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Home » Lemon Souffle Cheesecake

Lemon Souffle Cheesecake

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Published: 3/10/2016Updated: 8/10/2020
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With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!

With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!

With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!

You guys love this 3-ingredient soufflé cheesecake. It’s one of the top most popular recipes on the blog, just take a look at the list on the sidebar. And rightly so, because it’s simple, light as air and so, so delicious. Also you just need 3 ingredients. And no, white chocolate isn’t one of them!

Anyway, I decided to add another simple ingredient into the mix for a fun, spring-y/summer-y feel. Nothing screams spring like lemon, yes? ???? ????

I love all things lemon when weather gets nice. Lemonade, lemon cake, lemon cheesecake bars, lemon curd… Oh my gosh, a big, loud YES to lemon curd. Have you tried this homemade version?? It’s the best stuff in the world (after chocolate, of course!). And today we’re adding this lemon soufflé cheesecake into the mix. I hope you love lemon as much as I do.

With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!

As mentioned above, you don’t need much for this cheesecake.

I’m sure you’ve seen 3-ingredient souffle cheesecake on the internet, and most of them are made with melted white chocolate. Not this one though. We’re using sweetened condensed milk. It’s a staple in my pantry. And I have an unhealthy obsession with it. Always have! Can you keep a secret?  Just as any peanut-butter-lover digging into peanut butter jar in the middle of the night, you can catch me with a can of sweetened condensed milk and a spoon in front of an open fridge any time of the day! I’m blushing as I type this, but it’s sooooo good!

Alright enough with confessions, let’s get back to the cheesecake. You know what’s great about using sweetened condensed milk? No hassle with a double boiler, or worse, working with temperamental white chocolate! I hate melting white chocolate, probably because I’ve seized way too much white chocolate in the past! Besides, sweetened condensed milk is just as sweet and creamy.

Ok, let’s make the cheesecake now! Open your fridge and grab some eggs and cream cheese.✔️ Now get a can of sweetened condensed milk from the pantry.✔️ And I’m sure you have a plump and juicy lemon laying around on your counter, yeah?✔️ Great!

This is a souffle cheesecake we’re making, which means we need to incorporate ton of air into the batter. And for that we need to do two things:

  1. Beat the cream cheese until nice and fluffy, for good 2 minutes. Use softened brick of cream cheese, not the stuff in a tub (Philadelphia is my go-to brand, read this to learn why.) Bringing cream cheese to room temperature is important for a smooth and fluffy batter. Next, we’ll add condensed milk, yolks along with lemon zest and juice and continue to beat for a few minutes. Batter #1 is ready!
  2. Whip the egg whites until hard peaks form. The key is to use grease-free, preferably stainless steel bowl and utensils. Also be careful not to include even the smallest drop of egg yolk in the whites. It’s crucial, otherwise you’ll never get to that hard peak stage. That cloud-like fluffy mixture is what creates the signature soufflé texture in our cheesecake!

Now very carefully fold the 2 mixture until completely combined, being mindful not to deflate the batter too much. Remember, we need all that air in the batter for tall and fluffy soufflé cheesecake. We’ll bake it low and slow with a water bath in the oven.

Lemon Souffle Cheesecake- step by step

Oh, by the way, this cheesecake will rise during baking, but it does go back down to its original height while cooling. So don’t be alarmed. If you use larger than 8-inch pan, your cheesecake won’t be as tall as mine.

And there you have it. Super fluffy, soft and lemon-y cheesecake ready for you to devour!

With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!

No matter how full I’m after dinner, I always find room for this creamy deliciousness. And you’ll too, I just know it!

With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!

Hope you enjoyed today’s recipe. Thanks so much for stopping by!

Lemon Souffle Cheesecake

With less than 5 ingredients, this dreamy light lemon souffle cheesecake is the perfect treat to welcome long-awaited spring!
5 from 3 votes
serves: 6 -8 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 lemon
  • 5 large eggs at room temperature
  • 8 oz 225gr cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 14 oz 400gr sweetened condensed milk
  • Powdered sugar for dusting optional

Helpful Equipment:

  • • 8″ Round Springform Pan
Note: I test all my recipes with both measurements for the most precise and accurate result!

