesome!! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi there! To clarify is it 3 x 8 ounces of cream cheese for this one? I can’t convert to metric for Aus for that ingredient! So excited to make this 🙂
Hey Shelley,
Yes, that is correct. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Served it with a sauce made from fresh rhubarb and strawberries, sugar and a splash of orange juice cooked down until thickened. I used Caribbean coarse sugar to make the lemon sugar topping for extra crunch. It is fabulous!!!!
Hey Laurey,
Wonderful! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! xTieghan