a tipsy little cake

I shared with you the other day a cheesecake recipe my aunt gave me.  That got me thinking about a cheesecake that my husband declared as his favorite cheesecake ever as soon as he ate it.  It was the Kahlua Cocoa Coffee Cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory.  I went to looking for the recipe online and was so excited to find it!  We went to Wal-Mart (my husband was excited about this find too) and got the ingredients.  The recipe called for espresso coffee, which my husband said that he had.  However, I later found out he didn't...only after putting his ground coffee into the mix.  UGH!  However, it turned out to be a happy little accident.  I am going to attempt the actual recipe eventually. I halved the recipe and made cheesecake cupcakes however, I am giving you the whole recipe.

What you'll need:
15 Oreo cookies, crushed (I used whole cookies instead and just put one in each cupcake liner before filling with the cake mix)
3 tbsp Butter, melted (omit this if you are not crushing the cookies)
24 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs (for halving, I used two eggs)
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/8 cup flavored instant coffee powder (I used french vanilla)
1/3 cup espresso coffee
1 tbsp cocoa powder
3 tbsp Kahlua (or any other coffee liqueur)
9 inch Spring Form Pan (if making one large cake)
Cupcake pan (if making cheesecake cupcakes) and Cupcake liners
2 Mixing Bowls
Electric Mixer

What to do:
Mix crushed cookies and butter and pat into bottom of pan, set in refrigerator - OR -  put one cupcake liner into each cupcake dish, put one whole Oreo in each dish

Mix cream cheese and sugar until well blended
Add the eggs one at a time and beat well
Divide the cream cheese into two parts, 3/4 in one bowl and 1/4 in the second bowl

In the larger mixture, add flour, flavored coffee powder and coffee liqueur, mix well

In the smaller mixture add the espresso powder and cocoa powder, mix well (this is the part I messed up, so my cheesecake cupcakes did not have this layer but, my husband liked them just as much!)

Pour the larger mixture over the crust, top with the remaining smaller mixture

Bake at 325 for 40-50 minutes (for a cake).  I only cooked mine about 25 minutes and they are good though, I only had one pan of cupcakes.  You know when the cheesecake is done when just the center wiggles a little.

Run a knife or metal spatula around the rim of the pan to loosen.  Do not remove the cake until it is completely cooled.  Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

You can top the cake with Cool Whip, chocolate shavings, chocolate syrup...whatever you'd like!