1/3 c. butter
1/3 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 1/4 c. flour
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Dash of salt
1 c. heavy cream, whipped
1/2 tsp. rum extract (opt.)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform pan. Cream butter and 1/3 cup sugar until fluffy. Blend in one of the eggs. Add flour; mix well. Press dough on bottom and 2 inches up sides of pan. Bake minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Beat cream cheese and 3/4 cup sugar until well blended. Mix in pumpkin, spices and salt. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour into pastry-lined pan; smooth surface to edge of crust. Bake 50 minutes. Loosen cake from rim of pan. Cool before removing from pan. Chill. To serve, garnish with whipped cream flavored with rum extract. Serves 8 to 10.