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1.For the crust, lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9 1/2 inch spring form pan.
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2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and adjust the rack to the lower part of the oven.
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3. Mix the graham cracker crumbs with the sugar and the melted butter until the crumbs are moist. Press the crumbs into a flat layer in the bottom of the spring form pan. (You can use the flat bottom of a glass to get an it even.)
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4. Bake the crust for 9 minutes until golden brown. Set the pan aside on a cooling rack while you prepare the batter. Reduce the heat of the oven to 350 degrees.
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5. For the cheesecake, mix the cream cheese and the sugar until there are no lumps.
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6. Add the vanilla and lemon zest.
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7. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until completely.
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8. Stir in the sour cream.
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9. Pour the batter over the crust in the pan. Set the pan into a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and pour warm water until it reaches about one-third of the way up the side of the pan.
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10. Bake the cheesecake in the water bath for 55 minutes, until the cake is still very jiggly, but in a semi-solid mass. Do not overbake.
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11. Cool the cake on a wire rack until room temperature, the refrigerate in the spring form pan at least 3 hours until thoroughly chilled.
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To serve, run a thin, sharp knife around the outside of the cheesecake to loosen it from the pan. Remove the spring form, then cut slices with a sharp knife dipped in warm water.
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(Don't be tempted to cool a warm cheesecake in the refrigerator since the condensation can cause the cake to be soggy. )
