Eggless Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake – It is the season of pumpkins and here is an amazing recipe using pumpkin. The pumpkin spice powder, cinnamon and pumpkin puree in the cheesecake spreads so much warmth during this cold season.
Ever since I started experimenting with baked cheesecakes for the class (The Baked Cheesecake class is one of my best among all the classes so far) I have started loving baked cheesecakes. Somehow baking the cheesecakes adds so much taste and flavour and are so much better than their no bake versions.
Usually baking cheesecakes involve lots of eggs, but this method uses condensed milk instead and still turns out amazing. The numerous varieties I have tried so far, I am so in love with the process. This recipe has some ingredients which can either be sourced or can be made at home. Let us check them out.
Eggless Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake – Ingredients
Cream Cheese – Cream cheese is the most important ingredient you need to make a cheesecake. You can either source them at stores or you can easily make them at home. I have two types of home made cream cheese recipes in this blog, but I also have an easier yet perfect cream cheese in my class. I will give you both the blog links here. Whichever suits you, try that. Cream cheese with paneer and curd (click on the name for recipe), Cream cheese with milk and rennet (click on the name for recipe)
Condensed Milk – Sweetened condensed milk is easily available in stores. Mithai mate and Milkmaid are my favourites. But you can also make it at home. I have a very easy and perfect recipe for homemade condensed milk (click on the name for recipe) which is so much similar to store bought.
How to make Pumpkin Puree – Pumpkin puree is not easily available at my place, but if you get tinned puree, you can use it in this recipe. Otherwise, you can easily make it at home.
To make pumpkin puree, you need wedges of pumpkin. There are so many ways you can puree pumpkin, I will explain the ways I use.
1st method – Baking:
Remove the seeds of the pumpkin, wrap the wedges in aluminium foil and bake in 200C oven until the pumpkin feels soft to poke with a fork. Cool, remove the flesh, discard skin and grind it to a fine puree.
2nd method – Stove top method:
Peel the pumpkin, discard skin and seeds and cube them. Add very little water in a saucepan, add the cubes, cover and cook until the cubes are soft and mushy. Be careful while adding water, just one or two tbs is enough. If needed add a tbs extra later. Cool and grind it to fine puree and use for recipes.
Eggless Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake – Base
Usually the easiest way to make a base for cheesecakes is using digestive biscuits. The biscuits are powdered and added with butter to form a crumbly mix and it is arranged at the base of the tin. This adds a crisp element to the entire cheesecake. But make sure that you do not add too much butter. It will make a soggy base which will lack the crispness. Use Britannia Marie Gold for best results.
Eggless Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake – Baking Method
Baking any cheesecake needs some precautions. Cheesecakes are usually baked in a water bath at lower temperature. Overbaking a cheesecake will result in a crumbly cheesecake. So you need to stop baking when the cheesecake is still soft in the centre. Once the oven is switched off, the cheesecake is allowed to cool in the oven with oven door partially opened. Once it is completely cool, it is then wrapped in cling film and refrigerated overnight to set.
Eggless Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake – Setting Method
Any cheesecake needs minimum eight hours in fridge for setting. Cream cheese even after baking is still runny and if you try to slice the cheesecake after it cools down, you will end up with a runny cheesecake which doesn’t hold shape.
It is better to leave the cheesecake in fridge minimum for eight hours to maximum 24 hours in fridge. To avoid it drying out in fridge, it is very important to wrap it well in cling film and refrigerate. Slice it with a warm knife when it is just out of fridge. Bring it back to room temperature before serving.
Check the video demonstration of this cheesecake in my Instagram. I have made it short and sweet so that you don’t get bored. It will also help you understand the procedure in a simple way.
I also made a batch of kalakand with the pumpkin puree. These two were made for my birthday during October and I really had an amazing treat on the day. Click on the image to read the recipe of kalakand.
I also have a detailed Eggless baked cheesecake class. Click on the image below to know the details. If interested, send me a WhatsApp message to register.
Eggless Baked Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
Ingredients
For the crust:
- 120 gm Britannia Marie Gold
- 60 gm Butter melted
- 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Spice powder
For the Filling:
- 300 gm Cream Cheese
- 250 gm Condensed Milk
- 150 gm Pumpkin Puree
- 100 gm Sour Cream
- 1 tsp Pumpkin Spice Powder
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
Topping:
- 200 gm Pumpkin Puree
- 2 tbs Corn Flour
- 50 gm Sugar
- 1 tbs Water
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 150C.
- Grind the biscuits to fine powder.
- Add butter and thandai powder and mix until they are uniformly distributed.
- Transfer to a 7” loose bottomed pan and using a spoon press it well to the base of the tin.
- Take three aluminium foil squares, place the tin in the centre and bring the foil around the tin.
- Press it well so that it holds shape. Set it aside.
- In a bowl, take cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sour cream and spices and mix it well.
- Add the condensed milk and whisk until the batter is smooth and lump free.
- Pour it on the biscuit base.
- Place the tin in a deep tray with 1 cm water in it.
- Bake the cheesecake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Open the oven door and let the cheesecake cool completely.
- Remove the tin from the foil, place it on a plate, cover the tin with cling film and refrigerate overnight.
- Mix together pumpkin puree, corn flour, sugar and water and cook until thick consistency. Store in airtight jar in fridge.
- Next day, remove the cheesecake from tin, remove the base plate. Transfer to a serving plate.
- Slice it up, top with the prepared pumpkin topping and serve.
