Mock Pumpkin Cheesecake

The challenge this month, for Baking Bloggers, should we care to accept, was to bake something with Butternut or Pumpkin, It could be savory or sweet. I chose sweet.   

 Baking Bloggers is hosted by Sue of Palatable Pastime. She started this group and I've managed to participate most months.   And along the way have had a blast trying out some new to me recipes. 

This month, the theme is totally on point, or at least my offering is, cause this is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada.   

Happy Thanksgiving to my family and friends in Canada.

I wanted to make a Cheesecake that incorporated Butternut Squash this month.  Although I'm actually calling it a Mock Pumpkin Cheesecake.  

I made a dozen mini cheesecakes , which I baked in some silicone cupcake liners.  I wanted to freeze them for a treat later on. 

We all know that pumpkin pie or cheesecake is a perfect follow up to a Turkey dinner.

I'm using a Butternut Squash which I cooked up in the microwave with a little of my home made pumpkin pie spice.  

Did you know that most commercial pumpkin pie puree actually has a lot of Butternut Squash. It's true, Butternut squash is one of the main ingredients, along with other winter squash.  You can read more about it here.

Now that we got that out of the way...

I thought, no problem finding a recipe, until I went looking, online.  Not one recipe could be found, not one, NADA, nix, none.  I wanted a recipe that had Butternut in the recipe. Lots of pumpkin ones, but not one that used Butternut Squash.

I looked at all my cookbooks, next, searching and getting lost in possibilities and made copious notes.   

I made the crust out of the leftover 'Pumpkin' Pie Cake I made last month, I'd frozen the remainder.  I did add some chopped pecans to it as well as well as some graham crackers.   

I loved, not only the taste of these, but also the layering. It was fun. 

Here are some more pictures.  Before and after baking.  I layered the cheesecakes in these reusable silicone cupcake liners before baking them in the toaster oven.

After baking, they poofed up a little

I did layer one cheesecake a touch differently.   I put the 'mock' pumpkin cheesecake filling on the bottom and the plain on top.  They do fall a touch after they've cooled.

And a couple more pictures. Not only did they look good, they tasted amazing. 

I loved the layers... But they did need a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top.

BTW:  You can also make these crustless if you like.  I did with a couple, but I taste tested them and forgot to take a picture.  

Print

Mock Pumpkin Mini Cheesecakes

Yield: 12 servings

Author: Sid's Sea Palm Cooking -

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 55 Min

This can be made in one large cheesecake or into mini cheesecakes, your choice.

Ingredients

Mock Pumpkin Cheesecake

• 2 - 8 oz. Cream Cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier or Vanilla Extract
• 6 tablespoons sugar
•  1/2-3/4 cup cooked Butternut Squash puree or Pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie spice

Crust

• 1 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1/2 cup Pumpkin Pie Cake crumbs
• Can also just use 1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  
• 2- 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

Cheese Cake Filling

1. Mix together the Cream Cheese, eggs, sugar and Grand Marnier til smooth.  Divide in half.  Set plain part aside.
2. Add the butternut squash and pumpkin pie spice to one half the mixture and set aside. Use an immersion blender if need to get the mixture totally smooth.
   

Crust

1. Mix together the ingredients for the crust, fill springform pan or cupcake liners.

Assembly

1. Press the crust mixture into an 8 inch springform pan or take 1 tablespoon or so of the crust mixture and press into a silicone cupcake liner.
2. This will make enough for 12 cupcake size servings or one 8 inch springform pan. Plus a little left over.
3. Spoon the plain cheesecake mixture into the bottom of the springform pan or divide it evenly onto the crust base of the cupcakes.   Top with the butternut cheesecake mixture.  
4. I made these into cupcakes and baked them in a toaster oven at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, just until the cheesecake filling had cooked all the way through, checking them at 30 minutes.
5. If baking in a regular oven, bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes, checking after 30 minutes to see if they have set up and cooked. 

Created using The Recipes Generator

Baking Bloggers October 2020

Pumpkin or Butternut Squash

• Black Bean and Butternut Squash Enchilada Casserole from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Butternut Squash Cheesecake from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Crystallized Ginger Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies from Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Maple-Kissed Autumn Squash Tart from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Mock Pumpkin Cheesecake from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Pumpkin Cornbread from Making Miracles
• Pumpkin Spice Biscotti from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Quick Pumpkin Bread from Sneha's Recipe
• Roasted Butternut Bacon Feta Risotto from Food Lust People Love
• Sourdough Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Sweet and Savory Roasted Butternut Squash from Palatable Pastime
• Tikvenik - Bulgarian Pumpkin Pastry from Pandemonium Noshery

 

All recipes and their respective images are either original or adapted and credited, and are all the sole property of Sid's Sea Palm Cooking © 2011-2020, with all rights reserved thereof.

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