German Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
Believe it or not, we make this pumpkin cheesecake with a box of German chocolate cake mix! It’s completely unexpected and gives a great chocolate flavor. It mixes well without overpowering the flavor of the pumpkin and spice. It’s like a pumpkin spiced latte, only better!
By baking this cheesecake in a 9 x 13 baking dish, it makes it easy for traveling to your potlucks and dinner parties. You can prepare this recipe ahead of time as it refrigerates and freezes well.
I’ve been making this recipe for Thanksgiving for years. It is always on our dessert table and is one of those deal breaker dishes. As you’ll see looking at my website, there are others just like this. If I don’t have them on the menu for Thanksgiving, I will definitely hear about it!
Here’s a link to another one of those deal breaker dishes, our Broccoli-Cauliflower and Cheese Casserole.
You don’t need special tools or fancy bakeware to make this recipe. Here are some links to my favorite kitchen tools useful for this recipe:
If you don’t have a hand mixer, you can use a stand mixer. Here’s a link to my favorite stand mixer that I’ve been using for years.
I hope you give this recipe a try. It has worked great for potlucks and a make ahead dessert for Thanksgiving. Enjoy!
German Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake
Notes
This cake can be stored covered first in plastic wrap and then an aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to one week or freeze it wrapped in foil for up to two months father cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
For an added touch you can add grated German chocolate flakes on top just to give it a little bit more dressing up.
Ingredients
- Crust and filling:
- Softened butter for greasing the pan
- 1-18.25 oz. package plain German chocolate cake mix
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2-8 oz. packages cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1-14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- Topping:
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch pan with softened butter and set aside.
- Measure out 1/2 cup of the cake mix and set it aside for the filling
- Place the remaining cake mix, the melted butter, and one egg in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for two minutes. Stop mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. The batter should come together into a ball. With your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom and one inch up the sides of the prepared pan, spreading it out with your fingers until smooth. Set pan aside.
- In the same mixing bowl (no need to clean the bowl or the beaters), place the cream cheese and the sweetened condensed milk. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Stop mixing and add the reserved cake mix, the remaining three eggs, pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Beat on medium speed for one minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and spread it out with the rubber spatula so that it covers the entire surface and reaches the sides of the pan. Place in the preheated oven.
- Bake the cheesecake until it looks shiny and the center no longer jiggles when you shake the pan, about 45 to 49 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven while you prepare the topping. Leave the oven on.
- For the topping, place the sour cream and brown sugar in a small mixing bowl and stir with a spoon until well combined. spread the topping over the cheesecake and return the pan to the oven.
- Bake until the topping sets, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes. Then lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour (up to 24 hours for best results) for the flavors to melt.
- Cut into squares and serve.
