Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Festive pumpkin cheesecake with lovely swirls of vanilla cheesecake in a vanilla wafer crumb crust.

Recipe Ingredients:

Crust:
2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided use
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. For Crust: Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and butter. Press into the bottom and just up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan; set aside.
3. For Filling: In a bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar and vanilla; mix at medium speed with an electric mixer until well blended.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Reserve 1 cup of this cream cheese mixture. To the remainder, add pumpkin, remaining 3/4 cup sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well.
5. Layer half of the pumpkin mixture over the crust, spread on the reserved cream cheese mixture and top with the remaining pumpkin mixture. Swirl a knife through the batter several times without touching the crust for a marbled effect. Bake for 55 minutes or until set.
6. Loosen cake from the rim of the pan; cool before removing from the pan. Refrigerate before serving.

Makes 12 servings.