Southern Style Red Velvet Cheesecake
Cake lovers and cheesecake connoisseurs will be equally pleased with this new spin on a classic tradition.
Let me start off by saying that I grew up on REAL red velvet cake. My mom made it every year (sometimes a couple times a year) with a homemade recipe on a 3x5 index card that had seen so much traffic, the writing was barely recognizable.
To be honest, she would probably whoop me if she knew that I took a shortcut and used a boxed cake mix for this recipe. But hear me out! I love shortcuts, and making my life easy. I don’t always use boxed cake mix (in fact, I hardly ever do), but this shortcut is definitely worth it.
Speaking of life being easier, did I also mention that this recipe bake in one pan? Yes, ONE. PAN. The key to that magic comes later.
Let’s get down to business!
Equipment needed for this recipe:
The beginning of this recipe couldn’t be easier - we’re going to bake 1 box of red velvet cake mix, according to its directions. EXCEPT. We’ll upgrade the ingredients a little. Swap milk for the water it calls for. Can be regular, or nondairy - whichever you normally buy. Just make sure it’s unsweetened. Also swap butter for the oil, this makes the cake much more moist and, well, buttery. Pour between 2/3 and 3/4 of the batter into your springform pan, and bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes. The cake should bake completely.
Let the cake cool completely to room temperature before removing the springform. Next, you’ll level the cake with a long serrated knife. Trust me, this is easier than it sounds! Place the knife level with the lowest point of the cake. Going slowly and carefully, cut in a straight line across the top of the cake to create a nice, even surface.
Pop the springform back on, turn the oven down, and begin making the cheesecake batter. The cheesecake layer is simply cream cheese, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Beat it all together with the paddle attachment in your stand mixer.
Now! This is where the magic happens.
Spoon the cheesecake batter directly on top of the baked cake layer. Tap on the counter a few times to remove any bubbles, and to make sure it’s settled. Before popping the whole thing into the oven, you’re going to place the foil-wrapped springform onto a large, deep baking sheet. After placing the baking sheet onto the middle rack of your oven (with nothing above it), pour steaming hot water into the baking sheet surrounding the springform. Keep pouring until the water goes about 1” up from the bottom of the springform pan. Then the whole thing bakes for about 1 hour at 325.
TIP: If you need help visualizing the water bath portion of the cheesecake, please see my chocolate torte recipe with detailed pictures of the process.
The cake should be lightly browned and firm to the tough in the middle. Cool to room temperature, cover with plastic, and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
Now it’s time to make the creamy, dreamy whipped cream!
In your stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, pour in the cream and vanilla. Then, whip is real good!
TIP: I like to use vanilla bean paste in my whipped cream, as opposed to regular bourbon vanilla. I think the specs of vanilla bean make it a little fancier, but you can do it however you wish!
Whip on medium high speed for about 6 minutes to start, add the powdered sugar (go shy at first, you can always add more later), and keep on whipping. After about 8 minutes, you’ll see it has more volume and should be at the beginning stages of firm peaks.
You’re done when you have stiff, fluffy peaks. If you accidentally go further, then congratulations, you just made homemade butter!
Spread the WHOLE batch of whipped cream over the top of the refrigerated cheesecake evenly. Keep the springform on to keep the shape for now, you’ll remove it before serving. Cover, and pop the whole thing back in the fridge until serving time.
At serving time, you’ll run a long, skinny knife around the edge of the cake. It’s preferred if you do it in one stroke, but if you must do multiple just clean the knife off between strokes.
Pop it out, and…
Behold the beauty of those layers!
Not only does the cake stay perfectly moist, but the cheesecake is the real pleaser - it’s the perfect creamy compliment to the cake.
It’s equal parts show-stoppingly beautiful, scrumptious, and supremely EASY to make. You really can’t go wrong with this one!
Main Ingredients
For the cake:
1 box red velvet cake mix, plus ingredients needed to prepare it. Swapping milk for the water, and butter for the oil.
For the cheesecake:
2 8 oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
For the whipped cream:
1 1/2 c cold heavy cream
1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1/4 c powdered sugar (more or less to taste)
Recipe Steps
Preheat oven to 350. Prepare red velvet cake mix according to package directions, making the appropriate swaps.
Prepare a 9" springform pan with a circle of parchment paper and a light coating of oil spray.
Pour 2/3 - 3/4 of the prepared batter into the springform and bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Note: you can prepare the rest of the batter, in a separate pan, if you like (to crumble on top for decorating purposes?). Also the amount you pour into the pan depends on how thick you want the bottom cake layer. To achieve a result close to mine, use closer to 3/4 of the batter.
Turn oven down to 325. Cool cake completely to room temperature. Prepare the cheesecake batter by creaming together the cream cheese, vanilla, and sugar. Once the mixture is light and fluffy, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing completely between adds.
Level the cooled cake, then pour the prepared cheesecake batter directly on top of the cake and spread evenly. Tap on the counter to remove any bubbles. Wrap the bottom of the springform in heavy duty aluminum foil, place onto a large baking sheet, then surround the springform with steaming hot water as it's going into the oven. Bake at 325 for about 1 hour, or until the middle is firm and the top is lightly browned.
Cool cheesecake completely, cover, and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
Prepare the whipped cream by adding the cold cream and vanilla bean paste to a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip on medium high for about 6 minutes before adding the powdered sugar, then continue whipping for about another 5-7 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
Spoon the whipped cream evenly over the cheesecake, cover, and refrigerate until serving time.
When it's time to serve, run a long, skinny knife around the outside of the cake to help remove the springform.
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