Best Ever Lemon Cheesecake

This cheesecake is wonderful, so creamy and lemony I could inhale it. This a large recipe, it does make a lot of cake, the recipe could be halved. I top this with whipped cream. I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does.

• Ready In: 21 mins
• Serves: 20
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 2 1⁄2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temp
• 1 1⁄4 cups sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 4  large eggs
• 3  tablespoons  fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1  tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1  cup sour cream
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375f.
2. Spray or grease a 10 inch spring form pan.
3. To make the crust, melt the butter and combine with the cracker crumbs and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.
4. Spread the crumb mixture in the baking pan pressing it firmly into the base and level with the bottom of a measuring cup.
5. Bake for 5 mins, remove from oven and allow to cool till needed, refridgerate if not using immediatley.
6. Lower the oven temp to 325f.
7. Use an electric mixer on slow to beat the cream cheese till creamy and no lumps remain, scrape down the bowl a couple of times.
8. Add sugar and salt until well blended, then add eggs one at a time maiing sure mixture is smooth before adding the next. Scrape down the bowl.
9. Stir in the lemon,lemon zest, vanilla, sour cream, and heavy cream till just smooth.
10. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325f for 45-50 minutes. The edges of the cake will look set but the centre will still jiggle. Turn off the oven and leave the oven door open slighty and aallow the cake to cool in the oven for one hour.
11. Remove from the oven and run a knife around the outside of the cake to allow the cake to contract without cracking. Refridgerate overnight. I top mine with whipped cream. Enjoy.