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1
Side Bar: Before you start, set your cream cheese and butter out for several hours, so it can warm up to room temperature.
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2
Set rack in middle of oven and preheat to 300 degrees.
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3
Cut the tops off the pumpkins and set aside, With a teaspoon or grapefruit knife, scrape the fibrous pulp and seeds out of the pumpkins.
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4
Scrape some of the meat off the inner walls so they are no more than 3/8-inch thick.
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5
Put the cream cheese, butter, sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in a large mixing bowl and beat at medium speed until blended.
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6
Take care not to mix too much air into the batter.
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7
Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until each is incorporated.
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8
Reduce the speed and beat in the sour cream, vanilla and pumpkin puree.
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9
Fill the pumpkin shells with the batter and bake, on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes.
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10
Turn the pan and place the tops next to the pumpkins.
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11
Bake for 10 more minutes, until barely set and firm.
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12
If, at any time, the cakes start to puff up, turn the oven down or remove them.
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13
Let cool, in the pan, then refrigerate.
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14
Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes until the berries have popped and form a thick sauce.
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15
Let cool.
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16
To serve, spoon cranberry sauce on top of filling.
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17
Place the pumpkin lid on a jaunty angle.
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18
Stick the birthday candle and mint sprig into the top.
