Pumpkin Cream Cheese Crumb Cake

The best of both worlds, like a pumpkin cheesecake and crumb cake all in one.

Filling

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

• 1⁄2 c sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 T pumpkin pie spice

• 1⁄4 t ground cloves

• 1⁄8 t ground black pepper

• 1 T bourbon, optional

• 1 t vanilla

• 2 T flour

• 3⁄4 c pumpkin

Cake

• 1 1⁄4 c all-purpose flour

• 2 T cornstarch

• 1⁄2 c sugar

• 1⁄4 t salt

• 1⁄2 t baking soda

• 6 T unsalted butter, softened (3 oz)

• 2 t vanilla bean paste

• 1⁄3 c milk

• 2 eggs

Crumbs

• 1 1⁄4 c flour

• 1⁄2 c sugar

• 2 T brown sugar

• 1⁄4 t salt

• 1⁄2 t cinnamon

• 1 t powdered vanilla, or extract

• 8 T (4 oz) unsalted butter, very soft

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour (or spray with cooking spray) an 8” springform pan.

Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream together cream cheese and sugar until smooth, about 5 minutes. Add the egg, spices, bourbon, vanilla, and flour. Beat at medium speed until combined, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the pumpkin and mix briefly to combine. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. No need to wash the work bowl of the mixer.

Crumbs: In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, salt, cinnamon, vanilla powder and mix well with a whisk until there are no lumps. Mix in the soft butter and stir until smooth. Use your fingers to squeeze clumps together, creating big crumbs. Set aside at room temperature to allow the gluten to relax while you make the cake.

Cake: In the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda. With the mixer on medium/low, add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time mixing until each piece gets incorporated before adding the next. Continue mixing until sandy intexture. Add the vanilla, milk, and eggs. Mix on medium-high until the batter is smooth and thick, about 1 minute.

Spread the cake batter into the bottom of the prepared pan. Dollop the pumpkin cream cheese mixture over batter, spreading it to the edges of the pan. Break the crumbs into pieces the size of large pebbles or small stones. Spread crumbs around the outer edge of the pan first, then evenly fill in the center.

Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out mostly clean. Cool cake 20 minutes, then release spring and remove cake from the pan. Dust with confectioners sugar. This cake freezes well and can be kept 2 months frozen.