In case you’ve managed to avoid looking at a calendar lately, Thanksgiving is coming up later this week! If the dessert portion of your menu is still up in the air (or if you want another dessert!), this one could be for you.
It’s delicious and impressive-looking, without being terribly difficult to make. It is slightly involved, but well worth the effort. 
Let the record show that, despite his occasional complaints, Sean is encouraging my pumpkin-loving behavior. He surprised me with the cookbook that this recipe came from; it just so happens that this cookbook is all about cooking and baking with pumpkin.
This recipe comes from the cookbook Cooking with Pumpkin: Recipes that Go Beyond the Pie.
You’ll need:
Pumpkin Cake
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 3/4 cup pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 4 tbs unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pumpkin Cheesecake
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup pumpkin
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Other Toppings
- 2 tbs turbinado sugar (granulated sugar can sub here)
- 1/2 cup gingersnap cookies, coarsely crushed
- 1/3 cup caramel sauce
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.
For the cake layer, combine the 3/4 cup sugar, teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, and cloves. Mix just to incorporate.
Add the 3/4 cup pumpkin, egg, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla extract. Using a hand mixer, beat for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl down periodically, if needed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top slightly with a spatula.
For the cheesecake layer, using a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, 1/4 cup of pumpkin, 1/4 cup of sugar, and teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice until smooth and creamy.
Add the cheesecake mixture in an even layer on top of the cake batter. Smooth slightly. Sprinkle the top with the turbinado sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set and not jiggly.
Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely.
Once it’s cool, run a knife around the outside of the cake to loosen it. Then, pop the springform pan off and lift the bottom, along with the cake, out from the pan. When you’re ready to serve the cake, sprinkle the top with the crushed gingersnaps and drizzle the caramel sauce.
