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Pumpkin PIe Cheesecake - creamy pumpkin cheesecake topped with mascarpone whipped cream - YUM! simplysated
4.5 from 4 votes
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Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

WOW your family and friends with this (somewhat) easy and elegant Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake. It is a perfect dessert to serve at any fall gathering or a cozy evening at home.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 -10
Author Susie Gall

Ingredients

  • Cheesecake:
  • 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese – room temperature
  • ½ cup caster sugar or finely-ground sugar to finely-grind sugar, process it awhile in the food-processor - don't process to long or you will have powdered sugar.
  • 4 eggs – lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 tablespoons sour cream
  • 15 ounces pumpkin – Libby’s works well
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice see below
  • ----------------------------------------------
  • Hobnob Crust:
  • 10 McVities Hobnobs
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter – melted
  • or…Graham Cracker Crust http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2014/06/perfect-graham-cracker-crust/
  • ---------------------------------------------------
  • Nut Topping:
  • ½ package Fresh Gourmet Pecan Pieces – Honey Roasted
  • ---------------------------------------------------
  • Caramel:
  • Hershey’s Caramel Topping or your favorite homemade or store-bought caramel
  • --------------------------------------------------
  • Whipped Topping - stabilized:
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar confectioner’s sugar
  • 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese – room temperature
  • --------------------------------------------------
  • Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice: if needed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • -------------------------------------------------
  • Graham Cracker Crust: if substituting for the Hobnob crust **See Notes
  • 1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 stick melted salted butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Lightly grease a springform cake tin or mini tart pans and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Lightly spray the parchment with cooking spray. If using non-stick mini tart pans, there is no need for the parchment, but do lightly spray the pans.
  3. -------------------------------
  4. To make the crust: put the hobnobs through a food processor until crushed, or put in a plastic bag and crush with rolling pin or mallet. Mix with the melted butter until a sandy consistency is formed. Cover the base of the lined tin with the crushed crust mixture and flatten it with the back of a spoon to make a level base. Push it slightly up the sides of the pan for a beautiful, finished look. Be sure to pack down the crust.
  5. ------------------------------------------
  6. For the cheese cake batter:
  7. Mix the sugar and cream cheese on low speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
  8. Add the eggs one at a time and mix just until smooth.
  9. Add the vanilla, sour cream and pumpkin, flour and spices and mix just until smooth.
  10. Pour the mixture over the graham cracker base.
  11. Place the cheesecake on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet.
  12. Bake for 60-70 minutes until almost set.
  13. Turn off the oven and bake until the center is set. Do NOT overbake.
  14. To check to see if it is done, insert a thin knife in the center and it should come out clean.
  15. Remove the cake from the oven and set aside on a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
  16. Once the cake has cooked, remove it from the tin. I left the cake on the base until transferring it to a cake plate.
  17. Chill the cake for at least two hours in the fridge before serving.
  18. After the cake cools, it is time for the fun part - the decorating:
  19. Place heavy cream in a clean mixer bowl and, with the whisk attachment, mix until it starts to thicken.
  20. Add the powdered sugar and Mascarpone cream.
  21. Continue whisking until it is the desired consistency, but don’t beat it too long – you sure don’t to make butter.
  22. Place the Whipped cream in a decorator’s bag fitted with a decorator tip and pipe the cream on top or fill a Ziploc bag and cut a small opening in one corner to squeeze out the cream…or just spoon the whipped cream on top.
  23. Sprinkle with the Honey Roasted Pecans and drizzle with the Caramel.
  24. The cake can be decorated as easily as you wish.
  25. This cake can be made one day before serving, but drizzle the caramel on right before serving – be sure to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge.
  26. Any leftovers can be kept up to 3 days covered in the fridge
  27. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

NOTE: If making a graham cracker crust – here is an excellent link for making graham cracker crusts. (http://www.crazyforcrust.com/2014/06/perfect-graham-cracker-crust/)
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**There are a couple of tricks to keep in mind when baking a cheesecake: #1. Once the cake is almost set in the middle, turn off the heat the last 5-8 minutes of baking. Prolonged heat can cause the cake to split on top. #2. Do NOT overbeat the cheese mixture – too much air can be incorporated into the batter. During the baking process, that air is released which causes the top to split.