Wash your stand mixer, then place the soft cream cheese and sugar in the bowl. Mix on low for 3-5 minutes, scraping down the sides as necessary. Ensure all the sugar has dissolved into the cream cheese for a lovely cheesecake top (undissolved sugar will leave brown spots). Scrape down the sides of the bowl thoroughly with a silicon spatula.
Add the sour cream and allow it to incorporate. Scrape down the bowl again.
Add the eggs, one at a time, allowing each egg to incorporate before adding the next. Add the vanilla and lemon juice and mix on a low speed to combine. Scrape the bowl one last time: ideally there will be no chunks of cream cheese left on the bottom of the bowl.
Pour the cream cheese mixture on top of the prepared base. Smooth the top out by shaking the cheesecake from side to side. Drop it gently on the bench a few times to remove any air bubbles.
Place the cheesecake in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes. The cheesecake should be lightly golden and jiggle in the pan.
Turn the oven off, leave the door ajar and allow it to cool for around 15-20 minutes. Gently and carefully run a knife around the very edge of the cheesecake to prevent cracking as it cools. Leave the oven door ajar and allow to cool completely in the oven (I leave mine overnight if it’s not too hot out).
Once cooled, pop in the fridge to firm up for 3-4 hours to make for easy slicing.
Leftovers keep well in an airtight container in the fridge.