Update: This is a pretty old post. Since then, my tastes have chanced and I really don’t think I would eat a red velvet cheesecake. That being said, when I first made this it was a huge hit. Everyone loved it and it’s become quite popular. Once was enough for me.
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I don’t think I’ll be baking today, so instead here’s a recipe which is about 3 years old. It first appeared in a 2004 issue of Southern Living, and I am quite sure I jumped on it immediately
The original recipe with reviews from other readers is located on SL’s recipe finder. Please check the link if you have time. For convenience, I’ve pasted a very slightly changed version below.
Here’s a picture of how the cut cheesecake looks. I suppose you will either think it looks delicious or frightening or perhaps both – which is kind of how I view it. I can’t remember where I served it, but it was a hit.
Recipe
Red Velvet Cheesecake
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups Oreo Crumbs or chocolate graham cracker crumbs or regular graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Filling
- 3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
- 2 1-ounce bottles red food coloring
- 1 3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish: fresh mint sprigs
Instructions
- Stir together crumbs, melted butter, and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar; press mixture into bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Beat 3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar at medium-low speed with an electric mixer 1 minute. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients, mixing on low speed just until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.
- Bake at 325° for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300°, and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Run knife along outer edge of cheesecake. Turn oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.
- Beat 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese and 1/4 cup butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake. Remove sides of springform pan. Garnish, if desired.
- This recipe was created by Rhonda Y. Coker of Columbia, South Carolina and appeared in the Southern Living issue dated December 2004.
Lauren
I am definitely making this cheesecake. I bake goodies every month for the birthdays at work, and the June birthday gals have requested a cheesecake. I don’t know if they’ll be expecting a bright red one, but that’s okay! 🙂
jeffer01
I love this cheesecake!! I discovered it at Christmas and it has been a hit ever since! I even ate 1/2 of one by myself! That was a sad day 🙂
Yours looks yummy!