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). You will need at least 2.5-in (6cm) deep 8-in (20sm) springform pan. Cut 3.5-inch (9cm)-wide long strip and 8-inch (20cm) round circle of parchment paper. Line the sides and the bottom of the springform pan with the prepared parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Zest and juice the lemon. You should get about 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
  • Separate the egg whites and yolks. Set aside.
  • In a mixing bowl with paddle attachment, or using a handheld electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minute. Add condensed milk and beat for another minute. Then add the egg yolks and lemon zest with lemon juice. Continue to beat until well combined, 2-3 minutes.
  • In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until hard peaks form. Make sure the bowl and the beaters are squeaky clean and free of grease. (Tip: Egg whites at room temperature are easier to beat and reach hard peaks faster.)
  • Fold in half of the whipped egg whites into the cream cheese mixture. Then add the remaining egg whites and gently fold until well-combined and no white streaks are visible.
  • Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and tap on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place an empty baking sheet on lower rack of the oven and pour about 2 cups of boiling water. Put the cake pan on the middle rack above the rack with water bath. Bake for 45 minutes.
  • Turn off the oven and cool the cake in the oven for 30-40 minutes. Remove the sides of the springform pan and gently peel off the parchment paper from the sides. Cool completely on the counter, then refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Before serving, when the cake is chilled and set, gently remove the parchment paper from the bottom and place the cake on a platter. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired. Store the cake in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.

Tips & Notes:

For step-by-step photos and additional notes, read the post above.
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only. Read full disclosure here.
Author: Shinee
Did you make this?Show me your creation! Tag me @shineshka and hashtag it #sweetandsavorybyshinee!
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  1. Jyo says

    Posted on 29 July 2020 at 7:54 pm

    Is it possible to make this recipe without eggs? What is the alternative of an egg? 

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 29 July 2020 at 10:44 pm

      Hi, Jyo. Egg is one of main three ingredients in this cake. And no, I don’t think there’s a good replacement for them.

      Reply
  2. Martin says

    Posted on 25 May 2020 at 2:13 pm

    5 stars
    I tried it. Followed the recipe and it turned out awesome.  Great taste, I added extra zest just in case. Texture wise it came out a bit less fluffier than the photo. Did not use sugar  but wonder if it would be good to add a citric jam on the side instead.  Martin

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 26 May 2020 at 11:18 pm

      Hi, Martin. So happy you tried and enjoyed the recipe. I appreciate your feedback! I think citric jam would be a great addition. And if you thin it and drizzle it over, it’d be even better.

      Reply
  3. Jessica M. says

    Posted on 23 May 2020 at 11:13 pm

    5 stars
    Are there any alterations for high altitude? I’ve made it before, at sea level and it came out beautifully. Recently moved to Manitou in Colorado and live above 6000 feet now.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 24 May 2020 at 9:04 am

      Hi, Jessica. Thank you so much for your feedback. So glad you liked the cheesecake.
      Unfortunately, I’m not familiar with high altitude baking, so I can’t give a good advice. But I just found this article with great information: https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/baking-cooking-high-altitudes. I’d suggest the recipe as is, and then adjust from there if you run into any issues.

      Reply
    • Jessica M says

      Posted on 7 June 2020 at 12:51 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, so I tried the cheesecake, I used an extra large lemon so I got some extra juice and zest, but other than that I just reduced the cooking time to 30 minutes. It came out a little denser but delicious. Thanks for the link.

      Reply
      • Shinee says

        Posted on 7 June 2020 at 10:56 pm

        Oh that’s great to hear, Jessica! Thank you so much for sharing your experience baking it at high altitute. It’s so helpful!!

        Reply
  4. Vanessa says

    Posted on 20 May 2020 at 2:08 pm

    Thanks for sharing! Does it freeze well?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 21 May 2020 at 8:10 pm

      Hi, Vanessa. I wouldn’t recommend freezing this cake.

      Reply
  5. Suzanne says

    Posted on 20 May 2020 at 2:07 pm

    This looks so good! I love that the ingredient list is so simple! Can the lemon be switched for another citrus?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 21 May 2020 at 8:10 pm

      Absolutely. You can use any kind of flavoring! Let me know what variation you try, if you do, Suzanne.

      Reply
  6. Yvonne Byrne says

    Posted on 19 May 2020 at 2:31 pm

    Mine was a disaster. Rose up in the oven and looked good but got flatter and flatter as it cooled. Wont be making that again!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 21 May 2020 at 7:46 pm

      Hi, Yvonne. What size pan did you use? This cake doesn’t actually stay tall, and it’s totally normal for it to fall back to its original height. If you used the correct size pan (8-inch pan), then your cake should have been still pretty tall. But I really hope you at least enjoyed the flavors. Thank you for your feedback.

