If there is one dessert that screams “celebration,” it is this Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake. Inspired by the famous slice at The Cheesecake Factory, this recipe is a true show-stopper.
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The Ultimate Show-Stopper: Red Velvet Cheesecake Cake
We aren’t just talking about a cake here; we are talking about two indulgent desserts stacked into one. You get layers of moist, cocoa-kissed red velvet cake sandwiching a thick, rich layer of original cheesecake, all covered in a tangy cream cheese frosting.
I won’t lie to you, this is a “labor of love” recipe. It takes time, patience, and a few different steps. But the result? It is absolutely restaurant-quality (maybe even better!) and worth every single minute. Whether it’s for Valentine’s Day, Christmas, or a birthday where you really want to impress, this cake delivers the “wow” factor in spades.
Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe ingredients
Per Serving Cost: $1.28
Recipe Cost: $20.47
The Cheesecake Layer
- Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese, and let it come to room temperature to ensure a smooth, lump-free batter.
- Sour Cream: This adds that distinct “tang” and creaminess found in high-end cheesecakes.
- Heavy Whipping Cream: Adds lightness to the texture, keeping the cheesecake layer from being too dense.
The Red Velvet Cake
- Cocoa Powder: Use unsweetened natural cocoa powder, NOT Dutch-process. Natural cocoa is acidic and reacts with the baking soda and vinegar to give the cake its lift and signature velvety texture.
- Buttermilk & Vinegar: The holy grail of red velvet ingredients. They tenderize the gluten and provide the acid needed for the chemical reaction that makes the cake fluffy.
- Red Food Coloring: You will need about ¼ cup (two 1-ounce bottles) to get that vibrant, deep red color.
The Frosting
- Cream Cheese & Butter: Again, make sure these are at room temperature so they whip into a fluffy, spreadable frosting.
- White Chocolate (Optional): Shaved white chocolate curls make a beautiful, professional-looking garnish that masks imperfections in your frosting.
Cook’s Tips for Success
- The “Freezer” Step is Non-Negotiable: You will notice the recipe calls for freezing the baked cheesecake layer. Do not skip this! A room-temperature cheesecake is too soft to handle. Freezing it solid allows you to pick it up, peel off the parchment, and stack it onto the cake without it breaking apart.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For both the cheesecake and the cake batter, cold ingredients are the enemy. If your cream cheese or eggs are cold, they won’t emulsify properly, leading to a lumpy cheesecake or a dense cake. Set them out at least an hour before you start.
- The Water Bath: Baking the cheesecake in a water bath (placing the pan inside a larger roasting pan filled with water) ensures gentle, even heat. This prevents the cheesecake from cracking or curdling. Wrap your springform pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil to prevent any water from leaking in!
Questions about the steps? This is a big recipe, and I want you to succeed! If you have any questions about the water bath or assembly, drop a comment below, and I’ll help you troubleshoot.
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Red Velvet Cheesecake (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
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Equipment
- roasting pan
- springform pan
- parchment paper
- foil
- mixing bowls
- wire rack
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- cake pans
- frosting spatula
- cake plate OR cake stand
Ingredients
CHEESECAKE:
- 16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated white sugar
- pinch of salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
RED VELVET CAKE:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder not Dutch process
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup red food coloring two 1-ounce bottles
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar sifted lightly to remove any lumps
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
FOR GARNISH:
- white chocolate for garnish, *see recipe notes*
Instructions
PREP OVEN AND PAN:
- Move the oven racks to the middle and lowest positions. Place a large roasting pan on the lowest rack.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place a kettle of water on the stove to boil.
- Spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Next, wrap the bottom of the springform pan in two layers of foil that cover the bottom and go up the sides of the pan. The foil will prevent the water from the water bath from seeping into the pan.
MAKE THE CHEESECAKE LAYER:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, add the cream cheese to the bowl. Beat the cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
- Add the sugar and salt and mix for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and mix until combined.
- Next, add the sour cream, whipping cream, and vanilla. Mix until the mixture is smooth and combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. And smooth the batter into an even layer.
- Place the springform pan in the roasting pan that's in the preheated oven. Carefully pour the water from the kettle into the roasting pan so that 1 inch of water surrounds the springform pan's sides.
- Bake for 45 minutes, or until the cheesecake is set to the touch and not jiggly.
- Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and set it on a wire rack to cool for 1-2 hours.
- Once cooled, move the cheesecake (still in the springform pan) to the freezer to freeze until frozen solid, about 2-3 hours or overnight.
MAKE THE RED VELVET CAKE LAYERS:
- Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour two 9-inch round metal baking pans (or spray with nonstick baking spray with flour).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar to the dry ingredients.
- On the lowest setting, use a handheld mixer to beat everything together until blended for about 1 minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on medium-high for 2 minutes.
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Smooth the batter into an even layer in each pan.
- Place both pans on the middle rack and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, and then run a knife around the pans' edges and invert the cakes onto the wire rack to cool completely.
MAKE THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until creamy and smooth.
ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
- Place a red velvet cake layer on your cake plate or platter.
- Remove the cheesecake from the freezer. Release the springform's sides from the pan.
- Remove the cheesecake from the bottom pan by sliding a knife under the parchment. Peel the parchment from the bottom of the cheesecake.
- See how the size of the cheesecake layer compares to the red velvet cake layers. If the cheesecake layer is larger, shave off some of its exterior to get it to the same size as the red velvet layers.
- Place the cheesecake layer on top of the red velvet cake layer that's on the cake plate.
- Top with the second red velvet cake layer.
FROST THE CAKE:
- Use a long, thin icing spatula to apply a thin crumb coat of frosting around the cake.
- Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, so the crumb coat sets.
