Instead of cake for his birthday, my husband asked me to make him a cheesecake with a tart lemon topping similar to the Lemon Cream Cheese pie they serve at Marie Callender’s. My wonderful son gave me a mini cheesecake pan for Christmas, so this was the perfect opportunity to give it it’s maiden voyage.
Jenny at Picky Palate is always creating fabulous desserts with her mini cheesecake pan. So I adapted her Shortbread Cookie Crusted Peanut Butter Mini Cheesecakes with Chocolate Ganache to create luscious lemon mini birthday cheesecakes. These little beauties were a wonderful combination of sweet and tart, creamy and crunchy. I bet you can’t eat just one!
Mini Cheesecakes with Lemon Curd
12 mini cheesecakes
1 cup graham cracker crumbs, (1 package)
2 Tablespoons melted butter
2 8oz packages cream cheese, softened
½ Cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 Tablespoons sour cream
Pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 300º. In a medium bowl, combined graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Spoon a heaping Tablespoon of crust into each mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin. With fingers or round end of a wooden spoon, press crust down evenly.
In a stand or electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until well combined. Add in eggs one at a time following with the vanilla, sour cream, pinch of salt. Mix until just combined.
Fill each crust filled cup ¾ way full of cheesecake batter. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until cheesecake is set. Remove from oven and let sit in pan at room temperature for 30 minutes before removing. Transfer mini cheesecakes to a cooling rack to cool completely, another 30 minutes or so.
Refrigerate until serving. To serve spoon lemon curd over each cheesecake.
Lemon Curd
MarthaStewart.com
Makes 1 1/2 cups
3 large egg yolks
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, (2 lemons)
6 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces
Directions
Combine yolks, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Set over medium heat, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir sides and bottom of pan. Cook until mixture is thick enough to coat back of wooden spoon, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat. Add the butter, one piece at a time, stirring with the wooden spoon until consistency is smooth.
Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the curd to avoid a skin from forming; wrap tightly. Let cool; refrigerate until firm and chilled, at least 1 hour. Store, refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 2 days.
If you want to bake a bigger version of this cheesecake in a springform pan, I loved Abbey’s Infamous Cheesecake I made last year for the Daring Bakers challenge and then top it with the lemon curd recipe.
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork Barbacoa Salad
I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies.
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I love the curd on top. I don't like cheesecake, but I will take one with lots of curd:)
I never make cheesecake….I don't know why but your mini cheesecake is so cute – the lemon curd really makes it special!
Same ingredients for a large cake? I'm going to have to make this one. It's my favorite stuff: cheesecake AND lemon curd!
Maryse (still using hubby's Google accnt)
Thanks for the comment Maryse. I updated the post for directions on making a larger version! Great idea!
I've always wanted to make lemon or lime curd. Looks so tasty.
oh it looks so easy. And I love cheesecake and lemon. I'm sure that both combined is a wonderful taste. Thanks Barbara for the recipe. I'll have to try that in the future. Maybe when I'll have lost 20-30 lbs LOL I'm keeping the recipe.
I love mini foods!!! LOL. I really love lemon curd also. I could just sit and eat a batch of that. I might be sick later but it would taste pretty darned good!
Gorgeous mini cheesecakes. Looks like cheesecake topped with sunshine! That's a compelling reason to dig out the mini muffin pans which I usually avoid.
Just too darned luscious Barbara. I love mini desserts & these are gorgeous! I have a mini muffin pan too, but the graham crackers for 'you know what' were all devoured by the boy who loved them so! Until next time…mmmm
These are adorable and sound so delicious!! And I think I'll have some extra graham crackers here shortly . . .
Maybe I'll try this with mango curd as well! Mmm!
Oh B!! that is stunning.. Love the lemon curd on top!!! One of these days, am just gonna come and crash at your place!
What a gorgeous little dessert! I love tart and sweet. I bet this just melts in your mouth!
Barbara, what a nice cheesecake…I almost wanted to touch the lemon curd :-) Look so creamy and I just love tartness of lemon on it!
Oh my goodness. Lemon curd and cheesecake are a perfect combination! Yum =D.
Funny, I made a cheesecake for my husband today too. Yours looks ten times better though with that tart lemon topping. I could easily eat two of them :D
Mmmm Mmmm good! I've loved cheesecake since I was a little girl, and topped with lemon-YUM! I love the Marie Callender version too:)
This looks lucious, Barbara….what a lucky husband to get this for his birthday!
I love my little cheesecake pan. Lemon Curd looks delish. I must make it.
Oooh, too pretty. I'm going to have to get a mini-cheesecake pan!
I love lemon curd AND cheesecake! Oh my goodness! This looks so fabulous!!! I also love the mini size.
Happy birthday to your husband! ¡Feliz cumpleaños! (have you been practicing your Spanish? :D)
Oh YUM! That looks fantastic, wish I had one, I'm sure it's delicious!
How wonderful, I bet your husband was so happy! Who could not adore these gorgeous little cheese cakes???? Happy birthday to your hubbs.
*kisses* HH
That looks phenomenal mum! And it's portion controlled which is just perfect should one be tempted to have 2 or 3 which is no doubt inevitable :) xxx
Barbara, Barbara, Barbara, this is one outstanding bite! Beautiful and delicious!
The lemon curd is perfectly placed. good portion sizes too.
Oh lalalala that's one perfect mini-cheese cake, I love it!
You're amazing
Cheers
It's so cute! I love cheesecake and lemon curd.
Oh yum, I love the combination of lemon and cheesecake! Your little cakes are perfect, Barbara, and so beautiful on a plate.
I love this pan too!! These little babies look just perfect!!
These are to die for! I love the glossy lemon curd on the top, it looks very tempting. I have used my graham cracker crumbs in something else but am posting it after "you know what"! By the way, google follower seems to have logged me out of loads of sites including yours but I am back in there now. I was still reading you via google reader so hadn't noticed.
Stunning, Barbara! And I usually do not like cheesecake but topped with this luscious tart lemon topping WOWEE I could really wolf down one of these babies! You are too talented!
Um…my birthday is in less than 10 days…would you….?
This looks so fabulous and perfect!
this mini cake looks beautiful and delicious! i love both cheese cake and lemon curd:).
What a lovely dessert!
I'm going to have to hint aroubnd for one of these pans! This is a very elegant dessert and something I would really enjoy for my birthday!
Those are just adorable! I love my mini cheesecake pan and should really try to use it more. I love the look of that lemon curd! :)
I like cheesecake, but not the calories so the mini version is a nice way to get a perfect portion. Looks wonderful!
oh these are just naughty! i'm in love with that shiny lemon curd on top, delicious!
I must make these! Ahh! They look delicious, Barbara! I want to make everything you post! TROUBLE!! : )
The lemon cream cheese at Marie's is my absolute favorite too! It is just sooooo good – your little mini's look ah-ma-zing!
These are beautiful! I want to make these!!!
OOoooh,…Aaaaaah,…MMMMMMM,….what a feast for the eyes & mouth!! A georgous & very tasty dessert!
Gorgeous! I love lemon and I love mini dessert, so I guess I'll be making these.
Mimi
Yum! I love lemon curd!
I love them! I would totally want them for my birthday over cake too.
I love non-traditional birthday treats! This looks incredible…if (and when) I make this, I will be making extra lemon curd since I could eat it with just about anything!
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I have to try them in the mini size, they look so good.
Adorable mini-treats plenty of textures and savors, impossible eating only one :)
I've an award waiting for you at my blog.
All the best,
Gera
I know that you already have this award, but you deserve a repetition ;)
Cute and lovely cheese cake…
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