Crust
1 six-ounce box Graham crackers, finely crumbled (3/4 cup)
2 T. sugar
˝ tsp. cinnamon
6 T. unsalted butter, melted
2 T. soft butter
Combine the graham crackers, sugar, and cinnamon. Stir the melted butter into the crumb mixture and mix. With a pastry brush, heavily butter a 9-inch by 3-inch-deep springform pan with the 2 T. of soft butter. Pat an even layer of the mixture on the bottom and sides of the pan to form a shell. Refrigerate the crust while you make the filling.
Filling
3 eight oz. packages cream cheese, softened
1-1/4 c. sugar
6 egg yolks
1 pt. sour cream
3 T. all purpose flour
2 tsp. vanilla
1 T. lemon juice
1 T. finely grated lemon rind
6 egg whites
2 T. confectioners’ sugar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the cream cheese until it is smooth. Gradually beat in the sugar. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, and continue to beat until all the ingredients are well combined. Stir in the sour cream, flour, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon rind.
Beat the egg whites until they are stiff enough to form unwavering peaks on the beater when it is lifted out of the bowl. With a rubber spatula fold the egg whites gently but thoroughly into the cream cheese mixture until no streaks of white show, but be careful not to over fold.
Pour the filling into the pan, spreading it out evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake in the middle of the oven for 1 hour. Then turn off the oven, and with the oven door open, let the cake rest on the oven shelf for 15 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temperature. Before serving, remove the sides of the pan and sprinkle the cake with confectioners’ sugar.