This beautiful, delectable Red velvet and cheesecake cake contains all of your favorites wrapped up in one. This is sure to make your Valentine’s heart beat a little faster.
I love cake! Period! I don’t think anything else on this good earth can make me more happy that a good piece of cake that has been lovingly baked and decorated. Cake brings joy. I am sorry but no one can convince me otherwise. If you want to make me happy this Valentine’s day you may serve me a slice of Red Velvet, Chocolate ganache or Cheesecake. Better still: How about all in one? Just like this one above.
This cake rests on a chocolate sandwich cookie base covered in chocolate ganache with a layer of rich baked cheesecake and sweet, velvety red velvet cake on top.
Now I wish I could say that I was the genius inventor of this gorgeous recipe, but I would be lying. I got the Idea from Julie Ruble on Willowbirdbaking. and adapted it to my own needs. Go and check out her blog it is absolutely gorgeous!
What will you need to make this beautiful cake?
The red velvet cake
- butter
- sugar
- egg
- cocoa
- salt
- vanilla extract
- buttermilk
- flour
- baking soda
- white vinegar
- red gel food coloring
The crust of the cheesecake:
- chocolate sandwich cookies like Oreos
- butter
The chocolate ganache:
- heavy cream
- dark chocolate
The cheesecake:
- cream cheese
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- salt
- eggs
Cream cheese icing:
- cream cheese
- icing sugar
- butter
- vanilla
- salt
How do I make this gorgeous red velvet and cheesecake cake?
First:Prepare the red velvet cake layer.
Start by preparing the red velvet cake as per the instruction in the recipe card below.
When the cake has been removed from the baking tin and cooled completely wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze overnight. The frozen red velvet is just much easier to trim and decorate. It is much less crumb to deal with.
You can continue by preparing the cheesecake on the first day and then assemble the cakes the next day. Alternatively, you can bake the cheesecake the next day and then decorate it. I am way to impatient and baked both on day one and, assembled and decorated it the next morning.
Secondly: Prepare the cheesecake layer.
Prepare the crust of the cheesecake by processing the sandwich cookies and mixing it with butter. Press into a 23 cm springform pan and pour one cup of the prepared ganache over. Save the rest to fill the cake in the center.
Mix and prepare the cheesecake filling, bake for 1 hour. Leave the cake to cool down in the oven and, do not be alarmed if it cracks as the red velvet cake will cover. Your cake will still be perfect, I promise.
Thirdly: Prepare the cream cheese icing and assemble the cake.
When the cheesecake has cooled down completely, run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan and, gently loosen the cake.
You can now prepare the cream cheese icing as per instruction in the recipe card below.
Assemble the cake as follows: Place the cheesecake on your cake plate and spread the rest of the ganache over. Stack the red velvet on top of the cheesecake and trim the cake where it does not line up.
You can now decorate your cake by frosting it with the cream cheese icing. I decided on a naked look so that the red velvet’s gorgeous red color peaks through the icing.
Red velvet cheesecake cake
Equipment
- Electrical Beater, Cake tins, Mixing bowls, Spatula, Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Red Velvet cake
- 60 ml butter
- 180 ml sugar
- 1 large egg
- 15 ml cocoa
- 30 ml water
- 1 large pinch of salt
- 125 ml buttermilk
- 310 ml flour
- 2.5 ml baking soda
- 2.5 ml white vinegar
- 3-5 drops red food coloring
Chocolate cookie crust
- 32 chocolate sandwich cookies like Oreos I used Oreos that I processed until very fine
- 80 ml butter melted
Chocolate ganache layer
- 185 ml fresh cream
- 300 g dark chocolate chopped
Cheesecake layer
- 3 tubs 230 g cream cheese
- 250 ml sugar
- 1½ tbsp flour
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 1 large pinch of salt
- 3 large eggs
Cream cheese frosting
- 1 230g tub of full-fat cream cheese
- 60 ml salted butter room temperature
- 7.5 ml fresh cream
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 1 large pinch of salt
Instructions
Red velvet cake layer
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
- Prepare a 23 cm round cake tin by spraying it with non-stick spray and lining it with baking paper.
- Add the butter and sugar and cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and cream some more.
- Add the water and vanilla to the cocoa and prepare a paste. Add the paste to the butter mixture and mix it in.
- Sieve the flour and salt.
- Add the sieved flour and the buttermilk alternately. Stir well but don't overmix
- Mix the vinegar and soda in a separate cup and fold it into the mixture.
- Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 20 min or until a skewer that is inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely, remove from the tin. Cover the cake in plastic wrap and freeze until firm.
Cheesecake layer
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
- Prepare a 23cm springform pan by spraying it with non-stick spray and lining it with baking paper.
- Combine all the ingredients for the chocolate cookie crust and mix well in a medium bowl with a fork.
- Cover the bottom of the tin with the cookie by pressing the cookie mixture firmly on.
- Next: Prepare the chocolate ganache by gently heating the cream in the microwave and then adding the chocolate pieces and stirring it well until all the chocolate has melted. Smear a layer of about one cup of ganache over the chocolate cookie base. Place the tin into the fridge to rest. Set the rest of the ganache aside and store it at room temperature to assemble the cake later.
- Add the cream cheese and sugar to a large mixing bowl and, with the whisk attachment of your electric beater cream the cream cheese and sugar on medium speed.
- Sieve the flour and the salt and add into the cream cheese mixture. Beat until just combined.
- Add the eggs one at a time and scrape down the bowl in between.
- Pour the cheesecake filling over the cool ganache.
- Bake in the center of the oven for about one hour until the sides have set and the center is still slightly wobbly. Switch off the oven and let it cool down completely in the oven.When the cake has cooled down it will sink in.
Cream cheese frosting:
- Beat the cream cheese and butter together at medium speed until smooth.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix on medium speed.
- If your frosting seems too runny add some icing sugar. If it is too thick add some milk.
Assemble and frost the cake:
- Remove the cheesecake from the tin by gently sliding a knife around the inside rim of the pan. slowly loosen the springform device and place your cake on a cake plate. It is a good idea to trim the edges of your cheesecake's top with a long bread knife to make it level.
- Mix the ganache well. If it seems too thick add a bit of cream. Smear the ganache on the cheesecake's top.
- Remove the red velvet cake from the fridge and the plastic layer. Place the cake neatly on the cheesecake and trim of edges that are sticking over on the sides.
- You are now ready to frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting.Apply the frosting with a spatula and scrape the edges with a bench scraper.
- Decorate your cake with fresh rose petals, if you like.
Here is some more of my favorite cakes:
Cherry and chocolate mousse pavlova
