This Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake is exactly what it sounds like: a rich, creamy cheesecake laced with ribbons of spiced pumpkin cake batter, so every slice shows off big marbled swirls instead of one flat pumpkin layer.
If you love fall baking like this, you'll also want to try my pumpkin banana bread muffins and my chewy pumpkin cookies.
Quick Look: Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake
Bake Temperature: 325°F
Chill Time: At least 6 hours, preferably overnight
Yield: 1 (9-inch) cheesecake, about 12 slices
Calories: 529 per slice
Main Ingredients: Cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sour cream, brown sugar
Dietary: Vegetarian
Why You'll Love It: Big marbled swirls of pumpkin cake running through a rich, creamy cheesecake
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Why you'll love this recipe
- The swirl is dramatic, not subtle. Layering and dragging a knife through the batters creates big ribbons and pockets of pumpkin cake, similar to the marbling technique I use in my lemon blueberry mascarpone cake.
- The cheesecake layer is genuinely rich. Full-fat cream cheese, sour cream, and a touch of flour keep it dense and creamy rather than light and airy, the same base I love in my chocolate sour cream pound cake.
- The pumpkin layer is a real spiced cake, not just puree. Brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice give it actual cake flavor and texture against the plain cheesecake, the same warm spicing I use in my chai sheet cake with espresso buttercream.
- It's make-ahead friendly. Since it needs to chill overnight anyway, this is a great dessert to bake a day or two before you need it.
- The brown sugar whipped cream ties it together. A simple whipped topping is all it needs, much like the finish on my raspberry chocolate tart.
Jump to:
- Quick Look: Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake
- Why you'll love this recipe
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Easy Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake
- Expert Tips
- What Makes This Recipe Special?
- Optional Topping
- Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake FAQs
- Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake Troubleshooting Guide
- Storage
- Other Pumpkin Recipes to Consider
- Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
Ingredients You'll Need
- Full-fat cream cheese – the base of the cheesecake layer; let it come fully to room temperature so it beats smooth without lumps.
- Pumpkin puree – not pumpkin pie filling; it goes into the cake batter, not the cheesecake batter.
- Sour cream – keeps the cheesecake layer rich and adds a little tang, room temperature so it blends in easily.
- Light brown sugar – used in both the pumpkin cake batter and the whipped cream, for a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness than white sugar alone.
- Granulated sugar – sweetens the plain cheesecake layer.
- Eggs – for structure in both batters; room temperature eggs blend in more smoothly.
- All-purpose flour – a small amount in each batter; in the cheesecake layer especially, it helps it hold together cleanly when sliced, similar to the stabilized cheesecake technique I use in my chocolate sheet cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting.
- Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice – give the cake layer real warm-spice flavor, not just pumpkin color.
- Baking soda and baking powder – leaven the pumpkin cake layer; this is also what makes the cheesecake rise and fall, so expect some cracking (see the notes below).
- Melted butter – the fat in the pumpkin cake batter, for a soft, moist crumb.
- Heavy whipping cream – whipped with brown sugar and vanilla for the topping; keep it very cold so it whips up quickly.
- Vanilla extract – used in all three components to round out the flavor.
See recipe card for quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Pumpkin pie spice: If you don't have a pre-made blend on hand, add an extra ¼ teaspoon each of ginger and nutmeg plus a pinch of cloves in its place.
- Sour cream: Full-fat plain Greek yogurt works as a substitute in the cheesecake batter.
- Whipped topping: Plain, lightly sweetened whipped cream works fine if you'd rather skip the brown sugar version — either one is a good match for pumpkin cream cheese cinnamon rolls leftovers, if you have any.
- Spice level: For a more pronounced pumpkin-spice flavor throughout, you can stir an extra ¼ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice into the cheesecake batter itself, not just the cake batter.
How to Make Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake
Note: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Step 1: Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Step 2: Make the pumpkin cake batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and fold just until combined. Set aside.
Step 3: Make the cheesecake batter. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar on low-medium speed until completely smooth. Add the sour cream, vanilla, flour, and salt, and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each egg disappears into the batter — avoid whipping excess air into the cheesecake.
Step 4: Layer the batters. Spread about ⅓ of the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan. Dollop about ⅓ of the pumpkin cake batter over the cheesecake. Repeat with another layer of cheesecake batter and pumpkin batter, then finish with the remaining cheesecake and pumpkin batter.
Step 5: Swirl. Run a butter knife or thin skewer through the batters a few times to create large swirls. Don't over-swirl — you want visible pockets and ribbons of pumpkin cake rather than completely blending the two batters together, the same restraint I use when marbling my chocolate zucchini loaf cake with fudgy chocolate icing.
Step 6: Bake. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, until the outer 2–3 inches are set but the center still has a gentle wobble. If the top begins browning too much, loosely tent it with foil.
Step 7: Cool gradually, then chill. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
Step 8: Make the brown sugar whipped cream. Just before serving, combine the very cold heavy whipping cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt in a chilled bowl. Whip with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed until soft-to-medium peaks form; don't overwhip, or it can turn grainy.
Step 9: Serve. Release the cheesecake from the springform pan, top with the brown sugar whipped cream, and slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between cuts.
Weigh your ingredients! Using a kitchen scale ensures your measurements are accurate, which is key for getting consistent results in baking. It takes the guesswork out of measuring and helps your recipes turn out exactly as intended every time.
