Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars With Chocolate Cake Crust

Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 55 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 20
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) package german chocolate cake mix
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar (packed)

Recipe

• 1 preheat the oven to 325. grease a 13 x 9 pan.
• 2 measure out 1/2 cup of the cake mix and set it aside.
• 3 put the rest of the cake mix, the melted butter, and 1 egg in a large mixing bowl. blend together with a mixer for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. the batter should come together into a ball. with your fingertips, pat the batter evenly over the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of the pan.
• 4 place the cream cheese and condensed milk in the same mixing bowl you used for the crust and blen together with a mixer until just combined - about 30 seconds. stop the mixer and add the reserved cake mix, the remaining 3 eggs, the pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. beat on medium speed for 1 minute, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. pour the filling onto the crust and spread it with a spatula so it covers the entire surface. place in oven.
• 5 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, but leave the oven on.
• 6 for the topping, place the sour cream and brown sugar in a small bowl and stir with a spoon until well combined. spread over the cheesecake.
• 7 bake until the topping sets - about 7 to 8 minutes. remove pan from oven and place on wire rack for 30 minutes. then lightly cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for at least 1 hour or preferably 24 hours.
• 8 cut into squares and serve.