Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix the graham cracker crumbs with sugar and melted butter until well combined.
Press the mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and slightly up the sides.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, then remove from the oven and cool.
Strawberry Puree:
Rinse the strawberries, remove the stems, and puree them in a blender or food processor until smooth.
Pass the puree through a fine sieve to remove seeds for a smooth texture.
Cheesecake Filling:
Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
Beat the cream cheese with granulated sugar until smooth and creamy.
Mix in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined.
Measure out 1 cup of strawberry puree (set aside the rest for drizzling) and fold it into the filling. Add food coloring if desired for a richer pink color.
Pour the filling over the crust in the springform pan.
Cherry Blossom Dream Cake
continued on next page