Mascarpone Cheesecake

This is, by far, one of the best cheesecake recipes I've ever made. It's super simple to make, but it's so creamy and smooth and rich and delicious! I've made it plain, and with pumpkin, and both versions are awesome.

This particular time I made it, was the first time I'd used my oven in the new house. So my timing was off and it was slightly underdone, which is why the picture shows a pretty unclean looking piece of cake. But it's still quite tasty and who am I to let a little undercooked-ness ruin my evening?!

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
• 2/3 stick unsalted butter, melted
  
• 1/2 T. cinnamon
• 2 T. sugar

Directions

1. Melt butter in microwave safe bowl. Pour graham cracker crumbs, cinnamon and sugar into bottom of springform pan. Add melted butter and use fingers to combine ingredients until they are wet enough to be patted into a crust. Pat the crust into the bottom of the pan, not up the sides. Set aside.

Filling

• 2 lbs. cream cheese
• 1/2 lb. Mascarpone
• 1 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 T. and 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 c pumpkin puree (I always buy the one for pumpkin pie, it says it has additional spices in it like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc)
  

Directions

1. Blend cheeses and sugar on low, until smooth. Do not overmix.
2. Add eggs and vanilla....blend on low until creamy. Reserve 1 cup of batter. Pour remaining batter into crust.
3. Mix reserved cup of batter with pumpkin puree and pour on top of regular batter. Swirl it together with a knife, or just spread evenly on top for a layered look.
   
4. Bake at 300 til almost set...about 45min to an hour. Cool completely before removing from pan.