Sprinkle Cheesecake
 
Makes 1 (9-inch) cake
Ingredients
  • 6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 teaspoons (14 grams) molasses
  • 4 cups (600 grams) shortbread cookie crumbs*
  • 3 (8-ounce) packages (680 grams) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
  • 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons (2 grams) lemon zest
  • 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract, divided
  • 4 large eggs (200 grams), room temperature
  • 1⁄2 cup (85 grams) rainbow sprinkles*
  • 1 cup (240 grams) cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1⁄2 cup (60 grams) confectioners’ sugar
  • Garnish: rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray with flour.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter and molasses until smooth; stir in cookie crumbs until well combined and mixture holds together when squeezed. Press into bottom and three-fourths up sides of prepared pan.
  3. Bake until fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Wrap bottom and sides of pan in a large piece of heavy-duty foil; place in a large oven bag, tucking ends so bag is flush with top edge of pan. (If you do not use an oven bag, wrap pan in a double layer of foil.) Reduce oven temperature to 325°F (170°C), and position oven rack in bottom third of oven.
  4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and salt at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add sour cream, lemon zest, and 1⁄2 teaspoon (2 grams) vanilla; beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Gently fold in sprinkles until just combined. Pour filling into cooled prepared crust. Place springform pan in a large roasting pan. Place roasting pan in oven, and add hot water to come 1 inch up sides of springform pan.
  5. Bake until cheesecake looks set but has a slight wobble to it and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 150°F (66°C) to 155°F (68°C), 11⁄2 hours to 1 hour and 45 minutes. Carefully remove cheesecake from water bath, and let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. (Once pan is cool enough to handle, carefully remove oven bag and foil.) Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight, loosely covering with foil only when completely cool to prevent condensation from forming on top of cheesecake.
  6. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat cold cream, confectioners’ sugar, and remaining 1 1⁄2 teaspoons (6 grams) vanilla at high speed until stiff peaks form, 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a 1⁄2-inch French star piping tip (Ateco #866).
  7. Run a thin-bladed knife around sides of pan to loosen crust. Carefully remove cheesecake from pan, and transfer to a serving plate. Pipe whipped cream mixture on top of cheesecake as desired. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe by Bake from Scratch at https://bakefromscratch.com/sprinkle-cheesecake/