Toast pecans in sauté pan on top of the stove over medium heat–just a couple of minutes until aromatic and slightly browned.
Combine ginger snap crumb, pecans, and butter. (Use a food processor to make cookie crumbs. Measure crumbs without packing and return amount to bowl with toasted pecans and process to chop the pecans.) Then add melted butter and pulse to combine.
Press into the bottom and 1 to 1½-inch up the side of a 9½-inch spring form pan. Place in freezer at least 30 minutes or until firm.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Combine cream cheese and ¾ cup sugar in mixing bowl; blending just until smooth.
Add eggs one at a time, mixing only until blended. (Do not over beat the batter).
Remove 1 cup of batter and set aside.
Blend pumpkin puree, spice blend, salt and ½ cup sugar with batter with remaining in mixing bowl.
Layer ½ of the pumpkin batter over the chilled crust and add ½ of the plain cream cheese batter in spoonfuls evenly spaced over the top.
Repeat layers.
Cut knife through the batter several times for a marbled effect. Cut in parallel lines about 1½-2 inches apart then with another set of parallel lines perpendicular to the first to get marbled effect.
Bake 50 minutes or until center is almost set.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake to loosen from rim, but do not remove the rim before cake is cooled. Allow to cool to room temperature; then cover the pan and refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.
We used a 9½-inch nonstick springform pan. Cooking time may vary a bit depending on the composition of the springform pan. This recipe will also work with 9 or 10-inch pan if that’s what is available.
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