Red Velvet Cake and Cheesecake in One - Directions

In the earlier post about the Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake, I didn't have pictures except the final.  Here are the steps: 



Cheesecake:

20 oz. Cream Cheese room temp.
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temp.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, add sugar and continue to beat.  Add lemon zest and lemon juice, salt and sour cream and mix on medium scraping down the sides until well mixed.  Add eggs and mix on low until well incorporated.  If you overmix, your cheesecake may crack.

Put a kettle of water on to boil.

Prepare 9" springform pan: (see my tip for cutting a round piece of parchment paper)

Line a 9" springform pan with parchment paper going up the sides a little bit.

Wrap outter pan with foil

Set pan in the bottom of a roasting pan or a broiler pan like in the picture and spray the paper and sides with a cooking spray (not flavored).

Pour cheesecake mixture into pan and smooth mixture out to the edge of the pan making a seal.

Place cheesecake in middle rack of preheated oven and pour the boiling water around the springform pan very carefully and water level should go about half way up the level of the cheesecake.  Bake for about 45 minutes - the middle should be just set (still a little wiggly but not too much).  Also if you over-cook, your cheesecake could split.  Remove from water and cool for about 20 minutes.  Place a paper towel over the pan and then with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator and chill overnight.

After chilling overnight, remove outter ring leaving the bottom on for support and fan out the parchment paper.  Wrap loosely with plastic wrap and freeze.

 Red Velvet Cake:

2 1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup veg. oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp. or 1 ounce bottle red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp white vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa into a medium bowl.

In a large mixing bowl add remainder of the ingredients and mix on low until well combined.  Add dry ingredients 1/3 at a time mixing on low to prevent spattering.  Beat until smooth.

Spray 2 9" round cake pans with cooking release spray and divide batter evenly between the two pans.  Cook on center rack 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Let cakes cook 5 minutes and then invert onto cooling rack.  Let cakes cool completely.  Level cakes and save the pieces for decoration.

Place first cake top side down onto cake cardboard form.

(leveled cake)

(excess from leveling cake)

Unwrap frozen cheesecake and remove bottom of springform pan.

Invert onto the bottom layer of the cake and remove parchment paper.  If you want, you can use your warm hands and smooth out cheesecake edges.

Add remaining cake bottom side up to make frosting easier.

Frost the cake starting on the top and work down sides.

Frosting:

12 oz. cream cheese, room temp.

12 oz. unsalted butter, room temp.

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 cups powder sugar

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with a hand mixer together in a large bowl until well combined.  Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.

In a food processor, take cake excess and chop finely to decorate sides.



I added shaved white chocolate on the top.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  I suggest overnight since the cheesecake is still frozen at this point.

This is the instruction for the red velvet cheesecake cake.  If you prefer to use a box cake mix, that will work, and if you want a different cheesecake flavor, it's up to you.  I made a lemon box cake mix and with a blueberry cheesecake center and it was divine!  Endless possibilities.