Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place a large roasting pan on the lower 2/3 of the oven and preheat the pan.

Prepare a 9-inch springform pan by wrapping the bottom (outside) with a double layer of foil. Spray the pan with nonstick baking spray and line the bottom (inside) with a circle of parchment paper.

Boil a kettle of water to use later.

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until creamy. Add salt and eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla extract.

Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared springform pan. Place the pan in the center of the preheated roasting pan in the oven. Slowly pour boiling water into the roasting pan until it comes about an inch up the sides of the springform pan.

Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. Turn the oven off and let the cheesecake sit in the oven for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

Once cooled, transfer the entire springform pan into the freezer for several hours or overnight. (About 2 hours is usually sufficient). If using within 24 hours, you can refrigerate the cheesecake instead.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans by spraying generously with baking spray. Line the bottom of each pan with a circle of parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, applesauce, and eggs until fully blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared cake pans.

Bake the cakes for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled, wrap each cake layer tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for two hours, or overnight. If using within 24 hours, simply wrap the cake layers in plastic wrap and keep them on the counter.

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese together for 3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and heavy cream until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Place one layer of pumpkin cake on a cake stand or serving plate. Carefully remove the cheesecake from the springform pan and place it on top of the pumpkin cake layer. Top with the second layer of pumpkin cake.

Frost the sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting to create a crumb coat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to allow the crumb coat to set.

Remove the cake from the refrigerator and apply the remaining frosting, decorating with a piping bag and tip if desired. Sprinkle the chopped pecans over the top of the cake and drizzle with caramel sauce.

Keep the cake covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Allow the cake to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving. Enjoy!