Live... Bake... Love...: Birthday Cake Oreo Cheesecake "Cupcakes"

The very first word in the name of our Blog has special meaning to us. Yvonne and I both work in a fast paced industry, where every day means a new deadline and we are continually working a year or more "in the future". Sometimes, in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of life, we forget to LIVE. This is an important reminder for us all to slow it down. To appreciate every single second, whether it's spent stuck in traffic, waiting in line at the DMV, playing with your kids, snuggling on the couch with the one you love or baking a cake....

These Birthday Cake Oreo Cheesecakes Cupcakes are a fun reminder to

"LIVE EACH DAY LIKE IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY!!!"

** I actually prefer to use my hand mixer for this recipe. It's very important that the cream cheese is softened and that the eggs are room temperature. I usually allow a few hours for the cream cheese to come to room temp.

** Plan ahead - the cream cheese needs several hours to soften. The cupcakes need to chill 8 hours or overnight before serving. This makes a great make ahead dessert! You can make both the cheesecakes and fresh whipped cream the night before you want to serve them!

Birthday Cake Oreo Cheesecake "Cupcakes"

Makes 21 "Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 package Birthday Cake Oreos
2 8ounce packages of Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream
Rainbow Sprinkles for garnish
Fresh Whipped Cream for topping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325f

Line two 12 cup muffin pans with paper liners (I used white so the Oreos could be visible through the bottom). Remember this recipe yields approx. 21 cupcakes so you only need to line 21 cavities.

Place a whole Oreo in each of the bottoms of the lined muffin pans.

Place the softened cream cheese in a large bowl and beat with your electric hand mixer set at medium speed until smooth. This should take about 30 seconds if your cream cheese is well softened.

Add the granulated sugar and vanilla extra and beat at medium speed until incorporated (about 20-25 seconds).

Add the eggs one at a time, beating at medium speed just until incorporated and scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.

Add the sour cream and mix just until combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.

Sprinkle the tops with sprinkles.

Place in the oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes. Check at the beginning of the bake time. The cheesecakes should look set and not jiggly but should not be puffy and cracking.

Remove from the oven and place the muffin pans on a wire cooling rack to cool. Remove the cheesecakes from the pans after about 15 minutes and place them on wire cooling racks to cool. Once the cheesecakes have cooled to room temperature, place them in a covered container and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight before serving.