Swann said:
For a creamy texture, do not over bake. The NY cheesecake is overbaked in my estimation.
I have considerable experience with cheesecakes. I have baked them for years. And the one I like best, is the heavy, dense, and somewhat dry NY Cheesecake.
That being said, Swann is quite correct. You obtain a lighter, creamier cheesecake by reducing the cooking time by about 10 to 15 minutes. A perfectly baked cheesecake is not supposed to be cooked until dry. It is supposed to be soft and creamy.
To test, bake your cheesecake as you normally would. But 15 minutes before it's time to regularly test, open the oven and jiggle the pan. The very center should not be 100% set, but it should be almost done. At that point, turn off the heat, prop the door open by about 6 inches or so, and allow the cheesecake to cool with the oven. It will continue cooking a bit so that the center is not runny. You will end up with the cheesecake you desire.
Also, as was said above, you can replace some of the cream cheese, or sour cream with heavy whipping cream. This will add more moisture into the batter, again giving you a less dense product.
Another technique is to replace part of the cream cheese with whipped egg whites. But this results in a heavier egg flavor and a filling that feels more like a custard, or even a soufle, depending on how much egg is used. I had cheesecake at a restaurant that was made that way. I didn't care much for it.
To make the filling more moist, you can also swirl any number of pie fillings into the filling as well. And don't forget to top it with something moist.
All of these techniques are available to you, and a quick search on-line will give you even more info. But for the original NY cheesecake flavor, but more moist, just reduce the cooking time. I've done it. It works.
Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North