Redolent of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, this Spiced Pumpkin Cheesecake is packed with flavor. Make it in advance to chill it properly. You can even freeze it for later.
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment.
In a large bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter. Stir well to combine.
Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and set on a rack.
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and continue beating another couple minutes until smooth.
Beat in the pureed pumpkin. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Mix in the vanilla extract, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
Place the roasting rack in the bottom of the roasting pan, or create a large coil out of foil for the springform pan to rest on. Transfer the pan with the baked crust to the coil.
Pour the filling into the crust. Place the roasting pan in the oven and add hot water, up to about two inches, not so high as to touch the pan.
Bake the cheesecake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until set in the center. The internal temperature of the cheesecake will reach 150°F.
Turn off the oven and allow the cake to cool in the turned off oven for 1 hour. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and allow it to cool for another hour.
Carefully run a knife around the edge of the cake. Remove the sides of the pan and allow the cake to cool to room temperature on the rack. Chill the cake for several hours in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutritional information is approximate and accounts for 1/12 the cheesecake.Use ROOM TEMPERATURE ingredients. This will ensure that everything mixes evenly and you don't have to overmix your cheesecake filling. And results in a smooth filling, as opposed to a chunky cheesecake. Nobody wants that! Make Ahead: I highly recommend making it at least one day before serving and up to 3 days in advance. A cheesecake always needs several hours to chill in the refrigerator anyway so it's best to make it the day before. You can also freeze this cheesecake. Wrap the chilled cake in plastic wrap and then a layer of heavy duty aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.