Joshua's birthday this year (in July) was during one of the hotter weeks and despite my good intentions, by the time it was cool enough outside to bake a cheesecake, it was bedtime. We also wanted to share the cake -- either with dinner guests or by taking it with us to dinner at someone else's home. :)

Last week I got the cheesecake made! Orange-Vanilla Dream Cheesecake is one of Joshua's favorites, and we shared it with his family this weekend.

I didn't use a water bath this time, and I thought I might have over-baked the cheesecake, but everyone insisted that it tasted just right. Yay! Now I'm in the mood to make another cheesecake. They're time-consuming, but a real treat. :D

I took these pictures at Joshua's grandma's house after I cut the cheesecake. She has a skylight in her kitchen which provided abundant natural light! :)