A teacake, in my mind, is a cake that, like tea, is a happy accompaniment to any time of the day. Breakfast? Yes please! Snack time? Definitely! Dessert? Of course! Tea cakes are light; they pair well with caffeinated beverages; and they are sugary enough to tickle your sweet tooth but never cloying.

This teacake is all of those things. The crumb is very light, fluffy, and perfectly moist. The cheesecake layer is creamy and beautifully balances the sweetness and spice of the crumb. And well, just look at those cute little pumpkins on the top! I can’t think of a better way to enjoy a fall moment than by eating a thick slice of this beauty alongside a steaming cup of coffee or tea.

Generally I think of teacakes as easy bakes to put together. Simply mix up the batter, pour, and bake. This recipe follows that formula, but you do have to make the cake batter and the cheesecake swirl independently. Honestly it’s hardly any more work as there’s only a few ingredients in that delicious cheesecake filling.

To achieve the pumpkin decoration on the cake’s crust, I used a fancy Nordic Ware pan. It not only created the nice details, but also gave me an even bake and a very easy release after cooling. However, you can bake this recipe in any 9in. loaf pan, and you’ll still have lovely results. Just be sure to grease your pan well with butter and flour to avoid sticking. And if you do use a regular loaf pan, I recommend lining the bottom with parchment paper to make extra certain that the cake will pop right out with nice even edges and no difficulty.

Cheesecake Swirled Pumpkin Tea Cake- Makes 1 cake

Equipment:

• Handheld electric mixer

• Nordic Ware Cast Aluminum Fall Harvest Loaf Pan or 9in. Loaf Pan

• Food scale

Ingredients:

Cake Batter:

• 172g all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp. baking soda

• 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. each ground ginger, cloves, nutmeg, & allspice

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 75g. sugar

• 100g brown sugar

• 1/2 cup canola oil

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Cheesecake Swirl:

• 6oz. cream cheese, softened

• 1 egg

• 2TBS. sugar

• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Generously grease the pan with butter and flour.

2. Use a fork to sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice together in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. In a separate bowl combine the sugars, pumpkin, 2 eggs, canola oil, and 1/2tsp. vanilla extract. Use the handheld electric mixer on medium low speed to mix until thoroughly combined, about 1-2 minutes. Pour the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, and mix again on medium low speed just until combined and no flour clumps remain, 1-2 minutes more. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all the flour is mixed well.

4. Make the cheesecake filling. Using the handheld electric mixer and clean beaters, whip the cream cheese in a large bowl for 1-2 minutes, or until it’s light and no clumps remain. Add the egg, sugar, and vanilla and mix again for another minute until everything is combined.

5. Pour half the cake batter into the bottom of the pan. Smooth is out and make sure it evenly covers the bottom. Then add the cheesecake filling. Smooth the filling out to cover the cake batter evenly but do not mix them together or you will loose the distinct cheesecake swirl. Then top the cheesecake filling evenly with the remaining cake batter. Place the pan on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 55-65 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

6. Allow the cake to cool for 1 hour in the pan before turning it out onto a platter. Cool the cake completely before cutting. Cake can be stored covered in the refrigerator for several days (if it lasts that long).

Recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction