How to make a quick and easy lemon curd cheesecake: A digestive biscuit base is topped with a creamy mascarpone cheese flavoured with sweet lemon curd.
Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese perfect for a rich no-bake cheesecake dessert.
You don't need special cooking skills to make this dessert, which you can finish with a simple decoration of lemon curd piped on top.
We love lemon desserts, and this is one of our favorites. A family favourite that appears all year round is Christmas, Easter, Birthday parties and BBQs.
How to make Lemon Curd Cheesecake
Below are easy step-by-step instructions for making a no-bake mascarpone cheesecake. Read on for more tips for making this lemon cheesecake.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Lemon Curd Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 150 grams digestive biscuits - substitute (1 ½ cups Graham Crackers + ¼ cup sugar)
- 100 grams unsalted butter
- 500 grams mascarpone - Room Temperature
- 90 grams icing sugar
- 3 tablespoon lemon curd - 2 tablespoon for mascarpone cheesecake mix and 1 tablespoon for decorating
Instructions
- Place the 150 grams digestive biscuits in a sandwich bag, and crush them with a rolling pin. Transfer into a large mixing bowl.
- Melt 100 grams unsalted butter in the microwave or in a pan. Add into the biscuit mix and stir together.
- Grease a springform tin. We use a 6 ½ inches / 17cm tin for a nice deep-layered cheesecake, use a bigger tin for thinner layers.Pour the butter & biscuits mix into the greased cake pan base.
- Press down firmly with the back of a spoon, to make a evenly compacted base layer. Place in the freezer to set whilst preparing the lemon mascarpone mixture.
- Combine the 500 grams mascarpone, 90 grams icing sugar, and only 2 tablespoons of the lemon curd (save the last tablespoon for later) in a mixing bowl.
- Whisk together until it forms stiff peaks.
- Pour the lemon mascarpone filling onto the chilled biscuit base.
- Use a spatula to push down firmly and level out the top as smoothly as you can.
- Use the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon curd in a piping bag to make lines across the cheesecake.
- Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to skim over the lemon curd lines to make a pattern.
- Place in the fridge for at least 1hr to firm, preferably overnight.
- Remove cheesecake from the springform tin, if needed smooth the edges around with a cake spreader/smoother, palette blade or a blunt knife.
Video
Nutrition
This Lemon Cheesecake post was originally published on 16/11/2019 and has been modified on 12/06/2024 with updated recipe card and moved up to make post more user friendly.
Cheesecake base
For the mascarpone cheesecake biscuit base, we use digestive biscuits, a popular sweet oatmeal biscuit in the UK.
In America, you can use graham crackers with sugar added to them for sweetness.
Melt the butter and mix it with the crushed biscuits to help mould the cheesecake biscuit base into the tin.
Pour the biscuits and butter into a greased springform tin. For a big, thick, layered cheesecake, we used a 17cm (6 ½ inches) cake tin. You can use a bigger tin, but it will just make thinner layers.
Use the back of a spoon to firmly push the digestive biscuits into the cake tin base. The biscuits must be even and very firmly compacted to prevent the base from crumbling when sliced.
While preparing the mascarpone mixture, place the biscuit cheesecake base in the freezer to help firm up.
What is mascarpone cheese?
Mascarpone is an Italian cream cheese. It has a creamy, thick texture and a rich, silky taste, making it, in my opinion, the best soft cream cheese to use in a cheesecake.
It has a higher fat content than other soft cheeses, but it's worth the extra calories! If you prefer, you can substitute a lower-fat version, such as cream cheese.
Lemon cheesecake
To give this cheesecake a delicious sweet and tart lemon flavour, we mix lemon curd into mascarpone cream cheese. You can buy lemon curd from most supermarkets, or check out Camilla's recipe at Fab Food 4 All to make your own lemon curd.
Add icing sugar to help it firm up. Whisk for a couple of minutes until thick. We use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk, you can whisk by hand instead if needed.
Place the lemon mascarpone cheesecake mix on top of the digestive biscuit base. Use a silicone spatula to push the mix firmly around the tin.
Once all firmly packed all around, try to smooth the top using the spatula as best as you can ready to be decorated.
Cheesecake Decoration
You can decorate your cheesecake straight away or wait until set.
Popping 1 tablespoon of lemon curd into a piping bag or a sandwich bag with a corner cut-off will do!
We show you two techniques here, this one is simple lemon curd stripes which are then dragged using a wooden skewer or toothpick
Or use lemon curd to make circles on the cheesecake. Use a sharp tool to drag from the centre out, creating a spider web effect. Perfect decoration for a Halloween cheesecake!
You can also see how thin this cheesecake above is when using a bigger 10 inches / 26cm base springform tin.
Place the cheesecake into the fridge to set for a minimum of 1 hour. I find it best to make cheesecake the night before, to allow maximum chilling and setting time!
Keep the springform tin on the cheesecake and wrap with cling film during the setting time.
When you remove the lemon cheesecake from the springform tin, if needed smooth the edges around with a cake spreader/smoother, palette blade or a blunt knife.
There you have it, a deep thick layered cheesecake ready to eat with no cooking skills involved!
Mascarpone lemon cheesecake is so thick and rich, it can be served just as it is. Or for extra indulgence add some fresh cream!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover cheesecake in the fridge, covered with cling film or in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Yes, shop bought mascarpone cheese is pasteurised making it safe to eat during pregnancy.
It is at it's best fresh. It will freeze if needed and is safe to eat when defrosted, but the texture will not be the same and the biscuit base will become soggy.
You can use any soft cheese for this no bake cheesecake, such as Philadelphia, cream cheese, ricotta or crème fraiche.
If you like lemon, why not try out our lemon drizzle cake or for another easy no-bake dessert recipe try this Eton mess. Or for more fruity recipes try our Strawberry Pavlova or Fruit Flapjacks Recipe.
Natalie says
This cake looks fantastic! I honestly can't wait to make this. I have mascarpone cheese in my fridge. Now I know how I'm going to use it. Thanks for lovely recipe!
Kay says
Hi Natalie
Hope the cheesecake came out well, this is the perfect summer dessert 🙂
Enjoy!!
Sangita says
What a simple and detailed recipe along with the video. I’m definitely going to try it out soon.
Kay says
Thank you, Sangita
Hope you enjoy our mascarpone lemon cheesecake 🙂
Amy Roskelley says
I love how you piped the lemon curd on!
Kay says
Thanks, Amy
Hope you enjoy the cheesecake 🙂
Kim Guzman says
I've never made a cheesecake with mascarpone cheese but I can't wait to try it. I love the taste and texture of it. Adding the lemon curd is perfect. I'm always looking for more recipes to use it to keep me from eating all of it by itself. I can't wait to try it this weekend.
Kay says
Thanks, Kim
Hope your lemon cheesecake came out really well, its the perfect summer dessert 🙂
Enjoy!!
Nora says
Never had lemon curd cheesecake before! After reading your article I have to try it out as soon as possible!
Kay says
Hope you enjoy the lemon curd cheesecake, we love this recipe its delicious 🙂
jill says
At my house we're all in for any lemon dessert. Can't wait to try this no bake recipe!
Kay says
Thanks, Jill, this is the perfect no-bake cheesecake recipe 🙂
Enjoy!!
Camilla Hawkins says
You had me at Lemon Curd, just the perfect marriage with Cheesecake:-)
Kay says
Thank you Camilla for the comment 🙂
You are so right, lemon curd and cheesecake are the perfect combinations
Enjoy!!
Joan Gooding says
Can I freeze the lemon curd cheesecake?
letscurry says
Kay
That cheesecake looks really good and my daughter loves cakes in any form. As much as I love baking, I'm not great at it without failed attempts. I was looking for a good easy,do-able recipe to get this cake on the platter for her and here I come.
Thank you so much for such a lovely presentation. Will be back here for more.
Bobo Cheung says
Great recipe!
Kay says
Thank you!