If you're a fan of red velvet you have to try this delicious dessert recipe!
Table of Contents
❤️ Why you'll love it
- Beautiful bold red color that really stands out.
- Rich, creamy, and decadent-tasting and perfect for special occasions.
- A fool-proof recipe that's easy to make, and doesn't crack in the oven.
Unique homemade red velvet cheesecake recipe is absolutely the best!
It's made with a New York Style cheesecake batter swirled with tender pieces of crimson red velvet cake - beautiful, delicious, and totally different from anything you've had before.
It's SO easy to make and even easier if you take a couple of days to do the steps.
In fact, you could use a cake from a bakery if you were really short on time.
It's so versatile - next time try an Oreo crust instead of the cake crust!
🧾 Ingredients
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- Red Velvet Cake or a mix
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Heavy cream
- White chocolate or cheesecake instant pudding mix
🔪 Instructions
- Mix together the cheesecake layer until smooth.
- Add cheesecake mixture into the prepared pan and bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes in a water bath.
- Top with the creamy topping and red velvet cake crumbs.
- Chill in the fridge overnight.
🥄 Equipment
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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
🥫 Storage
Cheesecakes can be stored tightly covered with plastic wrap in the fridge for up to five days.
📖 Variations
- Use chocolate cake, if you want a chocolate cheesecake recipe.
- Try adding berries to the top of the cooked cheesecake for a sweet fruity flavor.
- Instant of cake crumbs on top of the cheesecake you could add red velvet cookies.
- Instead of a red velvet cake crust, you can use an Oreo cookie crust instead - like I did with this white chocolate peppermint bark cheesecake.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: All ingredients should be room temperature before you start making your cheesecake.
- Follow all the directions carefully.
- Never mix cheesecake at high speed. It adds air to the batter and you lose that dense creaminess that cheesecakes are known for. Always use low speed.
- It's important to bake cheesecake in the water bath so don't skip it.
- If you want the pretty color you have to use red food coloring. There's no other way.
- Make sure your aluminum foil is wrapped securely around the bottom of the springform and up the sides to prevent leaking.
- Do NOT peek at the cheesecake while it is baking or resting because it makes it cranky.
- Let the cake come to room temperature before chilling.
- Place a paper towel over the top of the cake before wrapping it with plastic wrap and chilling. This will keep the top dry and help guard against cracking.
👩🍳 FAQs
Yes, it freezes well for up to 3 months.
Yes, chocolate is what gives red velvet cake such a rich taste.
No, you need to use full-fat cream cheese. Low fat cream cheese will change the texture of your cheesecake.
📚 Related recipes
If you love cheesecake recipes here are some of my favorites.
- Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake is bursting with peanut butter flavor.
- Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake is ooey, gooey, and filled with warm spice and sweet flavors.
- You can never go wrong with a classic cheesecake like this Plain NY Style Cheesecake.
- Nothing says comforting southern dessert more than a Pecan Pie Cheesecake.
- We love this banana pudding cheesecake!
🍽️ Serve with...
- Red Velvet Martini is a boldly colored drink that would taste amazing with red velvet desserts.
- Crockpot Swiss Steak is an easy meal that is perfect to go along with this rich dessert.
- Lasagna soup is hearty and comforting and a great way to warm up a chilly night.
📞 The last word
Y'all. When I don't have a lot of time I head for the red velvet poke cake but if I have a bit of wiggle room?
It's this red velvet cheesecake all the way.
The cheesecake itself is a rich vanilla, classic New York cheesecake. While it bakes the pieces of cake sort of soak up some of the flavor from the batter.
An added plus was that the red velvet cake helped break up the richness of it.
It was nothing short of fantabulous.
Just before serving top the finished, chilled cake with white chocolate flavored whipped cream and cake crumbles for a little added drama. 🙂
Isn't it gorgeous?
This red velvet cheesecake is just beautiful for Christmas or Valentine's Day. Or, add some blueberries and serve it on the 4th of July!
Check out this collection of red velvet recipes!
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
Cheesecake
- red velvet cake, prepared but not baked
- 32 oz cream cheese
- 16 oz sour cream
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 6 eggs
Topping
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoonful white chocolate instant pudding mix
- 2 tablespoons of sugar as needed
Instructions
Cheesecake
- Prepare the red velvet cake batter.
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Put about ¼ inch of cake batter in the bottom of a greased and floured 10 inch springform.
- Use the rest of the batter in a 13x9 or 9 inch cake pan.
- Bake cakes 20 minutes or until firm and done.
- Break the cake (NOT the one in the springform) into large chunks and set aside.
- Beat the cheesecake ingredients together until smooth.
- Reserve about ½ cup cake crumbs for the top.
- Fold the remaining cake chunks into cheesecake batter.
- Pour cheesecake mixture into the springform pan.
- Cover the bottom of the springform with aluminum foil, bringing it up the sides.
- Place pan in larger pan of hot water. Water should come halfway up the sides.
- Bake for 50 minutes.
- Turn oven off and leave door closed for 1 hour. Don’t PEEK!
- Remove from oven, take out of the water bath.
- Let come to room temperature.
- Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.
Topping
- Whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken.
- Add the teaspoon of instant pudding mix and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
- Whip until soft peaks form.
- Taste and add more sugar if needed.
