I love cake mixes! I know that some people frown upon cake mixes, because they are full of preservatives and what not, but I like them. The main reason I like them, is because they are very versatile. You can use cake mixes to make cookies, cakes and even in this case, as a crusts. So, when I was asked if I'd be interested to review Complete Cake Mix Magic- 300 Easy Desserts Good as Homemade, by Jill Snider; I quickly accepted. I am IN LOVE with this book. I've dog eared almost every page to try and try them I will, LOL. This book has every dessert recipe imaginable and they all use a cake mix, in one way or another. There are cakes, coffee cakes, cookies, bars, cheesecakes; just about any dessert you can think of. With a section for Special Occasion Cakes, frostings, glazes and other toppings, you are certain to find a recipe to fit your mood and your occasion.
I decided to try the Pumpkin Cheesecake on page 143, since Fall is in the air and I have some pumpkin puree still in the freezer, from last year. Since I always have a variety of cake mixes on hand, I was pleased to see that this recipe used Spice cake mix. It is one of my favourites to use, in pumpkin recipes. I was curious to see how the crust would turn out, with the cake mix being combined only with melted butter, but it was delicious; almost cookie like. The filling is creamy, sweet and has a beautiful warmth from the pumpkin pie spice. I do not make baked cheesecakes all that often, but this one was easy, simple and turned out beautifully.
Pumpkin Cheesecake
adapted from Complete Cake Mix Magic
Crust:
1 pkg spice cake mix
1/2 C butter, melted
Filling:
1 1/2 lbs of cream cheese (3- 8oz pkgs)
1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 can (14 oz) pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
4 eggs
1 Tbs pumpkin pie spice
Topping
1 1/2 C whipping (35%) cream
1/4 C confectioner's sugar, sifted
1/4 C toasted almonds ( I used pecans and pumpkin seeds)
Caramel Sauce to drizzle
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Crust: Combine cake mix and melted butter. Mix well. Press firmly on bottom of pan. Set aside.
- Filling: In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk, on high speed for 2 minutes. Add pumpkin, eggs and spice. Beat for 1 minute longer or until smooth. Pour over prepared crust. Bake for 55-60 minutes or just until set. Run knife around edge of pan to loosed cake. Cool completely on a wire rack, then chill for 2 hours or overnight.
- Topping: Beat cream and confectioner's sugar to stiff peaks. Spread over cheesecake. Sprinkle with almonds. Chill until serving. Store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator.
Variation: Bake cheesecake in a 13- by 9-inch pan at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. You can cut this into large dessert pieces or small cookie-tray-size treats.
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