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4.69 from 70 votes

Light and Airy Strawberry Cheesecake

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.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time3 hours
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesecake, light and airy cheesecake, strawberry cheesecake
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 519kcal
Author: Tara Noland

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.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 519kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 308mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 49g