Red Velvet Raspberry Cheesecake
**Recipe adapted from a Brown Eyed Baker Recipe
Yield: 12 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour (active) + 8 hours (inactive) |
Bake Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
For the Cheesecake:
32 ounces low or reduced fat cream cheese, at
room temperature
1¼ cups granulated sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
½ cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
For the Red Velvet Cake:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup + 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons red food coloring (liquid)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
For the Raspberry
Sauce/Filling:
1 cup sugar
½ cup water
3 tablespoons corn starch-dissolved in 1/8 cup
water
5 cups washed fresh raspberries
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
5 cups powdered sugar
2
tablespoons clear vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Make the Cheesecake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees
F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and then tightly wrap the outside with heavy
duty foil, to prevent leaks. Boil the water for your water bath & add to a
large pan big enough to fit your springform pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat together the
cream cheese and sugar at medium speed until completely smooth, about 3
minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for a minute or so after each
addition, and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the heavy
cream and vanilla extract, and beat until completely incorporated.
3. Pour the batter into the springform pan; place
the springform pan into a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and pour the
boiling water into the larger pan until the water comes about halfway up the
side of the springform pan.
4. Bake until the cheesecake edges are set but the
middle still jiggles a bit, about 55-60 minutes. Turn the oven off, but leave
the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 1 hour. After one hour,
remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place the springform pan on a
cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Place the cheesecake in the
refrigerator until well-chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight.
5. Make the Red Velvet Cake: Preheat oven to 350
degrees F. Grease two 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms of the pans with a
parchment round, butter the parchment paper, and then flour the pans.
6. On medium-high speed, cream the butter and
sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to high and add
the eggs one at a time, mixing for about a minute after each addition. Scrape
down the bowl and beat until well incorporated.
7. In a separate small bowl, mix together the
cocoa powder, vanilla extract and red food coloring to make a thick paste. Add
to the batter and mix on medium speed until completely combined. You may need
to stop the mixer to scrape the bottom of the bowl, making sure that all the
batter gets color.
8. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add
half of the buttermilk. Add half of the flour and mix until combined. Scrape
the bowl and repeat the process with the remaining buttermilk and flour. Beat
on high until smooth.
9. Again, reduce the mixer speed to low and add
the salt, baking soda and vinegar. Turn to high and beat for another couple of
minutes until completely combined and smooth.
10. Divide the batter evenly between the two cake
pans and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a thin knife or skewer inserted
into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove cakes from
the pans and place them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
11. On the stove top add water, sugar and
raspberries to a small pot. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, and reduce.
Dissolve corn starch in water, & add to pot. Whisking well, combine &
stir until thickened. Remove from heat & set aside to cool for use later.
12. Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer
with the whisk attachment, whip the butter and cream cheese on high speed for
about 5 minutes, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Reduce the speed to low
and slowly add the powdered sugar until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla
and mix to combine. Increase the speed to medium-high and whip for a few
minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as necessary.
13. Assemble the Cheesecake: If needed, level the
tops of the red velvet cake layers with a serrated knife or cake leveler so
that the tops are level and not domed. Next, slice the cheesecake in half
horizontally to create two layers. Place one layer of the red velvet cake on
your serving plate. Spread a very thin layer of the cream cheese frosting over
it (it creates a type of glue so that the layers stick together and don’t slide
around). Then on top of each layer of frosting, add a few spoonful’s of
raspberry filling. Save the remaining filling for the top of your cake. Top
that with one layer of the cheesecake, and again top with a very thin layer of
frosting. Repeat, adding the second red velvet layer, and then placing the
second cheesecake layer on top, with a layer of frosting between them. Using
the remaining frosting, cover the cake in frosting and decorate as desired. Decorate
with remaining raspberry filling, or save for use to top each individual slice
of cake when you serve. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
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