Place the 2 packages of cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer or into a bowl and get your hand mixer out
Mix the cream cheese until creamy - scrape the sides down often to ensure all the cream cheese is soft
Add the eggs one at a time. (I usually break the eggs into a measuring cup so I can be sure there are no shells in the cake and it's easy to pour the eggs in one at a time)
Mix until the eggs are incorporated and the mixture is creamy - scrape the side often during the process
Zest the lemon using a Microplane, or peel the skin and chop very fine
Add the 2 cups of sour cream, the 1 cup of sugar, the teaspoon of vanilla and the lemon zest to the mixture
Mix on medium speed until creamy. Scrape the sides one last time to be sure you've incorporated all the cream cheese
Pour the cheesecake mixture into the prepared crust
Cover the bottom of the cheesecake pan with foil and place it in a baking pan. Fill the baking pan with enough boiling water to come half-way up the side of the cheesecake pan
Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes and check it. It will take between 45 minutes and an hour. When the cake has a slight jiggle in the center, it's done.
Let the cheesecake cool completely and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Use a knife to loosen the sides, or loosen the spring on the pan.
Add some of the reserved ginger crust to the top of the cake, if you like and serve with a dollop of whipped cream.