Light, Airy Strawberry Cheesecake

I really wanted to make something special for you for today!! A delicious red and white cheesecake!! Not an ordinary cheesecake, though; I wanted a Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake. One that didn’t weigh you down but was still rich and decadent to help celebrate a special day like Canada Day or any special event!!

This is one of my favorite cheesecakes as it is light and fluffy and not as filling as other cheesecakes that are so rich and dense you can barely get through a slice. If you love cheesecake, then you are going to love making this cream cheese mixture that is so much lighter and yet still so delicious. Also, try our No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake, which is so easy and perfect any time.

What is in a Light and Airy Cheesecake?

When I was growing up, learning all about cooking, I left baking to a simple cookie, square, or maybe some fudge. If I did venture to a cake, it was always from a box. That has changed over the years, and I have more confidence in baking than I used to.

The ingredients for the cheesecake are very straightforward. There is only one technique that is a bit different than a classic cheesecake. Let’s continue on.

How to Make a Cheesecake Lighter?

You can lighten up a cheesecake in a couple of ways. First by the ingredients and secondly by the texture. The texture is accomplished by adding in big fluffy egg whites to the batter that makes your cheesecake now lighter and airier.

This is a very simple technique of folding egg whites into the beaten cheesecake batter. The cake will rise high but yet still not crack. It sinks just slightly in the center, so this is perfect to hold a delicious topping like our strawberry sauce.

Can I use Light Cream Cheese for Cheesecake?

I almost always use a light cream cheese in all my baking and cooking. It just saves a few calories but doesn’t compromise flavor or texture in dishes. I also rarely use full-fat sour cream and find the light does the trick just as well too. But a no-fat sour cream can be waterier or not creamy enough, so I stay away from that for the most part.

Your baked cheesecake will be none the wiser for using lighter ingredients. So this cake is not only lighter in texture but also in calories. You would never know, though, by the taste!

How to Make a Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake?

Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9″ springform pan with butter. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter together. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the prepared pan, coming up the sides to 1/3 of the way.

Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a standup mixer with a paddle attachment and whip. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the lemon juice and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well after each.

Egg Whites

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks. Remove the bowl from the standup mixer and fold in the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan; it will fill it but be careful not to overfill.

Place the cake in the oven and bake for 30-45 min., until just starting to brown. Reduce the heat to 300F. and continue to bake for a total of an hour. Reduce heat to 200F and bake for an additional hour. Turn the oven off and let sit in the oven for 1/2 hour while the oven cools. Cool completely on a rack.

There is no need for a water bath to prevent the top from cracking, I have never had this occur.

Cover loosely with foil, leaving an area open to vent so condensation doesn’t form.

Strawberry Sauce

For the strawberry sauce, this can be made at any time and refrigerated until ready to use. I decorated the cake for you today but will serve the cheesecake with the sauce when serving each piece. Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 min. Skim off the foam.

Mix the water and cornstarch together and add to the pan, stirring. Bring back up to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened.

Let the sauce cool, and then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with the cheesecake and with whipped cream if desired. Whip cream in a cold bowl with a cold whisk until thickened, add the sugar, and mix well. Or, for ease, buy ready whipped cream.

Also, if strawberries aren’t in season, a perfect substitute is cherry pie filling which is a very easy find in any grocery store.

I knew I wanted this cheesecake to be light and airy, not heavy like a NY cheesecake usually is. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I was seeking something different. Experimenting, if you will!!

Amber, our daughter, came in to help. She is only 13 but knows her way around the kitchen pretty well. With instruction, she is good to go, mixing, whipping, melting, etc.

Low and Slow

The cheesecake turned out to be the best I have ever made. One trick is to be patient with it. Low and slow baking. To make it light as air, by whipping the egg whites and folding them in. Also, I added sour cream and eliminated any flour that would drag it down. The result was a deliciously tasting airy cheesecake with a scrumptious homemade strawberry sauce!!

If you make the crust gluten-free, then the whole cheesecake is gluten-free too.

The addition of lively lemon was added to the strawberry sauce to awaken the whole experience. Traditional yet with a new twist, at least a new twist for me!!

Pin it HERE!!

Pin it HERE!!

Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake

Tara Noland

This Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake has all the taste but isn't heavy like a traditional cake. It won't weigh you down like cheesecake usually does and yet is decadently tall and slices wonderfully. Served with a strawberry sauce right on top and decorated with whipped cream. This cake is a winner for any occasion.

4.69 from 70 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 12 servings

Calories 519 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 1 1/4 cup vanilla wafer cookie crumbs
• 3 Tbsp. butter melted, plus more for the pan
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 3-8 oz. pkg. light cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 2 cups sour cream
• 5 eggs divided

Strawberry Topping

• 1 1/2 lbs. strawberries sliced
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. water
• 1 Tbsp. cornstarch
• I cup whipping cream with 2 Tbsp. berry sugar optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 325. Grease a 9" springform pan with butter. Mix the cookie crumbs and butter together. Press the cookie crumb mixture into the prepared pan, coming up the sides to 1/3 of the way.
• Place the cream cheese in the bowl of a standup mixer with a paddle attachment and whip. Add the sugar and mix well. Add the lemon juice and sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the egg yolks one at a time and mix well after each. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks. Remove the bowl from the standup mixer and fold in the egg whites.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan; it will fill it but be careful not to overfill. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 30-45 min., until just starting to brown. Reduce the heat to 300F. and continue to bake for another 15-30 minutes for a total of an hour. Reduce heat to 200F and bake for an additional hour. Turn the oven off and let sit in the oven for 1/2 hour while the oven cools. Total of 2 1/2 hours. Cool completely on a rack. Cover loosely with foil, leaving an area open to vent, so condensation doesn't form.
• For the strawberry sauce, this can be made at any time and refrigerated until ready to use. I decorated the cake for you today but would serve the cheesecake with the sauce at the time of serving each piece.
• Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small saucepan. Stir and cook over medium heat for 5 min. Skim off the foam. Mix the water and cornstarch together and add to the pan, stirring. Bring back up to a simmer and cook until slightly thickened. Let the sauce cool, and then refrigerate for up to 3 days. Serve with the cheesecake and with whipped cream if desired. Whip cream in a cold bowl with a cold whisk until thickened, add the sugar and mix well.

Equipment

Oven Safe, Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Baking Rack & Cooling Rack, 10 x 15 inches Fits Jelly Roll Pan

Jusalpha 12 Inches White Porcelain Decorative Cake Stand-Cupcake Stand (CS01 – Glass dome)

Zulay Premium 9 Inch Cheesecake Pan – Springform Pan with Safe Non-Stick Coating & Easy Release Layers – Top Quality 9in Pan – Bakes Delicious Cheesecake and More (Black)

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 519kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 9gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 161mgSodium: 308mgFiber: 1gSugar: 49g

Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!