Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl, pour the raspberry sauce into the strainer, and, using a large spoon, push the raspberry puree through the strainer leaving the seeds in the strainer. You should get about ¾-1 cup of seedless raspberry sauce. Set the bowl of raspberry sauce aside to cool completely. You will discard the seeds.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with a parchment round and spray the sides with baker’s spray.

To make the graham cracker crust, stir together in a medium bowl the graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter until thoroughly combined.

Press the graham cracker crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared springform pan. You can use a large dry measuring cup to press the crumbs tightly together to form a nice thick crust. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and allow it to cool.

Reduce the heat of the oven to 325°F. Wrap the outside of the springform pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Be sure to wrap the foil tightly and all the way up the sides of the pan. Set aside.

To make the cheesecake batter, add the cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1-2 minutes or until the cream cheese is fluffy and no lumps remain. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

To the cream cheese, add the granulated sugar and beat again until fully combined.

Turn the speed down to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until all the eggs are fully incorporated. Do not overmix the eggs into the batter. You do not want a lot of air bubbles in your cheesecake batter. Be sure that you scrape down the bowl and paddle as needed.

Add the sour cream, heavy cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix just until combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, and give the cheesecake batter a final stir to ensure that the batter is smooth and evenly mixed.

Pour the cheesecake batter into the graham cracker crust and smooth the top. Gently tap the springform pan on the counter to help release any air bubbles from the batter.

There are a couple of ways to add the raspberry sauce swirl. You can fill a disposable piping bag or ziplock bag with the corner snipped off with the raspberry sauce. Add tablespoon-sized dollops of the raspberry sauce randomly over the surface of the cheesecake, being sure to leave space in between. You can also use a large spoon to drizzle the raspberry sauce over the cheesecake batter. With either of these methods, you will take a knife, wooden skewer, or even a chopstick to make swirls with the raspberry sauce. You will have some of the raspberry sauce left over (you will only need to use ½-¾ of the sauce) that can be used to drizzle over individual servings if desired.

Carefully place the foil-wrapped springform pan in an oversized roasting pan (the size you would use for a large turkey) and place the roasting pan onto the center rack of the preheated oven.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and the water bath, and remove the foil wrap from the outside of the springform pan. Carefully run a knife with a thin blade around the sides of the cheesecake. Place the lemon raspberry cheesecake into the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours or up to overnight. An overnight chill will ensure your cheesecake is fully set up and chilled.

Once fully chilled, and set up, remove the cheesecake from the refrigerator and remove the side ring of the springform pan. Carefully place the lemon raspberry cheesecake onto a serving plate and garnish with the extra creamy whipped cream, fresh raspberries, and lemon zest. Slice and serve.