Citrus Cheesecake

1. Stage

Whenever you make cheesecake, you need to properly prep the springform pan. That means wrapping the bottom of the nine-inch pan in a layer or two of aluminum foil, even around pans that claim to be leak-proof. This is just an extra measure of protection to make sure your cake doesn't leak out. Cheesecake is hard work—you don't want anything going wrong! Once wrapped, grease the inside of the pan with a bit of shortening or cooking spray.

2. Stage

In a bowl, mix together the flour, sugar and a teaspoon of lemon zest. Fresh zest is the best here! It'll give you the most flavor. With a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until the mixture is crumbly. Then press the crust mixture into the bottom of the springform pan. Use the flat bottom of a glass or measuring cup to really compress the crumbs and get an even layer. Pop this into a 325ºF oven and bake until the edges are lightly browned—about 25 to 30 minutes. When the crust is done, let it cool completely on a wire rack.

3. Stage

When it comes to the cheesecake batter, start with a good quality cream cheese at room temperature. These cream cheese brands are our Test Kitchen's favorites (you'll find them in our fridges at Taste of Home HQ). Beat together the cream cheese and sugar until nice and smooth. You really want these ingredients well blended. Then beat in the flour and vanilla extract. Even though this batter will be accented with citrus, it's important to include a bit of vanilla to really give depth of flavor. Next, beat in the eggs on low speed until just blended. Test Kitchen Tip: Do not continue to mix after the eggs are fully incorporated; this will add too much air to the batter which can cause your cheesecake to crack.

4. Stage

Because this is a layered cheesecake, you'll need to divide the batter into three equal portions. You can use a kitchen scale, large cookie scoop or measuring cup to get the measurements exact. Now it's time to give each portion of batter its own personality and flavor. To one bowl, add lemon juice, lemon zest and a few drops of yellow food coloring. To the next, stir in lime juice, lime zest and green food coloring. And to the final bowl, add in orange juice, orange zest, a drop of red food coloring and two or three drops of yellow food coloring. Stir each of these until the zest, juice and food coloring are well distributed.

5. Stage

This is where this layered cheesecake starts to really take shape (and you have to start exercising a little patience). Pour the lime layer of cheesecake batter onto the crust.

6. Stage

One important step you can take to get a crack-free cheesecake is creating a water bath. To make a water bath, place the springform pan in a flat-bottomed roasting pan (or another very large pan). Then place the roasting pan into your preheated oven (it should still be at 325º for this recipe) and fill the pan with an inch of simmering water. Be sure not to splash any water into the batter. Then bake until the center is just set and the top looks dull—about 25 minutes. Test Kitchen Tip: The hot water cooks cheesecake batter more gently and makes the oven more humid—the perfect environment for cheesecake.

7. Stage

Once the first layer is done cooking, carefully remove the pan from the oven. Then slowly add the yellow lemon batter on top of the first layer. To prevent this new layer from disrupting the first be very gentle and evenly pour the batter over the back of a spoon. Bake again until the top is dull and just about set—30 to 35 minutes.

8. Stage

Again, remove the cake carefully from the oven and layer on the final batch of batter. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the center wobbles slightly and the finish is dull—another 30 to 35 minutes. All of this layering does take patience, but it's well worth it for the finished product!

9. Stage

Finally, it's time for the last layer of the cheesecake: the sour cream topping. To make this topper, quickly stir together 3/4 cup sour cream, a tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract. Then, using the back of a spoon, spread the topping over the orange layer of the cake. Pop this back into the oven for a final five minutes.

10. Stage

Once baked, remove the springform pan from the water bath and cool the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then loosen the sides from the pan with a knife and remove the foil. Let the cake sit out for another hour, then cover it and move it to the fridge to sit overnight. After that overnight stay to let the flavors meld and cake set up, you can remove the collar of the pan. Decorate with fresh citrus slices, cut wedges and serve!