Featured in: Pumpkin: A Contemplation
Ingredients
For the crust:
- •237 ml (1 cup) finely-crushed ginger snap cookies
- •55 grams (¼ cup) butter, melted
- •2.5 grams (½ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
For the filling:
- •225 grams (1 cup) sugar
- •680 grams (1½ pounds) cream cheese, at room temperature
- •118 ml (½ cup) sour cream
- •3 eggs
- •397 grams (14 ounces) canned puréed pumpkin
- •5 grams (1 teaspoon) cinnamon
- •5 grams (1 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- •2.5 grams (½ teaspoon) ground allspice
- •9-15 grams (2-3 teaspoons) ground ginger
- •59 ml (¼ cup) molasses
- •Walnut halves, lightly toasted, for garnish
- •Confectioner's sugar, for dusting
Preparation
For the crust: Preheat oven to 180°C (350ºF). Mix together the crushed ginger snaps, butter and cinnamon. Press into a 23 cm (9-inch) springform pan. Bake until firm, about 15 minutes.
For the filling: Preheat oven to 165°C (325ºF). In a stand mixer beat together the sugar and softened cream cheese until very smooth. Mix in the sour cream; beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the pumpkin, spices and molasses. Pour into the crust-lined springform pan.
Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 1 3/4 to 2 hours. Cool on a rack.
Remove cooled cake from pan. Decorate with whole walnut halves and showering of confectioner’s sugar.
This recipe can be made a day or two ahead, then covered and refrigerated. Bring to nearly room temperature and garnish with nuts and confectioner’s sugar just before serving.