Expert Tips
- Expect some cracking, and don't worry about it. Because the pumpkin cake batter contains baking soda and baking powder, the cheesecake will rise noticeably in the oven and then fall as it cools, which often causes some cracking on top. This is completely normal for this recipe — a layer of the brown sugar whipped cream easily covers it.
- Don't overbake. Pull it from the oven while the center still has a gentle wobble; it firms up completely as it chills.
- Cool gradually to limit cracking. Cracking down to the cheesecake's leavening can't be fully avoided here, but the gradual cool in a cracked oven still helps keep it to a minimum.
- Chill for the full time. This cheesecake needs a long chill, at least 6 hours and preferably overnight, to set up cleanly enough to slice.
- Wipe your knife between slices. A sharp knife wiped clean (and run under warm water) between cuts gives you the cleanest swirl pattern in each slice.
What Makes This Recipe Special?
Most pumpkin cheesecakes just stir pumpkin puree into the cheesecake batter, which mutes the pumpkin flavor and flattens the color into one uniform tan.
Layering in an actual spiced pumpkin cake batter and swirling it, rather than mixing it in, keeps big pockets of real pumpkin cake distinct from the plain cheesecake, so you get contrast in both flavor and texture in every bite — the same layered approach I love in my sourdough pumpkin French toast.
Optional Topping
I'd keep the topping fairly simple here, since the swirled interior is the star. A thin layer of the brown sugar whipped cream, or a plain lightly sweetened whipped cream, is gorgeous on its own. You could also finish it with a light dusting of cinnamon and a very light caramel drizzle.
Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake FAQs
This is expected here. The pumpkin cake batter contains baking soda and baking powder, so the cheesecake rises during baking and falls as it cools, which often causes some surface cracking. A layer of whipped cream easily hides it.
Yes — this cheesecake needs a long chill anyway, so it's a great make-ahead dessert. Bake it up to 2 days before serving and keep it refrigerated.
No. Baking low and slow at 325°F and cooling gradually in the turned-off oven does the same job without the hassle of a water bath.
Yes, the baked and cooled cheesecake (without the whipped cream) freezes well. See the storage section below.
Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake Troubleshooting Guide
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cheesecake cracked heavily on top | Normal, from the leavening in the pumpkin cake batter, or from overbaking | Cover cracks with whipped cream; next time, pull it from the oven while the center still wobbles |
| Cheesecake is dense with no visible swirl | Batters were fully blended instead of swirled | Layer and drag a knife through gently, aiming for visible ribbons rather than a uniform color |
| Cheesecake didn't set after chilling | Chilled for too short a time | Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, before slicing |
| Cheesecake sunk in the center | Underbaked, or cooled too quickly | Bake until the center has only a gentle wobble, and always cool gradually in the turned-off oven |
| Slices don't come out clean | Knife wasn't wiped between cuts | Wipe the knife clean (and warm) between every slice |
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the cheesecake tightly wrapped or in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Wrap the cooled, un-topped cheesecake (whole or in slices) tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before adding whipped cream and serving.
- Whipped cream: Add the brown sugar whipped cream just before serving rather than storing it on the cheesecake, so it stays freshest.
Other Pumpkin Recipes to Consider
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Pumpkin Cake Cheesecake with Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- Parchment Paper
- Baking sheet
- Medium mixing bowl
- Large mixing bowl
- Hand or stand mixer
- Whisk
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cake Batter
- 115 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (½ cup)
- 150 g light brown sugar packed (¾ cup)
- 1 large egg
- 180 g pumpkin puree ¾ cup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 125 g all-purpose flour 1 cup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Cheesecake Batter
- 680 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature (24 oz)
- 150 g granulated sugar ¾ cup
- 120 g sour cream room temperature (½ cup)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
Brown Sugar Whipped Cream
- 240 g heavy whipping cream very cold (1 cup)
- 25 g light brown sugar 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Tiny pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Make the pumpkin cake batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar. Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Fold just until combined. Set aside.115 g unsalted butter, 150 g light brown sugar, 1 large egg, 180 g pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 125 g all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Make the cheesecake batter. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar on low-medium speed until completely smooth. Add the sour cream, vanilla, flour, and salt and mix until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed just until each egg disappears into the batter. Avoid whipping excess air into the cheesecake.680 g full-fat cream cheese, 150 g granulated sugar, 120 g sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 3 large eggs, 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Layer the batters. Spread about ⅓ of the cheesecake batter into the prepared pan. Dollop about ⅓ of the pumpkin cake batter over the cheesecake. Repeat with another layer of cheesecake batter and pumpkin batter, then finish with the remaining cheesecake and pumpkin batter.
- Swirl. Run a butter knife or thin skewer through the batters a few times to create large swirls. Don't over-swirl — you want visible pockets and ribbons of pumpkin cake rather than completely blending the two batters together.
- Bake. Place the springform pan on a baking sheet. Bake for approximately 60 minutes, until the outer 2–3 inches are set but the center still has a gentle wobble. If the top begins browning too much, loosely tent it with foil.
- Cool gradually. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door, and leave the cheesecake inside for 30 minutes. Remove and cool completely at room temperature.
- Chill. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, but preferably overnight.
- Make the brown sugar whipped cream. Just before serving, combine the very cold heavy whipping cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and a tiny pinch of salt in a chilled bowl. Whip with a hand or stand mixer on medium-high speed until soft-to-medium peaks form; don't overwhip, or it can turn grainy.240 g heavy whipping cream, 25 g light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, Tiny pinch of salt
- Serve. Release the cheesecake from the springform pan, top with the brown sugar whipped cream, and slice with a sharp knife, wiping the knife clean between cuts.
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