Zebra swirl: The irresistible allure of pumpkin cheesecake

Autumn is pumpkin time. This healthy vegetable appears in dozens of recipes — soups, main dishes, pancakes, and simple snacks. Using it as a cake ingredient is less common, but it's worth exploring. The effect exceeds the wildest expectations. It's delicious and incredibly aesthetic.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Zebra is a cake where, aside from the titled vegetable, the main role is played by a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth custard and cheese mixture. This duo deserves a standing ovation. How can you combine it to create a delicious bake that impresses your family? The instructions are below.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Mixture:

• about 600 g of pumpkin purée,
• 100 g of sugar,
• 3 eggs,
• 240 g of all-purpose flour,
• 1.5 teaspoons of baking powder,
• 70 g of butter.

Custard and Cheese Mix:

• 600 g of semi-fat cottage cheese,
• 325 g of sugar,
• 3 eggs,
• 70 g of butter,
• 1 vanilla pudding mix,
• 2 teaspoons of natural vanilla extract.

Glaze:

• 2 tablespoons of pumpkin purée,
• 100 g of white chocolate,
• 1 tablespoon of butter,
• zest of ½ an orange.

Additional:

• 150 g of graham crackers,
• 70 g of butter.

Method of Preparation:

1. Crumble the graham crackers; you can use a blender for this. Mix with warm butter. Press this mixture into the lined bottom of a springform pan and chill in the refrigerator for 40 minutes.
2. It's time for the custard and cheese mixture. Combine the ground cottage cheese with the rest of the ingredients and blend into a smooth mass.
3. Prepare the pumpkin mixture similarly — simply blend all the ingredients. If you don't know how to make pumpkin purée, check out the guide here.
4. Next, remove the springform pan from the refrigerator and alternately spoon both mixtures onto the centre.
5. Place in a preheated oven at 170°C and bake for 50 minutes.
6. Now, you have time to prepare the glaze. Combine butter and chocolate in a double boiler. Once they are liquid, add the pumpkin purée and grated orange zest.
7. Pour over the baked cake with the prepared glaze. Chill in the refrigerator and enjoy. Bon appétit!