Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

I'm going to keep it real with you all for a second... I have an adverse fear of dating.

Yes, I'm married and yes, we love each other.

But what if something freakish happened? (I'm totally bringing freakish back, and its going to catch on. Sort of like fetch).

Lets say he turns 60 and has a mid-life crisis and leaves me for a 22 year old? Or he's playing basketball and lightning strikes him. (HELLO: 1 in 600,000 people!!)

I'm telling you I'd be more likely to be alone with 40 cats and become a hoarder than join a dating site.

Have you seen eHarmony commercials? Or match.com? It's pure joy. Images of guys and girls walking in the door at a restaurant, saying just the right thing at just the right time and giggling.

I don't giggle.

I have a man laugh.

And most likely I'd be more inclined to say something inappropriate and be overly excited about the dessert menu.

And now that I have boys my paranoia is through the roof.

Every time we go to a new school or public place little girls flock to them. And I have to bite my lip and throw a smile on my face and push them along and say "Go play with them. Have fun!" while I'm secretly dying inside.

And I just want to scream "back off my boys you hussy!"

...OK, that was extreme. But it's the truth. Let a girl call my house when my boys are old enough.... "No Davin is NOT home! Back up!" but you know what's sad? We don't even HAVE a house phone. And my boys will have their own phones and who KNOWS what they will be using them for.

Thank goodness I have another 10 years for that. Fingers crossed anyways. I'm surprised they don't bring back Elimidate for 12 year olds these days....

Anyways, I'd like to think true romance still exists, and that my husband and I will grow old together and I'll still be asking him 100 questions a day and he will politely nod his head. Or just not hear me. Which is probably better for the both of us.

On to the recipe, because you've been patient enough with my ranting.

I kind of like to think that Pumpkin and Cream Cheese are meant to be together, like Allie and Noah from the Notebook. They are totally meant to be together but in the end, Cream Cheese kind of forgets about Pumpkin.

But pumpkin keeps coming back.

On my blog anyways...

For the Cinnamon Roll Crust:
(adapted from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody)
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 Tablespoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:
2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, at room temp
1 cup sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 large eggs, at room temp
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon Swirl:
1/4 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temp
3 Tablespoons butter, at room temp
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar
milk for thinning

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line with foil and grease a 9x9" square baking dish.

Cinnamon Roll Crust: In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar for a couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla and beat for another minute or so then scrape down the bowl. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Combine the sifted flour mix into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined.
Spread 3/4 of the batter onto the bottom of the prepared baking dish and press down. The dough will be sticky and thick so do the best you can. Set aside.

For the Cheesecake: With a clean stand mixer, beat the cram cheese and sugar on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin and then the eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in the vanilla, flour, spice and salt until just mixed and smooth. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the crust in the prepared pan.

Cinnamon Topping: In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Drop spoonfuls over the entire cheesecake top.

Take the rest of the Cinnamon Roll batter and dollop large spoonfuls onto the top of the cheesecake also.

With a skewer or knife, swirl the ingredients together. This may be hard with the batter but do the best you can.

Bake for 50 minutes on the center rack or until puffed and the top browned. You will be looking for the edges to be set but the middle slightly jiggly.

Remove from the oven and let cool on the counter for 30 minutes then cover with plastic wrap and chill for 4 hours or up to overnight. Remove the cake and allow it to come to room temperature.

(look at that fabulous cinnamon-swirl top!)

Cream Cheese Frosting: Using your stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese for 2 minutes until combined. Add in the remaining ingredients and adding as much or as little milk to your desired consistency.

En-robe the cake with the thick icing, either by piping or spooning, and enjoy!