Denver Cheesecake

AKA my birthday cake today!  I don't usually have a birthday cake, but decided to do a cheesecake this year.  This recipe is from my sister, Trina.  It's a lot of cream cheese and you need to plan ahead, but it is SO GOOD!

Crust:
1 12-ounce box of vanilla wafers, crushed
6 Tblsps of butter, melted

Filling:
40 oz cream cheese, softened (5- 8 oz packages)  Neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat) works great
1 3/4 cups sugar
3 Tblsps flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream

In a small bowl, mix together wafer crumbs and butter.  Press into the bottom and half-way up the sides of a 10 inch spring form pan.  Chill while preparing filling.

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth.  Add sugar, flour, salt, lemon zest, and vanilla.  Beat well.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.  Blend in cream.  Pour into crust.  Bake at 500 degrees for 10 minutes and then at 225 degrees for an additional 70-80 minutes.  Filling will be almost set.  Cool at room temperature.  Regfrigerate for 8 hours or overnight before serving.

I used frozen mixed berries in Danish Dessert for the topping.  I used some left over lemon zest, heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar to make the whipped cream for the top.  Yummy!