Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9" springform pan and/or line with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter, and salt until all of the ingredients are well combined.
Pour the crust mixture into the prepared springform pan. Using your hands, gently press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the pan to create the crust. Try to spread the mixture as evenly as possible to create an even crust. Place the prepared crust into the freezer so it can set while you make the cheesecake filling.
Make the cheesecake filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together the softened cream cheese and the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Stop the mixer and scrap down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula then start again, as needed, to evenly incorporate the sugar.
Beat in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and the salt.
Add the eggs and beat into the mixture with the mixer on low, one at a time.
Using a silicone spatula, gently fold in the chopped mini egg chocolate candies until well incorporated.
Remove the crust from the freezer. Pour the cheesecake filling into the prepared crust pan. Set the pan on a baking sheet. This will help catch any butter or other ingredients that may try to seep out from the pan and encourage an even bake.
Place the sheet with the pan on it into the oven and bake at 350°F for 55 to 70 minutes. The cheesecake is done when the center is only slightly jiggly and the sides are no longer jiggling when moved.
Allow the cheesecake to cool completely at room temperature in the pan. Once the pan is cool to the touch, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or about 12 hours.
Make the whipped topping
Once the cheesecake has been refrigerated and is fully set, make a whipped topping.
In a stand mixer or large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the heavy cream for 1 minute.
Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat at medium-high speed until stiff peaks have formed into whipped cream.
Decorate the cake by either spreading the whipped cream over the top of the cake, or by piping on the top. Decorate with additional mini chocolate eggs. Serve immediately, or carefully cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve.
Notes
Makes 12 - 15 servings, although we're usually able to get about 18 slices out of a 9" cake.Room temperature ingredients: For this recipe, you'll need the cream cheese and sour cream to be at room temperature so that they are soft enough to mix smoothly. Eggs also need to be at room temperature in order to incorporate smoothly into the batter. Simply take these ingredients out of the refrigerator about an hour before you start baking.Mini chocolate eggs: This recipe calls for mini chocolate eggs with hard candy shells that are sold around Easter time. The most popular brands are Cadbury eggs and Hershey eggs. To roughly chop, place the mini eggs into a large resealable plastic bag. Seal, then beat with a kitchen mallet or a rolling pin, just crushing the eggs in half or quarters. Doneness: Cheesecakes are done when the centers only jiggle a little bit when the pan is moved back and forth gently. If you wait until the center is completely solid, you risk over-baking the cheesecake. In our oven, this Easter egg cheesecake is usually done in about 65-70 minutes; yours may take anywhere from 55 minutes to 75 minutes. Storage: Store the finished cheesecake carefully covered with plastic wrap or in an extra large airtight container made to hold cakes in the refrigerator for up to four days. Freezer: You can freeze the finished cheesecake in the freezer for up to two months.