Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Rum Sauce

CRUST:
2 cups crushed cinnamon graham crackers
1/4 cup butter
FILLING:
4 8-ounce packages cream cheese -- softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
3/4 teaspoon cardamon
CARAMEL RUM SAUCE:
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon spiced rum or 1/4 teaspoon rum extract

Heat oven to 300°. Spray 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Wrap foil around pan to catch drips. In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs with butter and press in bottom and 1-inch up side of pan. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 5 minutes.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, just until blended. Spoon 3 cups of the mixture onto crust. To remaining batter, add pumpkin, cardamon and pumpkin pie spice and put on top of batter already in pan.

Place a shallow pan in oven and fill half full of boiling water (this keeps cheesecake from splitting). Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center of cheesecake still giggles slightly when moved. Run a small spatula around edge of pan to loosen cheesecake. Turn oven off and open door at least 4 inches. Let cheesecake remai in oven for 30 minutes. Cool in pan on cooling rack for 30 minutes. Cover loosely, refrigerate at least 6 hour. To serve, top each slice with whipped cream drizzled with the rum sauce.