This Spring Cheesecake Cake is guaranteed to make you happy! Layers of flavored cheesecake paired with a wonderful white cake. Layers of deliciousness! If you are looking for a classic Cheesecake Recipe, don’t miss that perfect recipe! (You might also enjoy this Piggy Pie Dessert!)
Cheesecake Cake
Spring is starting to happen here in Minnesota (and hopefully most places!) and I can’t help but be inspired by the light, joyful, and refreshing feeling it brings.
This cake is a reflection of my favorite flavors of spring with Raspberry, Lemon and Orange cheesecake nestled between two lovely layers of moist white cake. Covered in whipped cream of course!
For the outside decoration, I was inspired by Easter and the glorious little speckled eggs that are in abundance. I love those little suckers with a passion and thought it would be fun to add that little color and flare to my cake.
To Speckle This Cheesecake Cake
Place cake outside or on a table lined with newspaper. Place parchment strips around the bottom of the cake to protect your cake stand.
Dip brush into pink food color with about a tablespoon of water added. Hold it in your left hand near the cake. With your pointer finger of your right hand, run your finger along the bristles of the paintbrush. The first time you do this, try to be a little farther away just so you are able to gauge how much pressure you can use, how much liquid you need on your brush, and how close you need to be.
Do this all over the top and sides of the cake.
Tips for Cheesecake Cake
You will see that I baked a white sheet cake instead of two 8-inch rounds. This is purely for vanity purposes! I wanted the top, bottom and sides to not have any browned bits. You can certainly bake your white cake in 8-inch round pans to save yourself one step.
I loved the subtle flavors in this cake, but I encourage you to taste as you go. See if 1 teaspoon of raspberry (and lemon and orange) is enough for you and feel free to add more if it isn’t.
Food coloring is not essential in this recipe, but using just the tiniest amount helps add to the wonderful Spring theme!
Make sure everything is chilled before assembly. Working with an almost frozen white cake and very chilled cheesecakes is ideal.
You can make this over the course of 2 days if that is easier. Just make sure cheesecakes and cake are sealed in airtight containers/plastic wrap so they stay fresh before you assemble.
My husband, who is famous for not liking dessert, really really liked this cake. It really is light and flavorful and refreshing and a great way to enjoy the coming of Spring!
It was an absolute delight to create this Spring Cheesecake Cake with McCormick. Thank you so, so much for supporting the brands that support this blog. I only work with the best, and am thankful that McCormick is willing to partner with me! <3
Spring Cheesecake Cake (raspberry, lemon & orange)
Ingredients
Raspberry Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Raspberry Extract
- 2 drops red food coloring
Lemon Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon (5g) Pure Lemon Extract
Orange Cheesecake
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¼ cup (50g) sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. (5g) Pure Orange Extract
- 1 drop red food coloring
- 1 drop yellow food coloring
White Sheet Cake
- 1 cup (226g or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg whites, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120g) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups (285g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoons confectioners sugar
- 1 tablespoon meringue powder optional
Instructions
Raspberry Cheesecake
- Place cream cheese into bowl of stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
- Scrape down sides of mixer bowl.
- With mixer on low speed, add in extract and food coloring.
- Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (grease and/or butter pan then line with parchment paper) and then pour the filling into the pan.
- Bake until cheesecake is set, 18-24 minutes at 325°F in a convection oven or 350°F in a regular oven. (Cheesecake can be slightly golden but not brown)
- Set the cheesecake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembling cake.
Lemon Cheesecake
- Place cream cheese into bowl of stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
- Scrape down sides of mixer bowl.
- With mixer on low speed, add in extract.
- Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (grease and/or butter pan then line with parchment paper) and then pour the filling into the pan.
- Bake until cheesecake is set, 18-24 minutes at 325°F in a convection oven or 350°F in a regular oven. (Cheesecake can be slightly golden but not brown)
- Set the cheesecake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembling cake.
Orange Cheesecake
- Place cream cheese into bowl of stand mixer fixed with paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed for 30 seconds. Add in sugar and egg and beat on medium speed until smooth, 3-5 minutes.
- Scrape down sides of mixer bowl.
- With mixer on low speed, add in extract and food coloring.
- Prepare an 8-inch cake pan (grease and/or butter pan then line with parchment paper) and then pour the filling into the pan.
- Bake until cheesecake is set, 18-24 minutes at 325°F in a convection oven or 350°F in a regular oven. (Cheesecake can be slightly golden but not brown)
- Set the cheesecake on a wire rack and let it cool completely. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before assembling cake.
