Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

I had a request to post the recipe for the pumpkin swirl cheesecake that I talked about in my last post, so here it is. I'm going to experiment with posting recipes from time to time. I really love to cook, and I usually cook about two new recipes per week. I enjoy getting recipes from others' blogs, so I hope some of you will enjoy seeing my recipes.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake
Adapted from: Kraft Food and Family

For crust:
1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 TBSP butter, melted

Mix crumbs and sugar. Add butter and stir until combined. Press in bottom and one inch up sides of 9-in. springform pan.

For filling:
4 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs
1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg and a dash cloves)

Beat cream cheese, 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until well-combined.
Add eggs one at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
Remove 1 1/2 cups batter and place in a small bowl. To remaining batter, stir in pumpkin, 1/4 c. sugar, and spices.
Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into the crust. Top with spoonfuls of plain batter. Repeat layers. Cut through layers with a knife to swirl.
Bake for 55-60 minutes (or until top of cake is barely set) at 300 degrees.
To prevent cracking, do not remove cake from oven immediately. Turn the oven off, open the door, and let the cake sit for about an hour. Remove to a cooling rack and cool completely. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.