Cheesecake-Filled Red Velvet Layer Cake
A stunning three-component dessert featuring tangy red velvet cake layers sandwiched around a creamy cheesecake filling, finished with cream cheese frosting and white chocolate curls. The red velvet's subtle cocoa and buttermilk tang play against the rich, smooth cheesecake center and silky frosting. Serve at celebrations, dinner parties, or special occasions when you want to impress. This version distinguishes itself by baking the cheesecake layer separately before assembly, creating distinct texture layers rather than a single mixed cake.
Ingredients
- 16 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
- ⅝ cup sugar, granulated
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, table salt
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cup flour, all-purpose
- 1 ½ cup sugar, granulated
- 3 tablespoon cocoa powder, unsweetened
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt, table salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup canola oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ½ bottle red gel food coloringred liquid food coloring1/2 bottle
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 8 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 ounce white chocolate, Ghirardelli or similarwhite chocolate chips melted with cocoa butter if available1:1consistency controladds dairy
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Full guide → - 1 ½ teaspoon shortening
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray and line base with parchment.
- 2
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Mix in sugar and salt. Add eggs one at a time, scraping sides between additions. Fold in sour cream, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth.
- 3
Pour into prepared pan and bake 45 minutes. Cool, then freeze in pan.
- 4
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
- 5
Whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla, and vinegar. Beat until smooth.
- 6
Divide batter between pans and bake 30 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean.
- 7
Cool in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto cooling racks. Cool completely.
- 8
Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- 9
Place one cake layer on stand. Top with cheesecake layer, then second cake layer. Apply thin crumb coat and chill 30 minutes.
- 10
Frost entire cake. Pipe frosting rosettes or stars around perimeter if desired.
- 11
Melt white chocolate and shortening together. Spread thinly on cookie sheet and chill until set.
- 12
Push chocolate sheet with metal spatula to form curls. If breaking, let soften briefly and retry. Arrange curls on frosted cake.
Tips
Freeze the baked cheesecake layer thoroughly before assembly so it holds its shape when frosting. If not completely frozen, it may shift when stacking cake layers.
Make the cake and cheesecake layers ahead and freeze separately, then assemble and frost the day of serving. This breaks the project into manageable stages.
For clean chocolate curls, keep tools and chocolate cool. Warm spatula gently if curls crack excessively, but do not let chocolate become liquid.
Good to Know
Refrigerate covered up to 4 days. Do not freeze assembled cake; freeze components separately before assembly.
Bake cheesecake and cake layers up to 2 days prior. Wrap separately and freeze. Thaw layers before assembly. Frosting can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
Serve chilled. Remove from refrigerator 15-20 minutes before serving if you prefer slightly softer texture. Slice with a warm, wet knife between cuts for clean edges.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip cooling the cheesecake fully before freezing to avoid condensation and sogginess when thawed.
Do not over-bake the cake layers or they will dry out; insert toothpick to check doneness.
Do not assemble warm layers or the cheesecake and frosting will slide; chill all components thoroughly.
Do not attempt chocolate curls if chocolate is too warm or too cold; temperature precision prevents breaking and shattering.
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
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Full guide →FAQ
Can I make this cake a day ahead?
Yes. Bake cheesecake and cake layers up to 2 days prior and freeze separately. Thaw before assembly. Make frosting 1 day ahead. Assemble and frost the day before serving. Chill until service.
What if my chocolate curls keep breaking?
Chocolate temperature is critical. If too cold, it shatters; if too warm, it will not curl. Allow softened chocolate to rest briefly at room temperature, then retry. Ensure your spreading surface is cool.
How long can I keep leftovers?
Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Do not freeze the assembled cake as frosting and cheesecake separate when thawed. If freezing, disassemble and wrap components individually for up to 3 months.