White Sheet Cake
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Prepare a 12×17 inch half sheet/jelly roll pan by spraying with non-stick spray then lining with parchment paper.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter for about 1 minute on medium speed.
- Add the sugar on medium speed and beat until fluffy and light in color, about 2 minutes.
- Add in egg whites and mix until incorporated.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly pour in vanilla and then sour cream. (scrape bowl if necessary)
- Mix for 1-2 minutes on medium speed or until ingredients are fully incorporated.
- With mixer on low speed, pour half of the flour mixture into the creamed butter mixture.
- Now pour in half of the milk.
- Repeat with the rest of the flour and milk and mix until combined and smooth, about 30 seconds. Spread the cake batter into the prepared pan using a small offset spatula. (be sure it is nice and level!)
- Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Place in freezer until ready to assemble the cake.
Whipped Cream
- Place your mixing bowl and wire whisk in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes.
- In stand mixer, whisk whipped cream for 1-2 minutes. Add in remaining ingredients and beat just until stiff peaks form. (If you need a more stable whipped cream add in meringue powder. If using immediately,
- you can omit the meringue powder.) Chill until ready to use. Makes about 2 cups (480 ml) whipped cream.
To Assemble Cake
- Make sure cheesecakes and white sheet cake are chilled. Place clean 8-inch pan on top of sheet cake and run a sharp paring knife around the edge. You now have a perfect 8-inch round white cake disc. Do this again so you have 2 total.
- Remove chilled orange cheesecake from pan and set on cake stand. (this is a thin cheesecake and when very chilled, can be easily popped out of the lined cake pan. You can also use a spring-form pan)
- Place one 8-inch white cake on top.
- Remove lemon cheesecake from pan and gently place on top of white cake.
- Place other 8-inch white cake on top of lemon cheesecake.
- Remove raspberry cheesecake from pan and gentle place on top of white cake.
- Cover cake in chilled whipped cream and serve. (You can refrigerate for up to 24 hours before serving.)
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
I made the cake for Easter! Beautiful time consuming, but loved the easy to follow directions! Haven’t tasted yet, but looks yummy! Thanks for sharing! Happy Easter!
Fantastic!! Hoe your Easter is blessed!
I made this cake today for Easter & was very disappointed. The texture & consistency of the white cake was odd, & I’d have preferred to use real fruit, fruit juice, & zest for the cheesecakes. I fed this to around 15 people today, & the general consensus was that it was mediocre at best. Definitely not worth the time, money, & effort.
So sorry! The white cake recipe is tried and true (tested hundreds of time by various bakers) and I have never heard a complaint like that before! 🙁 I feel just awful that the cake may be been disappointing at your Easter celebration.
Great recipe and delicious. Made this for Easter. Thank you
I made 3 batches & cut back the sugar 1/4 cup in each cheesecake batch. Put the 3 color/flavors in a 1/2 sheet pan and used that as the center fill between the white cake. Oh my was it better the next day! Very Italian pastry tasting. A definite remake! Thanks again for another go to cake in my recipe box.
I made this for Easter and froze all the layers until the night before. I didn’t have sour cream and used Greek yogurt instead. I added more food coloring to make the colors a little darker (but only a drop or two) and tried to recreate the speckled top. My speckled top was a complete fail. I ended up using my offset spatula and swirled it around, which looked rather amateur. I’d be interested to know how this was done, because the speckles are sooooo Easter! This is a wonderful recipe. I liked the cake best served at room temperature. The cheesecake flavors for each layer were more prominent served at room temp. A winner!
PS…I did have the cake around for a couple of days and it did not get soggy. Also, I did bake the white cake in a jelly roll pan. Mine was more yellow than Amanda’s photo, but I have to say I don’t know if I really like the concept of baking the cakes in the jelly roll pan. The advantage is that the layers were uniform and not too thick…the downside is I ate half of the “trimmings” ALL BY MYSELF! I kept trying to stop, but it was sooo good. 🙂
could you please share how you speckled the whipped cream topping?
This turned out wonderful! Thank you 🙂
This is a perfect cake for a ladies gathering or a baby shower……..would love to make it…..would you please send entire recipe to my email address above….as I am only on my iPad and totally away from any printer… Thank you…
I made this wonderful desert I doubled the cheese in the cheese cake part and used a boxed white cake mix it turned out amazing I would post a picture if I could
Did you just double the cheese and nothing else. Please let me know your recipe
Made this it was amazing