somehow it is already spring, and somehow march seemed to rush right on by without any notice at all. thankfully, i had the perfect occasion to fit my march bake: our neighbors are expecting their fourth child! i wanted to whip up something special before the baby’s arrival, so i asked the husband what the expectant mother’s favorite dessert was. his answer? cheesecake. i was excited by the challenge of this classic treat because, yes, it would be my march bake. however, i also looked forward to it because i feel like something like a cheesecake really tests your abilities. it might seem simple. a bunch of cream cheese, some sugar, and some eggs. however, something so iconic can so easily go awry. i expect we’ve all had a slice of mealy, dry, cracked cheesecake, which isn’t enjoyable on any level. in a bake like this one, even though science is certainly at play, experience really can give you an advantage.

i don’t have my own go-to cheesecake recipe, and if you don’t either or just are interested in something new, i will quickly direct you to this recipe by sam. this recipe is unique because it does not use a water bath (something super common when making a cheesecake), but i followed the instructions to a tee, and my cheesecake turned out smooth, rich, and easily edible. i will say, though, i did get a little nervous mixing the batter itself. i needed to ensure i incorporated everything evenly without letting in too much air, and that is where my prior baking experience was helpful. i kept a close eye on it, didn’t mix it on too high a speed, and didn’t second guess my instincts. when it looked done, i turned off the mixer and moved on to the next step. sometimes you have to fight that urge to overthink things!

i popped my cheesecake into the oven, set the timer, and resisted the temptation to open the oven to check on things. the minute you do, so much heat escapes, and all sorts of things can go sideways (no matter what you’re making!). about an hour later, the house smelled divine, and my cheesecake looked as happy as it could be. better yet, it tasted great, too! i had the neighbors over for a slice, and even their youngest (who doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth) ate most of hers. i think the only tweak i would make to this recipe is putting more of the graham cracker crust on the bottom. i didn’t know exactly how much filling there was going to be, and as you can see, i had an excess of graham crackers up the sides of my springform pan. aside from that minor adjustment, i think this one is a keeper!