• Preheat oven to 350º F (180º C).

Prepare the Crust:

• Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with baking spray.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine graham crumbs, butter, and sugar with a fork until evenly moistened.
• Pour the crumbs mixture into the springform pan and press the crumbs down into the base (and up the sides if desired).

  Tip: Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to press down the crumbs evenly.
• Bake crust at 350º F (180º C) until set and fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes before filling.

  Note: If you are short on time, you can refrigerate the unbaked crust until you make the filling. I have done it both ways, and it works fine. Baking the crust ensures a crispier bottom, though.

Prepare the Filling:

• Mix cornstarch and sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Place the cream cheese and sour cream in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat on low speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and free of any lumps. Add sugar mixture and continue mixing until incorporated. Gradually add sweetened condensed milk and beat until creamy, for 1-2 minutes. Add lemon juice and vanilla extract; beat until well incorporated. Add whipped heavy cream and increase the speed to medium, beat for 3 - 4 minutes. Set aside.

Prepare the Pan:

• Place the cheesecake pan on two large pieces of heavy-duty aluminum foil and fold up the sides around it (this is to keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake).

  Tip: Leaky pans are a cheesecake’s arch-nemesis. After many years of cheesecake making, I have concluded that most springform pans leak, so to avoid water leaks, I like to wrap the springform pan with a double layer of heavy-duty foil and then a slow cooker liner. To do so, I place the springform pan in the middle of the slow cooker liner, grab all that excess baggage, wind it up, and tie the end with a knot, covering the underside and coming all the way to the top.

Divide and Color the Batter:

• Divide the batter into 4 equal portions, about 2 cups (480 g) of batter each.
• Color each portion with the gel food colors of your preference. I used, pink, green, purple and blue.
• Add spoonfuls of colored batter to the baking pan. I used a ¼ cup ice cream spoon. To get a colorful pattern, don’t put the same colors too close together; instead, alternate the colors throughout the pan.
• When all the batter is in the pan; gently tap 3 – 4 times to remove any air bubbles and bring the portions together.

Water Bath:

• Place the cheesecake into a large roasting pan and carefully pour boiling water in (avoiding the cheesecake, of course) until it’s about halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.

Bake:

• Bake at 350º F (180º C) for 40 minutes or until the edges are just barely puffed, but the filling is pale—you're not looking for golden brown.
• Turn off the oven and leave the door closed for 40 more minutes (leave the cheesecake inside of the oven). The cheesecake will continue to cook, but slowly begin to cool as well.
• After 40 minutes, remove the cheesecake from the oven. The cheesecake center should still wobble when you remove it; it will continue to cook as it cools on the counter. Next, remove the cheesecake from the water bath and wrapping. Let it cool at room temperature. Then refrigerate for at least 6 - 8 hours, or overnight (better).
• Loosen the cheesecake from the sides of the pan by running a thin metal spatula around the inside rim. Unmold and transfer to a cake plate. Decorate with whipped cream and sprinkles, if desired, and enjoy!