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Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake – Thick layer of cheesecake, sandwiched between two moist layers of chocolate cake, then the whole cake is frosted with rich vanilla cream cheese frosting.

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Red velvet cheesecake cake on a decorative plate topped with frosting and sprinkles.
This Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake has a thick layer of cheesecake sandwiched between two moist layers of chocolate cake, then the whole cake is frosted with rich vanilla cream cheese frosting.

I have had a version of this cake at Cheesecake Factory couple years ago and absolutely loved it, so I was excited when I came across this cake from a book called A Piece of Cake.

It looked just like the cake I had at Cheesecake Factory, so I decided to give it a try. To be completely honest, I can not remember exactly what the one I had at the restaurant tasted like, but this one, oh this one… it’s amazing!

Slice of red velvet cheesecake cake on a white plate topped with frosting and sprinkles.

The Red Velvet cake layers are light and fluffy, while very moist; the cheesecake part of the cake is super creamy; the frosting is luscious and filled with vanilla beans specs from the vanilla emulsion that I like to use for vanilla frostings – all the components to a great cake.

I made it for my daughters 8th birthday and everyone loved the cake, adults and kids alike! This one goes into my ‘favorites’ box for sure!

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Author: Camilla Sualsbury (Piece of Cake)

Ingredients for the Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake: 

Cheesecake:

  • cream cheese, at room temperature
  • granulated white sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • eggs, large
  • sour cream
  • heavy whipping cream
  • vanilla extract

Red Velvet Cake:

  • all-purpose flour, sifted
  • granulated white sugar
  • cocoa powder, unsweetened (not Dutch process), sifted
  • baking soda
  • salt
  • eggs, large
  •  vegetable or canola oil
  •  buttermilk
  • Red food coloring
  • vanilla extract
  •  white vinegar

Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • powdered sugar, sifted lightly
  • cream cheese, at room temperature
  • unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • vanilla extract

Also: 

Make the Cheesecake layer:  Best to start this step at least a day (up to 3 days) before planning to serve the cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare a roasting pot or a larger cake pan. Line a 9-inch springform pan or a pan with removable bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the bottom of the pan with 2 layers of foil, to prevent water from getting into the pan.

With an electric mixer, blend the cream cheese, sugar and salt until smooth and continue mixing for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl.

How to make cheesecake layer by mixing ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Add eggs, one at a time blending after each addition. Mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Set the pan into the roasting pan. Pour the hot water around the pan with the cheesecake until it’s about 1 inch up the foil.
How to spread cream cheese on a prepared pan and even out.

Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes or until it’s set in the center and no longer jiggly. Remove from the roasting pan and cool for about 1 hour. Then freeze the cheesecake completely, about 7 hours or overnight.


Make the Red Velvet Cake:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper or line with foil and spray with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.

How to make red velvet cake dry ingredients my mixing in a bowl with a whisk.

Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar and beat together for 1 minute on medium-low speed or until well blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl throughout. Add enough food coloring to make the batter deep red color. Depending on the food coloring you will need to add more or less. Now beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

How to add red velvet cake wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix in a whisking bowl.

Divide the batter evenly between two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a knife around the edge of the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack and cool completely.

Leave the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes, then run a thin knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake. Invert it onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper and allow to cool completely.
Once cool, trim off the domed part of the cake and reserve it for decorating. Now cut each cake layer into two even layers horizontally with a long knife.

How to remove baked red velvet cake from pan and cut into two even slices.

Prepare the frosting:

Beat together the cream cheese and vanilla extract/emulsion until smooth and lump free. Add the powdered sugar and room temperature butter until smooth, creamy and fluffy about 3-4 minutes.

Assembly:

Put a dab of frosting on the serving plate. Top with the bottom layer of the first cake. Put 4 pieces of foil all around the cake layer covering the serving plate. This will make it for easy clean up at the end.

Reserve about 1 1/4 cups of frosting for decorating. Put about 1/3 of the remaining frosting on top of the cake, spread it around, cover with the other half o the cake layer. Now put the cheesecake layer, parchment side up. Peel the parchment paper off. Top with the top layer of the other cake, spread half of the remaining frosting around into an even layer. Cover with the last half of the cake, bottom side up.

Frost the cake with the remaining frosting, putting a thin layer on the sides and a thicker layer on top.

How to assemble cake and frost all sides.

Now take the trimmed tops of the cake and pulse them in the food processor until crumbly, or just tear and rub it between the palms of your hands until tiny crumbs form.

How to crumble cake tops with a food processor.

Now set the cake on a raised surface (like a cake stand) and put a baking sheet underneath to catch the crumbs as they fall. Take a palm full of crumbs and press against the sides of the cake all around, allowing the crumbs to fall back down into the pan, then recollecting them and going around.

