Ingredients

1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
12 ounces light cream cheese, softened
16-ounce can pumpkin
4 eggs
2 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
15 1/2-ounce can sliced pineapple in heavy syrup

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a 9- by 13-inch pan of hot water on lower rack in oven.

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar.

In food processor, combine remaining sugar with cream cheese. Process 20 seconds. Add pumpkin, eggs, flour, spice and vanilla extract. Process 10 seconds, scraping sides once.

To bake: Pour into an 8-inch springform pan coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake 50 minutes without opening door. Turn off oven. Let cake stand in oven for one hour.

To cool: Remove cake from oven. Immediately run knife around sides of pan. Cool; refrigerate 3 hours. Drain pineapple; reserving syrup. Dice 1 pineapple slice. Cook reserved syrup, reserved sugar and diced pineapple over medium-high heat 8 minutes or until thick, without stirring. Just before serving, arrange pineapple on cake. Top with glaze. Makes 8 servings.

Notes: Cracking is common in cheesecake. If food processor is not available, prepare in large bowl, as directed above, using a wooden spoon to mix ingredients. You can substitute the pumpkin pie spice with 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 356 cal., 10 g fat, 121 mg chol, 291 mg sodium. Percentage of calories from fat: 25 percent.