      Reply
  7. Trinh says

    Posted on 5 December 2017 at 4:17 pm

    Hi, what is the texture supposed to be like? Is it suppose to be like a very very moist souffle? That’s what mine was…. I feel it may have been underbaked….

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 7 December 2017 at 12:53 pm

      Hi, Trinh. It sounds like yours was a little underbaked. The texture should be firm and custurd-y on the bottom and light and fluffy on the top.

      Reply
  8. Carrotcake says

    Posted on 2 November 2017 at 7:25 pm

    You mentioned to refrigerate it etc.. would it be better to serve right from the oven without refrigeration?  

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 2 November 2017 at 7:37 pm

      I highly recommend to refrigerate the cheesecake for at least couple of hours, or overnight. Some people report that it’s eggy when served without refrigeration.

      Reply
  9. Helen Yap says

    Posted on 7 June 2017 at 2:23 am

    I just baked this. The top is not brown like yours. Is my temp too low? Also when u say let cake cool in oven, do you open the door ajar slightly or closed?   Thanks. 

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 7 June 2017 at 9:22 pm

      Hi, Helen! It maybe a bit too late, but yeah, it sounds like your oven temp is a bit low. You may have needed to bake longer. When I cool the cheesecake, I don’t leave the oven door ajar. I keep it closed. Hope your cheesecake turned out. Let me know how you liked it. Thanks for trying my recipe.

      Reply
  10. Janel Bailey says

    Posted on 6 April 2017 at 6:18 pm

    Shinee have you ever tried making this in individual soufle cups? I’m wondering how this may turn out that way.

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 7 April 2017 at 7:12 am

      No, I’ve never tried that, Janel. Now I’m curious myself. Let me know if you try it that way.

      Reply
  11. Vicki says

    Posted on 27 December 2016 at 7:46 pm

    Hi Shinee, I made this cake today and it tasted great! However, my cake came out looking like it’s got two layers: the top half is light and fluffy, like yours in the pictures, while the bottom half has the texture of a custard cake. Any ideas on what I did wrong? I would love to give it another go. Thanks

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 30 December 2016 at 9:33 pm

      Hi, Vicki! So glad you tried this. Actually what you’ve described is normal. While the bottom half of my cheesecake isn’t really custard-like, you can definitely notice the difference in texture. I’d describe the bottom a little denser and more like cheesecake. Not sure what exactly causes it though.

      Reply
  12. Julia says

    Posted on 16 September 2016 at 4:46 pm

    Can i use a regular 8 inch baking pan? Making it tonight!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 17 September 2016 at 10:22 am

      Hi, Julia! Sorry for late response. I’ve never made this in 8-inch baking pan, but I don’t see any problem with that. As long as it’s at least 2.5 inches deep, you should be good. Let me know how it turned out.

      Reply
  13. Wendy says

    Posted on 12 May 2016 at 8:53 pm

    This looks so yummy! I’m going to make it this weekend. Could I double the recipe and put it in a 12 in. pan?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 13 May 2016 at 9:13 am

      Hi, Wendy. I think you can, but I can’t be 100% sure, as I haven’t tested it that way. You might need to adjust the baking time. Hope you enjoy it.

      Reply
  14. Rallyn says

    Posted on 18 April 2016 at 3:45 am

    Did this yesterday, it did not rise but it still taste good! Any opinion why didn’t it rise?

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 18 April 2016 at 4:23 pm

      Hi, Rallyn! So glad you made it. This cheesecake may rise during baking, but it doesn’t stay. It goes back to its original heigh during baking. So you didn’t do anything wrong. Hope you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  15. Ashley says

    Posted on 4 April 2016 at 6:53 pm

    I followed this recipe exactly and in the end I was very disappointed. Unfortunately, it looks better than it tasted.

    Too many eggs! It tasted like eggs…I wanted a cheesecake not a frittata!

    Reply
    • Shinee says

      Posted on 5 April 2016 at 9:57 am

      Hi, Ashley! I’m sorry to hear it didn’t meet your expectations. My family and I didn’t find the cheesecake to be egg-y, and I use rich, farm eggs too. But I understand everyone has different taste buds. Thanks for giving your feedback though.

      Reply
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