Pumpkin Cheesecake

Jan. 2, 1986

February 20, 2008

3/4 cup crushed graham cracker crumbs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed

3 teaspoons butter, melted

4 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 and 3/4 cups sugar divided

5 eggs

1/4 cup flour

1 (16-oz) can pumpkin

2 teaspoons or more pumpkin pie spice, to taste

2 tablespoons rum

2 cups sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

In bowl mix graham cracker crumbs with cinnamon and brown sugar, then stir in melted butter. Press mixture in bottom of 9-inch springform pun. Set aside

In large bowl, preferably with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Stir in 1 and 1/2 cups sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Sprinkle flour over mixture and beat. Thoroughly mix in pumpkin, then spice and rum. Pour into the springform pan.

Bake in pre-heated, 325-degree oven for 1 and 1/2 hours. Turn off heat and let cake stand in oven another 30 minutes. Remove cake from oven and let cool until it is warm but not hot to the touch. Meanwhile mix together sour cream 1/4 cup sugar and vanilla Spread smoothly over top of cake.

Return to 425-degree oven for 10 minutes. Cool at room temperature, refrigerate for about four hours before serving.