Debi's Favorite Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Cheesecake Torte

PUMPKIN BREAD

INGREDIENTS
3 1/2 cups flour (or 3 cups white flour, 1/2 cup whole wheat)
2 teaspons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups sugar (or 1 1/2 cups; it will taste the same)
1 cup oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
one 16-ounce can pumpkin
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Sift dry ingredients in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour in to greased loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE TORTE

Here's the recipe for Pumpkin Cheesecake Torte that was passed to me years ago. This is a "to die for" dessert that fills a 9x13 cake pan almost to the brim. Because it's so rich, serving sizes are small -- and that means you can delight many people around your holiday table more than once! It's a bit involved, but MERCY SAKES IT IS SOOOO WORTH IT!

CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter

Mix all ingredients and press into a 9x13 pan. A smaller pan will not work! By the time all the layers are in place, the torte will almost fill the pan to the brim.

CHEESECAKE LAYER
2 eight-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs

Beat these ingredients together until smooth. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool thoroughly.

PUMPKIN LAYER
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Combine these in a small bowl. Set aside.

2 cups canned pumpkin
3 beaten egg yolks (reserve egg whites)
1/2 cup milk

Combine these in a saucepan, stir in the sugar-spice mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring often. When thickened, remove from heat.

1 packet unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup water

Combine these in a small bowl, then thoroughly stir into the hot pumpkin mixture. Set aside.

3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a clean bowl, beat these until soft peaks form. Using a wide rubber spatula, fold this gently (one heaping "spatula-full" at a time) into the still warm pumpkin mixture. Spread evenly over the cooled cheesecake layer. Refrigerate several hours before serving. Serve in small squares; whipped topping optional.