Pumpkin cheesecake slices

After making those spiced butternut squash bars my mum asked me to make another 'pumpkin cake'. And I did. And I became obsessed with it! I tastes like pumpkin cheesecake, with strong flavour of cinnamon, ginger and cloves on a walnut and oat base, finished off with a layer of sweet, vanilla creme fraiche, sprinkled with crunchy, flaked almonds. I need another slice...


Ingredients:

For the base:

• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup oats (minus 2tbsp)
• 1/2 walnuts 
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 70g cold, unsalted butter
• pinch of salt

For the filling:

• 280g cream cheese
• 1 cup pumpkin or butternut squash puree *
• 1/2 caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste or extract 

For the topping:

• about 300ml - 350ml creme fraiche
• 2 tsp vanilla paste or seeds of 1 vanilla pod 
• 2 tbsp caster sugar

To decorate:

• handful of flaked almonds
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon

* Find how to make pumpkin or butternut squash puree in THIS recipe

In a bowl mix the flour, salt and sugar.  Rub  the butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until resembling crumbs. Bring the dough together to form a ball.  Add the oats and chopped walnuts and mix quickly until combined.

Place the dough in a lined 20cm x 20cm tin and bake in a pre-heated oven at 180C for about 15 minutes, until golden brown.

To make the filling mix all 'filling' ingredients together in a large bowl, until smooth.  It is easier to combine ingredients if the cream cheese is in room temperature.  Pour the filling over the base and bake for further 20 minutes.

For the topping combine together creme fraiche, sugar and vanilla and pour over the cake after baked for 20 minutes, then bake for further 5 min.

Take the cake out the oven and leave to cool for 10-15 minutes, run a knife around the edges of the cake then carefully take out the tin. Leave to cool completely.

Toast the almond flakes on a hot, dry frying pan until golden, then decorate the cake.  Sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Enjoy!