Cheesecake-Stuffed Lemon Cake

I got this recipe in my email, but it's originally from the March 2008 issue of Oxmoor House. Only making chocolate things sometimes gets boring, so I like to switch it up. This cake uses shortcuts, but you could easily use your own homemade cream cheese frosting, lemon curd, and cheesecake. Just as a warning, the price of all the ingredients for this cake cost around $25. *Note: Prep time includes an hour of refrigeration.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 1 (18 1/4ounce) package  white cake mix (no pudding in the mix)
• 1 (3 1/2ounce) package vanilla instant pudding mix
• 3  large eggs
• 1 1⁄4 cups milk
• 1  cup canola oil
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (4 ounce)  white chocolate baking bar, finely chopped
• 2  tablespoons lemon rind, grated (about 2 large lemons)
• 3 (16 ounce) cans  cream cheese frosting, homestyle (I substituted one of the cans for lemon for the filling)
• 1 (19 ounce)  cheesecake, frozen, with strawberry topping, finely diced (recommended ( Sara Lee)
• 2  cups fresh raspberries, divided
• 1 (10 ounce) jar  lemon curd
• 1  cup fresh strawberries, halved
•  fresh mint leaves (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Beat first 6 ingredients at low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute; beat at medium speed 2 minutes.
3. Fold in chopped chocolate and lemon rind. Pour batter into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.
5. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely.
6. Wrap and chill cake layers at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
7. Using a serrated knife or a string of unflavored dental floss, slice cake layers in half horizontally to make 4 layers.
8. Place 1 layer, cut side down, on a cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup cream cheese frosting; sprinkle with one-third of chopped cheesecake and 1/2 cup raspberries. Repeat procedure twice.
9. Note: When stacking the layers, press the middle of each layer down a little, so the cake doesn't have as much of a dome when you put the last layer on.
10. Place final cake layer on top of cake, cut side down. Spread remaining frosting on top and sides of cake.
11. Cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
12. Just before serving, heat the lemon curd to liquid consistency and drizzle the lemon curd over the cake. Garnish with remaining raspberries, strawberries, and mint leaves (if using).
13. Store in refrigerator.