Caramel Blondie Pumpkin Cheesecake

Every Thanksgiving, I cook like a wild woman, much to the delight of my sons.  One of the many things I usually make is the required Pumpkin Pie.  Not this year, though.  This year I rebelled.  This year, I reworked my "famous" cheesecake recipe and came up with pure pumpkin bliss.  Move over Pumpkin Pie.  You have been upstaged by your more glamorous cousin.  I bring you the Caramel Blondie Pumpkin Cheesecake.  This cheesecake has 5 layers of lusciousness.  Thanksgiving will never be the same.

1 3/4 cup vanilla wafer crumbs

5 Tbsp melted butter (Real butter, folks.  No substitutes)

Mix vanilla wafer crumbs and melted butter together.  Press into the bottom and 2" up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.  Bake at 350 F for 5 minutes.  Cool.

14 oz. caramels

1 5 oz. can evaporated milk

Cook caramels and evaporated milk together over low heat, stirring often, until caramels are melted.

Pour caramel mixture over crust.

Crumble 2 cups Blondies over caramel layer.  A blondie is kind of like a Brownie without the chocolate.  Chocolate would overpower the pumpkin in this recipe, so Brownies were out.  (See Blondie recipe at the bottom of this post.)

1 cup pureed pumpkin (canned is fine)

1 5 oz. can evaporated milk

1 large egg

1/2 cup evaporated cane juice sugar (or regular white sugar)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp cloves

Blend together until smooth.  You can use a mixer or blender.  I used a blender, because it was quick. Pour over the Blondie layer.

3 8-oz packages of cream cheese

1 cup packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream (or plain greek yogurt)

2 tsp vanilla extract

Beat cream cheese for 2 minutes or until fluffy.  Add sugar, mix well.  Add eggs, one at a time, mixing just until blended between each egg.  Stir in sour cream and vanilla.  Pour over pumpkin layer slowly.  The pumpkin layer is a bit thin, so the cheese cake layer will sink a bit -- no worries.  This made a bit more cheesecake than I needed to fill my 9" springform pan.  You could either use a 10" pan or bake the extra in a small dish to appease your family while they wait to cut into the actual cheesecake.  Do what you think is best...

Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature on a wire rack.  Cover and chill at least 4 hours before serving.  Remove the sides of the springform pan and garnish, if desired.  Try not to gorge yourself.  

There you have it.  A mountain of Pumpkin Sin on a Plate.  Enjoy!