red velvet CHEESECAKE!!*

I have been DYING to make this since I first saw it! On my first post I had made a red velvet cake, but the recipe I had used was actually for a red velvet cheesecake. A few months ago the husband and I went to Vegas to the Cheesecake Factory for the first time. Just getting there was an adventure in itself, but once we got there I saw it - a red velvet cheesecake!! I was bound and determined to get it for dessert, but then was way to full to even think about it. But I have not forgotten about it ever since. When I came across this recipe in a blog I was immediately in heaven without ever trying it.

Today we threw a surprise birthday party for one of my staff, Fred, that just turned 85 years old yesterday! I was meaning to take a picture of him today for my blog but completely forgot, but I have a picture that I took a little while ago of him drinking some decaf coffee out of the measuring cup, while eating a muffin HA!

When I get a better picture I will post it. Anyway, everyone LOVES Fred and he has worked for Heritage off and on for about 13 years! So this cake was for him :)

Back to the red velvet CHEESECAKE! First off you make the cheesecake part. There is no crust obviously, so you just make the cheesecake in a spring form pan, then let it chill, take it out of the pan and freeze it. Freezing it makes it easier to put it on the cake without tearing it all the pieces. We actually made the cheesecake part on Friday because the party was on Monday. That way we had time to freeze it and only had to worry about the cake part Monday. It was the first cheesecake I have ever made, at least a cooked cheesecake. I was excited that it didn't have one crack when it came out of the oven! I have an awesome 3 ingredient no bake cheesecake recipe that I am sure will end up on here someday! Anyway, here it goes! Here is the amazing recipe for this show stopping red velvet cheesecake!!

Lincoln's Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake

cake and frosting adapted by Apple a Day, originally adapted from Saveur

cheesecake adapted from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

For the cheesecake:

1 1/4 pounds bar cream cheese (20 oz), room temperature

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, plus 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

For the cake:

2 1/2 c. cake flour

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1 TBSP cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 c. buttermilk

2 TBSP (1 oz.) red food coloring

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. white distilled vinegar

For the frosting:

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

12 oz. butter, softened

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 c. confectioners' sugar

1 bar white or dark chocolate (Optional for decoration), I used Ghiradelli

Directions:

For the cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.

Cut parchment paper in a circle and line the bottom of the cheesecake pan.

Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes.

Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.

For the cake:

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

Beat eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Divide batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9" round cake pans.

 

Bake 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely, then level.

Frosting:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl with an electric mixer until combined. Add sugar and beat until frosting is light and fluffy, 5–7 minutes.

Assembly:

Place bottom layer on cake stand. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom, then peel off parchment paper. Place cheesecake layer on top of the bottom layer of the red velvet cake. If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to to trim it, wait approximately 10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife.

Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake, and coat with a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting to act as the crumb coat. Be careful not to get any red velvet crumbs in the bowl of frosting! Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary. Top with shaved white chocolate and/or shaved dark chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. (This cake doesn't have to stay in the fridge until IMMEDIATELY before serving, so don't worry if you have a 30 minute lapse between the refrigerator and serving.)

Oh my goodness gracious! This dessert did not disappoint!  I will absolutely be making this again when I have somewhere fancy to go. I must also mention that I couldn't have made this without my best assistant, Sarah. Well, I maybe could have but it would have taken me 10 times longer because my phone does not seem to ever stop ringing. So THANKS Sarah!! We did it again :)

-alyssa*