Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake

A fork holding a piece of cheesecake held over the remaining portion of the slice of cheesecake.

5 from 1 vote

Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake

A rich and creamy Pumpkin Basque Cheesecake made with warm spices and canned pumpkin. It’s so easy that it’s a great cheesecake for beginners and experts alike.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Spanish

Servings:

Calories: 462kcal

Author: Lauren Skardal

Ingredients

1¾ lb cream cheese, softened 3½ standard 8oz bars
1¼ cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1 15oz canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon allspice
¼ teaspoon salt
1⅔ cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the pan with parchment paper such that there is 2 inches of overhang. You will need two pieces of parchment paper. You can trim any excess.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar with a mixer (hand-held or stand mixer) on low-medium speed for 5 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time and mix until fully incorporated (add one egg, use the mixer to beat until fully combined, then add the next egg, and continue until all eggs are combined).
Place the canned pumpkin on a sheet of cheesecloth. If you don’t have cheesecloth you can use several layers of paper towels. Wrap the cheesecloth around the pumpkin and holding it over the sink or a bowl press gently to squeeze out excess water. Be sure to squeeze gently so as to not press out the actual pumpkin (a little is okay). The goal is to remove as much excess water as possible to prevent a watery cheesecake.
Add the pumpkin to the cheesecake mixture along with the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and salt. Mix to combine.
Add the heavy cream and vanilla extract and use a whisk (not a mixer) to combine.
Add the flour to a fine mesh strainer and gently sift the flour over the mixture a little at a time, stirring in between to incorporate.
Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cheesecake is dark brown in color on top, yet still soft and wiggly in the middle.

It should be very dark in color, but not burned. Do not be worried that it is too dark in color, the middle will still be light and creamy. A dark color on top means that the inside is sufficiently cooked through.

Notes

Adding Flour: Do not add the flour all at once or it will clump together and be lumpy in the batter. Add it to the fine mesh strainer then lightly tap the strainer over the bowl to add a dusting of flour. Whisk to incorporate, then add another dusting of flour and repeat until all the flour has been incorporated.
Cooling: It is important to let the cheesecake cool at room temperature rather than place it directly in the fridge so that it sets properly, which will give it a creamy consistent texture. It also prevents condensation from forming when covering the cheesecake which may drop on the top of the cheesecake and create discoloration.
Cream Cheese: If you have not softened your cream cheese in advance, place the cream cheese in a microwavable bowl (removed from foil packaging) and microwave it for 1 minute at 20% power, checking and adding 30 seconds at 20% power as needed until it has sufficiently softened. It should be soft, but not melty or warm.
Spices: If you know you really love any of the spices in this recipe, feel free to add up to ¼ teaspoon more of the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.
Baking Sheet: If the dish is very full of batter, consider placing a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any spillover. I have not yet had this happen despite having very full dishes, but you may want it as extra insurance.

Nutrition