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Painted Pumpkin Cheesecake

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Hungry Happenings
Updated Oct 4, 2017
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A rich and creamy chocolate cheesecake decorated with a colorful Jack-o’-lantern on top for Halloween.

More About This Recipe

  • Halloween is the perfect time to dress up your dessert. If you can draw a simple Jack-o’-lantern, you can decorate this luscious chocolate cheesecake to serve at your Halloween party. This rich and creamy cheesecake will not only wow your guests’ taste buds, it will also look amazing on your dessert table. You can add any design, so if you’re artistic, the sky’s the limit! Get creative and add an elaborate Jack-o’-lantern design or keep it simple, like I did. You’re going to need to gather a few supplies before getting started. You'll need a 9-inch round springform pan and a roasting pan that’s larger than the round pan. If you’re using a traditional clamp-style springform pan, be sure to wrap the bottom of it in several layers of tin foil. You'll want to create a water bath for your cheesecake to bake in. I usually just fill my roasting pan with about 1 1/2 inches of water and heat it in the oven while I'm decorating my cheesecake. You'll also need two pastry bags or zip-top bags to pipe the colored cheesecake filling design. Either will work fine. For the most part, the process to make this cheesecake is like any other. Refrigerate the cheesecake for at least 6 hours before serving. I usually leave the cheesecake in the pan and cover it with a layer of paper towels and a layer of tin foil. (This will keep beads of condensation from forming on top of the cheesecake.) Happy Halloween!

Painted Pumpkin Cheesecake

  • Prep Time 45 min
  • Total 1 hr 35 min
  • Servings 12
  • Ingredients 10
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Ingredients

Crust

  • 28 Chocolate sandwich cookies with vanilla filling
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted

Cheesecake Filling

  • 3 blocks (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • Betty Crocker™ Food Color Gel, orange, yellow and green
  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F. Combine cookies and 1 tablespoon sugar in the bowl of food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Add melted butter and pulse to combine. Pour crumbs into a 9 inch springform pan. Press into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, until fragrant.
  • Step 
    2
    Remove from oven and immediately use a flat bottom glass to press the puffed cookie into an even layer on the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
  • Step 
    3
    Cheesecake Filling: Fill a roasting pan with 1 1/2 inches of water and place in the oven. If using a traditional 9-inch springform pan, wrap tin foil around the outside of the pan.
  • Step 
    4
    Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar and beat until combined. Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla and beat on medium speed until combined.
  • Step 
    5
    Pour 1 tablespoon filling into a small bowl and color green, then pour into a disposable pastry bag. Pour 1 1/2 tablespoons filling into another small bowl and color yellow, then pour into a disposable pastry bag. Pour 1/3 cup filling into another bowl and color orange, then pour into a disposable pastry bag.
  • Step 
    6
    Stir the melted chocolate into the remaining cheesecake filling. Pour chocolate cheesecake filling over the baked cookie crust.
  • Step 
    7
    Pipe a Jack-o’-lantern on top of the chocolate cheesecake filling, making two yellow eyes, a nose and a mouth, a green stem and an orange pumpkin.
  • Step 
    8
    Set the filled springform pan into the water bath in the oven. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until the top looks set but the cheesecake still jiggles.
  • Step 
    9
    Turn off the oven, crack the door open an inch, and allow the cheesecake to sit in water bath for 20 minutes.
  • Step 
    10
    Remove from water bath and allow to cool at room temperature for 1 hour.
  • Step 
    11
    Refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.

Nutrition

650 Calories
43g Total Fat
7g Protein
58g Total Carbohydrate
47g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Serving
Calories
650
Calories from Fat
390
Total Fat
43g
67%
Saturated Fat
23g
116%
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
130mg
44%
Sodium
380mg
16%
Potassium
270mg
8%
Total Carbohydrate
58g
19%
Dietary Fiber
2g
10%
Sugars
47g
Protein
7g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
20%
20%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
10%
10%
Iron
10%
10%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 1 High-Fat Meat; 7 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
4
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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