Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Last few weeks have been jammed pack with fun, Aaron and I enjoyed a weeknight date for our 3^rd anniversary, my parents came to town and we went to HyVee’s Food and Wine Expo, my good friend Jackee and Baby Ellie stopped by for a visit, we enjoyed a full day of Christmas shopping with my parents, Sunday the Christmas tree went up, I had Monday off for Veteran’s Day, and we are getting ready for another fun filled weekend, YIPPEE!

Something I needed to plan ahead for was Thanksgiving.  We can’t skip Turkey Day although the tree is up!  I’m attempting my first whole turkey this year; which does have me a little edgy but am biting at the bit to give it a whirl.  Each year, my pumpkin cheesecake comes in high demand on both sides of our family.  It’s quite delicious and made completely from scratch.

Here are some cheesecake tips you need to know…

I’m super impatient.  Letting my cream cheese and eggs sit out until they are room temperature is just annoying.  Usually by the time they hit room temp, I’m completely unmotivated to bake.  This time around, I only gave it an hour before patience got the best of me.  Which was a big mistake, my cheesecake was lumpy because it was too cold still.  So upon searching Google, one solution said to strain the cheesecake batter and mash out any leftover clumps.  Terrible idea, what a mess, don’t do that.  The best solution I found that worked for me was to fill the sink with hot water then submerse your mixing bowl in the hot water and stir your batter and it will declump.  Worked great!  Creamy batter is a very important key to good cheesecake.   

Tip number 2, if you pull your cheesecake out and it has cracked on top during baking, it was either overbeaten (which I definitely did this time around trying to get rid of my lumps) or you over baked it. 

Tip number 3, use an internal thermometer to ensure you don’t over bake.  Cheesecake is done once the middle reaches 160-165 degrees.  Just like your turkey!

Tip number 4, use a spring form pan but make sure you set that on a baking sheet, your cheesecake will leak some and create a mess in your oven if you don’t.

I tried freezing mine this year, we’ll see what tips I may have for you once I pull them out next week and see how they held up.  I wrapped them plenty good so keeping my fingers crossed!

How do I know these tips?  Each of these disasters has happened to me, I’m pretty much a cheesecake genius now.

And here is my Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake recipe! 

Yummers in my tummers, can't wait till Turkey Day! 

2 C finely crushed ginger snaps

½ C finely chopped pecans

5 T melted butter

3 8oz packages of cream cheese

1 C sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 eggs

1 C canned pumpkin

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash of ground cloves

Mix gingersnaps, pecans, butter.  Press into bottom and up side of 9 inch spring form pan.  Beat cream cheese, ¾ C sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended.  Reserve 1 ½ C of plain batter. Stir in remaining ¼ C sugar, pumpkin, and spices into remaining batter.  Spoon ½ of pumpkin batter over crust and top with 2 spoonfuls of plain batter.  Repeat process.  Cut thru batter with a knife several times for a marble effect.  Bake at 325 degrees for 55 min or until center is almost set.  (If using dark nonstick pan, 300 degrees for 55 min).  Loosen cake from side of pan with knife.  Let cool completely before removing from pan.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.