Pumpkin Cheesecake

From the blog of Sugarcrafter

• Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
• Serves: 8-10
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• Graham cracker crust

• 2  cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2  teaspoons ginger
• 6  tablespoons butter, melted

• Filling

• 2  lbs cream cheese
• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cardamom
• 4  large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1⁄2 cup pumpkin puree
•  caramel sauce

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Crush 2 cups worth of graham crackers into a medium bowl. Stir in the ginger, and then stir in the melted butter so that the mixture becomes moist.
2. Press the crust into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9″ springform pan. Stick the pan in the freezer while you make the cheesecake batter so that the butter will firm up the crust.
3. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the sugars and spices. Add in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and pumpkin.
4. Pour the batter into the graham cracker crust and smooth out on the top.
5. Bake 15 minutes, and then open the oven door and lower the temperature to 200 degrees. Close the door and continue baking for about an hour longer or until the edges of the cheesecake are set but the center still wiggles when the pan is shaken. Cool the cheesecake on a rack and then refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.
6. Serve drizzled with warm caramel sauce.