- Spoon on top of cooled cheesecake.
- Sprinkle with reserved red velvet cake crumbs.
Notes
- Follow all the directions carefully.
- The water bath is important so don't skip it.
- Make sure your aluminum foil is wrapped securely around the bottom of the springform and up the sides to prevent leaking.
- Do NOT peek at the cheesecake while it is baking or resting because it makes it cranky.
- Let the cake come to room temperature before chilling.
- Place a paper towel over the top of the cake before wrapping it with plastic wrap and chilling. This will keep the top dry and help guard against cracking.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
This recipe was originally published in June 2011. Last updated January 18, 2022 for better information and new images.
June 2011
My son is home for the first time in three years. He is in the Air Force, stationed in Northern Japan, and it is difficult for him to get leave time. A lot has changed in past three years for both of us.
Excited? Me? Yeah!
So, as a result...as I told my Facebook readers... I won't be online as much, nor will I post as much. Do you blame me?
One of Chris's favorite desserts is Red Velvet Cake. I wanted to make him something special to welcome him home...and I think I succeeded.
I made a cheesecake. A red velvet one.
I had seen a lot of Red Velvet Cheesecakes that were based on the cake but I wanted pieces of the cake to be nestled in a rich, creamy cheesecake batter.
I wanted it to be cheesecake with pieces of cake randomly in it, and I think I succeeded. It comes out creamy and rich with a nice textural contrast from the cake pieces. Chris loved it, the whole family loved it...and I think you will, too.
November 2016
Updating this post brought back so many wonderful memories.
He has been with the Thunderbirds for the last couple of years so I've gotten to see him a LOT more often than when he was in Japan!!
He'll be getting a new assignment in 2017 but I'm hoping it won't take them too far away. Of course, I am praying what ever is best for his family because that's what moms do, right?
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife says
This cake looks so festive and perfect for the holidays! I love the combo of red velvet + cheesecake.
Kathy Hester says
Now this is the perfect dessert for my holiday table!!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
mmm my favorite cake- That looks incredible!
heather @french press says
I;m sure you are going to have a wonderful holiday with your family! enjoy every minute of it. I will be enjoying this red velvet cheesecake with mine 🙂
Ali @ Home & Plate says
This is such a pretty dessert. Perfect for the holidays. I think I would be in trouble if this landed on my table. Yum!
Megan says
This looks amazing! I think i am going to make it for our Xmas dinner in a couple weeks. Question: Do you think this would work with an oreo crust? I am wanting something a little more sturdy on the bottom that adds a crunch.
Marye Audet says
I think it would be amazing flavor wise but not so attractive? Does that make sense?
Megan says
Yes, that makes sense and is exactly what I was thinking!
Also, I did see another recipe similar to this where they made for the crust by cut strips of the red velvet cake and purposely over-baked them to become dry... then when the strips are cooled they crush them like graham crackers, add butter, and press the crushed cake and butter mixture to the bottom of the cheesecake pan. If I get ambitious enough, I will try this and let you know how it works!
Marye Audet says
Please do!
Marye Audet says
Aw, thanks Julie! It really is so good.
Neli @ Delicious Meets Healthy says
I love red velvet cake and cupcakes, and muffins, but i must admit, i have never had red velvet cheesecake. I have to change that now. Yours looks fantastic!!
Marye Audet says
You should! Usually the red velvet coloring is in the cheesecake itself but I think that the dye gives it a weird flavor. Here you get the cake and the cream cheese. 😉
Florian @ContentednessCooking says
This cake looks so pretty and colorful! great recipe.
Marye Audet says
Thank you Florian!
Jerry Russell says
Um. YES! Just yes. I'm sure your son enjoyed it, and I bet anyone else that managed to get a slice did, too. We'll definitely be trying this!
Arman @ thebigmansworld says
This looks so decadent and even though this post is older, I can only imagine how overjoyed your son would have been to receive this!
Christie says
What a gorgeous cheesecake. Hope your son is still doing well.
Laura @MotherWouldKnow says
This cake is wild! I love the idea of combining two cakes. Although I don't make red velvet cake (or at least haven't up til now), it's such a cool looking dessert - and with cheesecake, it's a sure winner in my house.
allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says
Absolutely gorgeous cheesecake Marye. Chris must have loved it. What welcome home!!! You always make such beautiful cakes. I love visiting your blog to see what you're up to in the kitchen!
Kim Hardy says
So..am I to understand the aluminum foil goes under the bottom of the RV crusted pan before I pour in the batter then place the entire pan in the hot water bath and then put it in the oven to bake??
Marye Audet says
Yes. The foil keeps the water from seeping into the pan. 🙂
Mike Spear says
I have made this cake many times over the past year. It is always a hit and it presents itself beautifully. The frosting topping I use is cream cheese, powdered sugar and a little vanilla. The whipped frosting topping is a beautiful touch. Thank you for the recipe.
Jyl Nipper says
Oh my heck!! It looks fabulous and has two of my favorite desserts all in one!
Renée J. (RJ Flamingo) says
Love the recipe and your tips! I can taste it in my head - and I know it will taste just as fabulous in my mouth! LOL!
patsy says
I can see why it's his favorite! Unbelievably gorgeous!
Nutmeg Nanny says
This cheesecake looks great!