Mmmmm!!! Doesn't that just looks scrumptious! I made that! And I am going to show you how to make it, too! 

This is probably the most frustrating recipe I've come across so far, and it's somewhat complicated, especially if you don't have upgraded equipment. It's especially frustrating for all the waiting you have to do. You know it's going to be delicious, but it's just sitting there... taunting you... chilling before you can serve it. 

I made this for the hubby for his birthday. He turned 24 last week and I tried this as a celebratory act. He loves funfetti, and he loves cheesecake. I thought this would be the best of both worlds, and it was. 

That said, it can be a bit... much. It really is great, but after a while you loose your appreciation for it. Like, after 2 or 3 slices, you just have to say "this is great, but regular cheesecake is nice, too." In other words, it hasn't replaced regular cheesecake or regular funfetti cake, for me. But who knows, it may for you! 

Ingredients: 

Step one: Bake cookies according to package instructions. 

Step two: While cookies are baking, begin your cheesecake mix. Soften your cream cheese (~40 secs in microwave). Add sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Beat until fully incorporated. 

Step three: Add 1 1/2 cup of yellow cake mix (NOT THE WHOLE PACKAGE - as I may or may not have done). Beat on low until fully mixed. 

Step four: Add your eggs to the mixture, one at a time. Beat until smooth. 

Step five: Measure out 1 cup of sour cream. Fold it in mixture. If you prefer sprinkles in your cheesecake (as pictured in the original recipe), fold them in now. The original recipe forgot to mention this step, and at the end of the recipe I was wondering what I was supposed to do with my sprinkles. Oops. So my cheesecake did not have sprinkles inside (bummer), but yours can! 

Step six: Take your springform pan, wrap the bottom tightly in aluminum foil (I'll explain in a minute). Take your done sugar cookies, and place in bottom of the pan. The cookies are going to act as your crust! Yum! 

**Note - don't turn your oven off yet! We still need to bake the cheesecake!**

Step seven: Use your hands to evenly spread and mash the cookies to the bottom of the pan to form a crust. You can eat one, I won't tell, but no more than that! You need nearly all of them! 

Step eight: Place your wrapped pan in a large pan. I used the bottom of a broiler pan as it was the only thing that would hold it. Now spoon your mixture into the springform pan, on top of the cookie crust. 

Step nine: Set your oven to 375. If you have a tea kettle, fill with water and bring to a boil. If you don't have a tea kettle, just boil water in a pot, it's fine. Whichever your method, once your water has begun boiling, pour water into the broiler pan about halfway up the springform if you can. This is called a "hot water bath" and it's a preferred method of baking cheesecakes because it limits cracking of the cheesecake. 

Step ten: Carefully set the entire pan in the oven and bake at 375 for 50 minutes. After 50 minutes has completed, turn off the oven, but do not remove cheesecake from the oven for another hour. After 1hr 50 minutes has passed, set cheesecake on counter to cook for an additional hour. 

Step eleven: After cooling on the counter for an hour, you may now place frosting on top if it is your desire to have icing. I think it adds something to the cheesecake and is quite festive, but the choice is yours. I used whipped chocolate. Top with sprinkles. 

Step twelve: It looks done, but it isn't. Now put it in the fridge and let it chill for at least SIX hours! I know! It's torturous! 

... But delicious. And totally worth the wait :)

Enjoy! 

Link to recipe as found on Pinterest: http://hubpages.com/hub/Easy-Birthday-Cake-Batter-Flavored-Recipes