Chocolate Fudge and Pumpkin Cheesecake

A few weeks ago our Sunday School class had a cookout at one of our friends houses. It really was a blast and a great way to kick off fall! Fall is by far my favorite season; it's full of my favorite weather, favorite food, favorite holidays, and not to mention my birthday. There is nothing more heart warming that toasting a marshmallow over a bonfire as the cool, crisp, air blows through your hair!

As part of our cookout we had a dessert contest and of course being as competitive as I am I entered. The only stipulations were that it had to be either an apple or a pumpkin dessert. Up until the day before I had my heart set on an apple streusel pie but then I saw this sucker as I was leafing through a cookbook. And I knew that this was the one I needed to cook!

So you'll need a box of fudge brownies, oil, water, eggs, vanilla, cream cheese, pumpkin, semi-sweet chocolate chips, pumpkin pie spice OR cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice. 

You'll want to make the brownies according to the boxed directions.

And then spread the brownie mix into the bottom of a grease springform pans. You'll want to back at 350 F for about 20 mins. It will go back in the oven but you don't want the brownie to be over cooked.

In the meantime you'll want to cream the sugar and the cream cheese together until fluffy.

Now gently mix in 1/2 cup of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie mix!)

And then the eggs one at a time until just combined.

Now you can mix in pumpkin pie spice OR a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger. I don't thing ginger is in there but I just like it a lot!

Melt about a 1/2 cup of chocolate and mix it with a half cup of of the cream cheese mixture.

You'll want to take the rest of the cheesecake mixture and spread it on top of the partially baked brownie.

Now I don't have a special pipping bag or anything so I just took a sandwich bag and folded the edges over. It makes for a hands free and mess free situation!

Snip off the end and make whatever design you want! The picture in the cookbook had a jack-o-lantern's face on the cheesecake...I am not that artistic!

So a swirl had to do! And I tell you what it tasted really great! I almost didn't get a chance to bring a piece home to my parents!

In case any of you were wondering I came in 3rd in the dessert cookout; beaten out by a pumpkin spice cheesecake and a pumpkin cake.

You'll want to let it sit for about 15 mins before removing the sides of the pan. And then 30 mins on a cooling rack. And the 2 hours in the fridge at least before serving!

The pumpkin flavor is not too overpowering. To me it doesn't matter I enjoyed it just the same!

Thanks for reading!

Cara

Recipe to be posted soon!