Fit a pastry bag with a star pastry tip, now fill the pastry bag with the reserved frosting.
To pipe faux Christmas trees all around the border of the cake – hold the tip close to the surface of the cake, pipe a larger star, then stop and quickly pull up, then pipe a smaller star right on top of the bottom layer, and one more even smaller than the two previous ones. You have a 3 layered Christmas tree. If the cake is not for Christmas, just pipe large stars all around the border.

Now put a tiny sprinkle star at the top of each piped Christmas tree, then sprinkle it with sprinkles which will look like Christmas toys. I chose red and green, but you can sprinkle any colors.

Close up picture of star frosting on the cake topped with sprinkles.

Pull out the foil from underneath the cake, exposing a clean serving platter. You’re welcome 😀

Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. To cut the cake, use a thin knife dipped in hot water then wiped.

Check out these other Christmas-perfect recipes:

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake - By Let the Baking Begin! @Letthebakingbgn
4.89 from 9 votes

Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake - Thick layer of cheesecake, sandwiched between two moist layers of chocolate cake, then the whole cake is frosted with rich vanilla cream cheese frosting. 

Author: Book: Piece of Cake
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: red velvet cake
Calories: 759 kcal
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings

Ingredients

Cheesecake:

  • 2 packs cream cheese, room temp (8 oz each)
  • 2/3 cup granulated white sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 eggs large
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Red Velvet Cake:

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Also

Instructions

Make the Cheesecake layer:

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Prepare a roasting pot or a larger cake pan. Line a 9 inch springform pan or a pan with removable bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the bottom of the pan with 2 layers of foil, to prevent water from getting into the pan.

  2. With an electric mixer, blend 2 packs cream cheese until smooth, then add 2/3 cup sugar and a pinch salt and continue mixing for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl. Add 2 eggs, one at a time blending after each addition. Mix in 1/3 cup sour cream, 1/3 cup whipping cream, and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until smooth, then pour the batter into the prepared pan.

  3. Set the pan into the roasting pan. Pour the hot water around the pan with the cheesecake until it's about 1 inch up the foil.
  4. Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes or until it's set in the center and no longer jiggly. Remove from the roasting pan and cool for about 1 hour. Then freeze the cheesecake completely, about 7 hours or overnight.

Prepare the cake:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch round baking pans with parchment paper or line with foil and spray with non stick spray.

  2. In a large bowl whisk the 2½ cups flour, 1½ cups sugar, 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, 1½ tsp baking soda and 1 tsp salt together. Add 2 eggs, 1½ cups oil, 1 cup buttermilk, food coloring, 2 tsp vanilla, and 2 tsp vinegar and beat together for 1 minute on medium-low speed or until well blended, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl throughout. Now beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

  3. Divide the batter evenly between two pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a knife around the edge of the pan. Invert the cake onto a rack and cool completely.

Prepare the frosting:

  1. Beat together 2 packs cream cheese, 2½ cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup butter and 1 Tbsp vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Assembly:

  1. Put a dab of frosting on the serving plate. Top with the bottom layer of the first cake. Put 4 pieces of foil all around the cake layer covering the serving plate. This will make it for easy clean up at the end.
  2. Reserve about 1 1/4 cups of frosting for decorating. Put about 1/3 of the remaining frosting on top of the cake, spread it around, cover with the other half o the cake layer. Now put the cheesecake layer, parchment side up. Peel the parchment paper off. Top with the top layer of the other cake, spread half of the remaining frosting around into an even layer. Cover with the last half of the cake, bottom side up.
  3. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting, putting a thin layer on the sides and a thicker layer on top.

Make the crumbs for decorating the sides:

  1. Now take the trimmed tops of the cake and pulse them in the food processor until crumbly, or just tear and rub it between the palms of your hands until tiny crumbs form.
  2. Set the cake on a raised surface (like a cake stand) and put a baking sheet underneath to catch the crumbs as they fall. Take a palm full of crumbs and press against the sides of the cake all around, allowing the crumbs to fall back down into the pan, then recollecting them and going around.

