Pumpkin Cheesecake

From the recent postings, you can probably tell I'm getting together my baking list for the holidays. I remembered this one because it is 1.) by older daughter's favorite flavor and 2.) what could be better than pumpkin in a cheesecake? Personally, I lean more towards the regular, vanilla type of cheesecake with a strawberry topping but now that I mentally taste pumpkin cheesecake, I'm wavering on favorites. Cheesecake always seems to be an expensive mystery but, as you can see from the following recipe, except for acquiring a Springform pan, it is a relatively easy dessert to make.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust:
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
5 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
1 cup granulated sugar
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Bottled caramel sauce
Whipped cream

　
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the crust by combining the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter, vanilla, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium bowl. Stir well enough to coat all of the crumbs with the butter, but not so much as to turn the mixture into paste. Press the crumbs onto the bottom and about two-thirds of the way up the sides of the Springform pan. The crust should not go all the way up the back of each slice of cheesecake. Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then set aside until you are ready to fill it.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, and vanilla. Mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the pumpkin, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Pour the filling into the pan.

Bake for approximately 60 minutes. The top will brown. Remove from oven to a cooling rack and when the cheesecake has come to room temperature, refrigerate it until thoroughly chilled. Remove from Springform pan and serve.

Top each serving with a drizzle of warmed caramel sauce and a generous dollop of whipped cream.