This lemon cherry cheesecake is a bright, layered treat that brings together a fluffy lemon cake base, a light ricotta filling, and a sweet cherry pie filling on top. It’s an easy dessert made with simple ingredients like boxed cake mix and ricotta, taking about an hour to bake. Since it’s best served cold, it’s a great option when you want something that feels special without messing with a water bath or a finicky springform pan!

A plate with one serving of lemon cherry cheesecake

A Sweet Southern Mashup for Your Next Get-Together

If you’ve ever been torn between a zesty lemon cake and a creamy cheesecake filling, I’ve got some good news: you don’t have to choose! This recipe is a bit like a “magic” cake because the layers do a little swap while they’re in the oven. It’s a departure from a traditional cheesecake with a graham cracker crust, but that fluffy lemon crust at the bottom makes it so much more approachable for a busy week.

In my kitchen, I’m always looking for a dessert that’s low-stress but still gets folks talking, and this hits all the right notes. I’ve found that using ricotta gives it a lighter, more airy texture than a dense cream cheese mixture, while those juicy cherries on top keep it feeling like a classic dessert.

It’s one of my favorite cheesecake recipes to bring to a church social because it travels so well in a square baking dish and looks just beautiful once you slice into it! I also really love this Cherry Cream Cheese Pie; check it out!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Lemon cake mix
Ricotta cheese
Eggs
Sugar
Vanilla extract
Cherry pie filling

Taking a piece of lemon cherry cheesecake with a fork

How to Make Lemon Cherry Cheesecake

Step 1: Prep and Batter

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grab a 9×13 square baking dish and grease it well. Mix your lemon cake batter according to the box instructions in a large mixing bowl and pour it right in. No need to bake it yet!

Spraying a baking pan with non-stick spray

Step 2: The Ricotta Layer

In a separate bowl, combine your ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. I usually use a hand mixer, but a stand mixer works just as well. Once it’s smooth, drop the mixture by spoonfuls over the raw cake batter. Use a rubber spatula to spread it as evenly as you can, but don’t worry if it looks a little messy, because the cake will bake up around it.

ricotta, eggs, sugar, and vanilla being mixed in a bowl

A smooth cake batter layer in a baking pan

Step 3: Bake to Perfection

Slide it into the oven for 1 hour. You’ll know it’s done when the cake is golden and the ricotta center is set. Resist the urge to open the oven door too often; we want to keep that heat steady!

Step 4: Cool and Top

Remove the cake and let it sit on the counter until it’s completely cool. Once it’s reached room temp, spread both cans of cherry pie filling over the top.

Adding cherry pie filling to the baked lemon cherry cheesecake base

Smoothing out the layer of cherry pie filling on the lemon cherry cheesecake

Step 5: Chill

Cover the dish with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and pop it in the fridge. This perfect dessert really needs a few hours (or even overnight) to set up so the layers can firm up.

Storage and Leftovers

You can keep this lemon cherry cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Just make sure it stays covered so the cake doesn’t dry out. Because of the ricotta and the fruit topping, this isn’t a great recipe for freezing; it’s much better enjoyed fresh and cold!

If you find yourself with extra lemons and want to double down on the citrus, a little fresh lemon juice whisked into the cake batter is a fantastic way to brighten it up even more!