Decorate the Cake:

  1. Fit a pastry bag with a star pastry tip, now fill the pastry bag with the reserved frosting.
  2. Now pipe faux christmas trees all around the border of the cake - to do so pipe a large star holding the tip close to the surface of the cake, then stop and quickly pull up, then pipe a smaller star right on top of the bottom layer, and one more even smaller then the two previous ones. You have a 3 layered Christmas tree. If the cake is not for christmas, just pipe large stars all around the border.
  3. Now put a tiny sprinkle star at the top of each piped Christmas tree, then sprinkle it with sprinkles which will look like Christmas toys. I chose red and green, but you can sprinkle any colors.
  4. Pull out the foil from underneath the cake, exposing a clean serving platter.
  5. Refrigerate cake until ready to serve. To cut the cake, use a thin knife dipped in hot water then wiped.
Nutrition Facts
Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake
Amount Per Serving
Calories 759 Calories from Fat 378
% Daily Value*
Fat 42g65%
Saturated Fat 24g150%
Cholesterol 172mg57%
Sodium 646mg28%
Potassium 213mg6%
Carbohydrates 86g29%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 64g71%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 1500IU30%
Calcium 125mg13%
Iron 1.9mg11%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Welcome to Let the Baking Begin! I'm Marina and my love and passion for eating only the most delicious foods drive me to share that love here on Let the Baking Begin (since 2009). With over 20 years of experience in the kitchen, you know the recipes are tested and retested until perfect. I'm so happy to have you here. Enjoy! Read more...

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  • Chris

    Hi, if i want to add beetroot to this recipe, can i? If yes, in what proportion, raw or cooked, and when to mix in?

    · Reply
  • Nancy

    Can or would you recommend using mascarpone cheese instead of cream cheese?

    · Reply
    • Hi Nancy, I think mascarpone cheese might work, but I worry that it might be too soft. Can’t really tell you for sure since I haven’t tried it myself.

      · Reply
  • Natalia

    I found your blog not too long ago and made this cake for Christmas. After I started baking I realized I didn’t have red food coloring so mine came out chocolate looking. But, the taste oh my!! It was absolutely delicious!! Better than I expected. Everyone went for another slice. Thank you for the recipe! 🙂 Excited to try your other cake recipes.

    · Reply
  • Marina

    Looks amazing! I will be giving this a try. One question please…do you use frozen cheesecake straight out of the freezer when you assemble the cake?

    · Reply
    • That’s a great question! Yes, you do use it while it is frozen and holds shape well. Otherwise it would be next to impossible to transfer.

      Good luck and hop you come back to let me know how it all went!

      · Reply
      • Marina

        I did make it right away (late review) and it was so good! Everyone loved it. I was thankful for a few leftover slices, and I must say it was even better the next day. Will definitely make this again! Thank you.

        · Reply
  • Adeeba

    Is it would be perfect as yours if I cut the red velvet cake recipe into halve?

    · Reply
    • I can only speak to the results if you use the recipe and proportions that you see here, but not if you change them in any way 🙁

      · Reply
  • Adeeba

    Can I halves cheesecake recipe for a smaller version?

    · Reply
    • Hi Abeeda,
      Yes, you can halve the recipe for a smaller version.

      · Reply
      • Adeeba

        Hi Marina,how long the cake batter can sit at room temperature ?

        · Reply
        • If you’re referring to raw batter, I wouldn’t leave it for longer than 10-15 minutes. If you need to leave it for longer, then just prepare the batter later. You really need to bake it as soon as you make it.

          · Reply
  • Kristina

    I wanna say this is THE MOST DELICIOUS CAKE I HAVE EVER EATEN!!!! i made this for valentines day and made it for my friend for her birthday and it was such a hit! Will be making this many many more times!!

    · Reply
  • Marianna

    Thank you for the great recipe!!! I made this last weekend and it was gone in 2 sittings! My brothers n there friends said it tastes even better then the one they sell at the Cheesecake Factory!!!!

    · Reply
    • Marianna, thank you so much for your feedback! I’m glad you guys enjoyed it!
      Merry Christmas to you and your family!

      · Reply
  • Cherice

    Hi, I just wanted to let you know in the red velvet cake ingredient list, you have forgotten to put baking soda on the list. I thought that was on purpose and made the cake without and and it was a complete fail!! But I remade with 1 tsp of baking soda with great success. 🙂

    · Reply
  • rajni

    That cake gets ticks in all boxes Marina- asthetics, colours, simplicity( thanks to the details). Can’t wait to try it!

    · Reply
  • Julia@Vikalinka

    Oh my goodness, how gorgeous is this cake, Marina! I just want to sink my teeth in it. Why do live so far AWAAAAY? I’ve never made a red velvet cake and now I really want to try. Thank you for the awesome step-by-step tutorial, so helpful!!

    · Reply
    • I’m not a fan of american cakes, but this one is pretty spectacular. Your birthday is coming up, give this one a test run before then 😉

      · Reply
  • Julia

    Marina you delivered again, an awesome Christmas cake recipe! I just want to reach and take a piece of the cake from the screen!

    · Reply
  • PURE PERFECTION. YA NAILED IT FRIEND…

    · Reply

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