- Frost the cake by adding a large dollop of frosting to the top of the cake. Use the same long, thin icing spatula to spread the frosting over the top of the cake. Try to make it as even as you can and let the excess spread down the sides.
- Frost down the sides of the cake.
- Garnish the cake with chopped chocolate chips or shaved white chocolate.
- Cover and chill the cake until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Red Velvet Cheesecake Recipe FAQs
A piece of this cake at the Cheesecake Factory will run you anywhere from $6.95 to $9.95. With a little time, you can make it yourself and have the whole cake for that price!
Red Velvet cake is made by combining traditional cake ingredients such as flour, eggs, and vanilla. Also, it calls for cocoa powder, vinegar, and buttermilk. The additional ingredients turn the batter a dark red color, which is often enhanced by adding red food coloring. A regular cake uses similar ingredients but typically does not include buttermilk or vinegar.
No, a red velvet cake is not just a red chocolate cake. While it contains cocoa powder, it has other ingredients that give it a unique flavor and texture. These ingredients include buttermilk, vinegar, and cream cheese frosting. The buttermilk and vinegar give the cake a slightly tangy flavor, while the cream cheese frosting adds richness and creaminess.
Red velvet cheesecake is a delicious dessert combining red velvet cake and cheesecake flavors. The red velvet cake layer is slightly tangy from the buttermilk and vinegar. The cocoa powder gives it a subtle chocolate flavor.
The cheesecake layer is rich and creamy, with a sweet, tangy flavor from cream cheese, sugar, and eggs.
The combination of these flavors creates a dessert that is both sweet and tangy. The red velvet cake layer gives the cheesecake a slightly chocolatey flavor, while the cheesecake layer adds richness and creaminess. The cream cheese frosting on top ties everything together and adds a touch of sweetness.
How To Make Red Velvet Cheesecake
- Bake and cool the cakes. Trim them, so they’re level on top.
- Place a cake layer on a cake stand, and top with your cheesecake layer (trim the cheesecake layer if needed).
- Place the other cake layer on top of the cheesecake.
- Cover with a thin layer of frosting, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Cover with another layer of frosting.
- Make white chocolate shavings.
- Decorate the cake with white chocolate shavings. Chill the cake for 1 hour before serving.
- Slice and enjoy it!
More Desserts:
- Cannoli Cream
- Copycat Olive Garden Lemon Cream Cake
- Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
- Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
- Pink Macarons
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This is a wonderful recipe that ended up being versatile! I made the cake first, cut it into cubes, and made red velvet cheesecakes for a bake sale! Do you think your batters could be swirled together as well? Thank you for a great recipe!
You know, I bet that would work. If you try it let me know how it turns out!
Could I make red velvet cupcakes with this recipe? The link to your cupcakes isn’t working.
Hi Deb. I just updated all of the links in the post. Here’s the link to the cupcake recipe: https://foodfolksandfun.net/red-velvet-cupcakes/
i am never a cook or a baker, but made this for my husbands birthday. certainly made his day. tried making one for him to make his day special. thank you soo much
I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Is it okay to use gel food coloring?
You bet!
Should this be stored in the refrigerator.?
Yes, it should.
My sister in law made this cake using your recipe. It’s so perfect! I’m not much of a baker but I think I’ll try 😉
Yes, I’m so glad you liked the recipe. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I made this as one of my Christmas Dinner Desserts. I substituted a Red Velvet box cake mix since I had one on hand. Everyone of the 20+ guests that tried it, loved it. This will become my go to recipe for future entertaining. Will be making again this weekend for my brother-inlaw’s Birthday. Considering whether to swap the red velvet for a carrot cake using the same Cheesecake and Icing.
Lori, you absolutely made my day! 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I have a cheesecake version of this cake here: https://foodfolksandfun.net/carrot-cake-cheesecake-cake/
Hi Lori.
Did u use a box cake mix per red velvet cake or did the one box do both red velvet cakes?
Hella GOOD!! cooked my cakes a little to long but it was still good .
So glad you liked this recipe! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
I’m making it for my niece birthday but I am wondering if I can use fondant to decorate the cake.
You bet!
I am making this for the second time. My kids have asked for it for their birthday cake. I have never been to the cheesecake factory but from what I’ve heard it’s delicious. Everyone has raved over this cake. Thanks for going to the work to put this together.
Hooray! I’m so glad your family loves this recipe! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Hello is the cheesecake a no bake cheesecake or a homemade cheesecake?
It’s a homemade cheesecake.
do you have a recipe for just the cheesecake its self??? with the crust and all?! PLEASE SAY YES haha i loved making this recipe specifically for the cheesecake layer
I don’t have a copycat recipe for their cheesecake yet. I’ve been testing a recipe, and it isn’t quite right yet. I plan on tinkering with it a few more times later this month, so hopefully I’ll have a finalized recipe soon!
This looks amazing I will definitely be trying this recipe! I love red velvet cake and to have cheesecake with it it just awesome!!
This looks so great. I should attempt it for Labor day party. thanks!
this cake looks so delicious i had a red velvet cheese cake before and it was the bomb.com
What a stunning cake.
This is my husband’s favorite cheesecake!! Thanks for the recipe!
Oh my lanta…I can’t believe I can make this in my own kitchen–a little (or a lot!) dangerous!! Just amazing!! 🙂
I’m going to make this recipe for our Valentines Dinner. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Holy smokes, this looks awesome! I love their cheesecake, so Ii’m pretty excited to have this recipe. I’m a new food blogger and found you on a link party. I’ve followed your social sites and hope we can connect on those. Can’t wait to read more of your blog. Becky from CookingWithVinyl.com
Hi! Thank you for this awesome giveaway opportunity! I wanted to let you know that the Lipgloss and Lace link isn’t working! Thanks! 🙂