Crimson Velvet Cheesecake Recipe | Cookies and Cups

After I shut my eyes and consider the last word two-in-one dessert, I’m picturing crimson velvet cheesecake! This recipe is impressed by the Cheesecake Manufacturing unit (the authority on decadent cheesecakes, IYKYK). I made this copycat model with double layers of my best red velvet cake and simple baked cheesecake, frosted with the creamiest cream cheese frosting.

Each chew has the proper stability of candy and tangy, wealthy and creamy, mushy cake and velvety cheesecake. This crimson velvet cheesecake can be good for Valentine’s Day or a birthday celebration. 

Why This Crimson Velvet Cheesecake Is THAT Good

• Spectacular however straightforward. Don’t let the layers intimidate you. Crimson velvet cheesecake is a cinch to make and even faster to stack, and I’ll share my suggestions for achievement. You’ll be slicing into your masterpiece very quickly.
• Two flavors in a single dessert. You’ve gotten wealthy, silky, tangy cheesecake and the refined chocolatey taste of crimson velvet in a single cake!
• Adaptable. I make each cake layers from scratch. Relying on how a lot time you could have (and the quantity of effort you need to put into your cake), you can also make a semi-homemade model with a crimson velvet cake combine as a substitute.

What You’ll Want

This cake recipe consists of a crimson velvet sponge layer, creamy cheesecake layer, and frosting. The neat factor these parts have in widespread is that all of them depend on a handful of particular, but straightforward, pantry substances to come back out good. 

Let’s go over what you’ll want with some notes. Scroll to the printable recipe card for the whole substances, quantities, and recipe particulars.

For the Crimson Velvet Cake Layers

• Dry Elements – Sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Cocoa Powder – Pure, unsweetened cocoa powder is the traditional alternative for crimson velvet cake recipes. 
• Oil – Select a neutral-flavored vegetable oil, like canola or comparable.
• Eggs and Vanilla – Take these out of the fridge so they arrive to room temperature.
• Vinegar – Only a small quantity of white vinegar. The response between the vinegar, buttermilk, and pure cocoa powder in conventional crimson velvet cake is what gave it its signature reddish coloration. We’re including meals coloring to this recipe, however the vinegar nonetheless performs a task in making the cake further tender.
• Crimson Meals Coloring – Gel meals colours are stronger, and also you received’t want as a lot for a deep, crimson cake.
• Buttermilk – In the event you don’t have buttermilk within the fridge, save your self the journey to the shop and make a homemade buttermilk substitute as a substitute. Merely mix 1 scant cup of milk with  1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit for five minutes, then stir and add it to the batter as directed.

For the Cheesecake Layers

• Cream Cheese – The sort that is available in blocks, dropped at room temperature. Full-fat cream cheese yields the creamiest cheesecake.
• Bitter Cream – In the event you don’t have bitter cream, Greek yogurt or plain yogurt are good substitutes.
• Eggs – Calmly beat the eggs earlier than you start. 
• Sugar and Flour – Granulated sugar and all-purpose flour work greatest right here for a constantly clean cheesecake.

Which Frosting Ought to I Use?

I borrowed the straightforward cream cheese frosting from my carrot cake recipe to frost this cake. I assumed the sweet-tangy flavors complemented the crimson velvet cake and cheesecake layers with out being overly candy or buttery.

In fact, don’t let that cease you from utilizing traditional vanilla buttercream or Swiss meringue buttercream. This cooked heritage frosting provides a pleasant, rustic contact, and I exploit it in my authentic crimson velvet cake recipe.

Make Crimson Velvet Cheesecake (Step-By-Step)

Right here’s an summary of what to anticipate when making this show-stopping crimson velvet cheesecake recipe. Make sure you scroll to the recipe card for the printable directions.

First, Bake the Crimson Velvet Cake

• Combine the batter. Mix the dry substances for the cake, then add the moist substances. Add the meals coloring earlier than mixing within the vinegar and buttermilk. 
• Bake. Afterward, divide the cake between two greased and lined 8-inch spherical pans. Bake the muffins at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes. 
• Cool. Depart them to chill within the pan for 10 minutes earlier than eradicating the muffins. They’ll want to chill utterly and chill within the fridge in a single day together with the cheesecake layers.

Make the Cheesecake

Decrease the oven temperature to 300ºF. You should utilize the identical pans you used to bake your cake layers to bake the cheesecakes, simply clear them out and re-line them.

• Put together a water tub. Add about ½ inch of water to a roasting pan giant sufficient to suit each spherical pans (or, use two water baths). Place the water tub(s) into the oven whilst you combine the cheesecake batter.

• Make the cheesecake filling. Beat cream cheese with sugar, then add the bitter cream, adopted by the eggs and vanilla. Fold within the flour by hand. Once more, divide the batter between the 2 pans.
• Bake. Bake your cheesecake layers within the water tub for 25 minutes, till they’re principally set with a bit of jiggle within the center. 
• Cool regularly. At this level, change off the oven and depart the cheesecakes to chill inside with the door cracked. You’ll be able to depart them in there for a number of hours, so long as it takes to come back to room temperature (a trick I picked up from my mother-in-law).
• Chill. Run a knife across the edges of the cheesecakes earlier than masking the pans and putting them into the fridge to relax with the muffins in a single day. After chilling, the cheesecake ought to pop proper out for those who invert it. If it’s a bit caught, place the underside of the pan in a sizzling water tub and use a spatula to assist it loosen gently.

Adorn Crimson Velvet Cheesecake

I prefer to shave chocolate curls from a white chocolate bar to press into the frosting to embellish. You may be as inventive as you’d like, and alter up the decorations relying on the event. Drizzle the cake with pourable chocolate ganache, or add contemporary strawberries on prime. In the event you’ve leveled your muffins, crumble up the crimson cake trimmings to sprinkle over the cake as a garnish.

Continuously Requested Questions

Professional Ideas and Variations

• Measure the flour accurately. An excessive amount of flour ends in a dry, crumbly cake. Make sure that to measure utilizing a kitchen scale. In the event you don’t have one, use the spoon and sweep methodology, the place you spoon the flour from the bag into the measuring cup and stage it off afterward to keep away from overmeasuring.
• Don’t overmix the cake batter. After you’ve added the flour, take care to not overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a dense cake and cheesecake.
• Cool the cheesecakes regularly. This step is vital because it prevents sinking and cracking. Sudden temperature modifications may cause the cheesecake to crack (that is additionally why it’s vital to not open the oven prematurely!). After baking, crack the door, and depart the cheesecake within the oven for at the very least an hour, or till it’s cooled.
• Make a double-chocolate model. Chocoholics, I see you! Swap the traditional cheesecake layers with chocolate cheesecake as a substitute. You’ll be able to even frost the cake with my chocolate cream cheese frosting, on this case.

Retailer

• Refrigerate. Retailer leftover cake in an hermetic container, like a cake provider, within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
• Freeze. Each time potential, freeze the cake layers earlier than assembling and frosting. Wrap the cheesecakes tightly within the pans and double-wrap the crimson velvet cake layers in plastic wrap. Freeze for as much as 2 months and thaw the layers within the fridge earlier than constructing the cake.