I stole this recipe for Peppermint Red Velvet Layer Cheesecake from a cookbook called Southern Living: Christmas Cookbook 2016 Presented by Dillard’s benefiting the Ronald McDonald House Charities. This is truly a show stopping dessert! Beautiful red velvet cake layers alternate with white cheesecake layers and the whole cake is frosted with white chocolate frosting. Three layers of homemade red velvet cake are made. Plus two layers of cheesecake. Peppermint Red Velvet Layer Cheesecake is a rich, tasty cake to serve this holiday season.
“Cakes are like books: There are new ones you want to read and old favorites you want to reread.” – Ellen Rose, Author (see more quotes in the Quotes tab)
Start making the cheesecake layers first. Preheat oven to 300 F. Line bottom and sides of 2 disposable pans with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over the sides; lightly grease the foil. Microwave 12 oz package white chocolate morsels in a bowl according to package directions; cool 10 minutes.
Beat 5 (8 oz) packages softened cream cheese and melted chocolate at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add 1 cup sugar, beating well. Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in 2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp peppermint extracts.
Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 300 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost set. Turn the oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes. Remove from oven to wire racks; cool completely (about 1 ½ hours).
Start on the red velvet layers. Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat 1 cup softened butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add 2 ½ cups sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add 6 eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.
Stir together 3 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tbsp cocoa and ¼ tsp baking soda.
Add to butter mixture alternately with 8 oz sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition.
Stir in 2 tsp vanilla and 2 (1 oz) bottles red liquid food coloring. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch disposable cake pans. Bake at 350 F for 20 to 24 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely (about 1 hour).
Assemble the frosting while the cakes cool. Whisk together 2 (4 oz) white chocolate baking bars that have been chopped and ½ cup boiling water until chocolate melts.
Cool 20 minutes; chill 30 minutes. Beat 1 cup softened butter and chilled chocolate mixture at low speed until blended. Beat at medium speed 1 minute. Increase speed to high; beat 2 to 3 minutes or until fluffy. Gradually add (32 oz) package sifted powdered sugar, ½ tsp peppermint extract and ⅛ tsp salt, beating on low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
Place 1 layer Red Velvet on serving platter. Top with 1 layer Cheesecake layer. Repeat with remaining layers of Red Velvet and Cheesecake, alternating and ending with Red Velvet on top.
Spread the top and sides of the cake with frosting. Top with crushed peppermint candies if desired.
Slice into this decadent cake, a small slice goes a long way.
Peppermint Red Velvet Layer Cheesecake
This is truly a show stopping dessert! Beautiful red velvet cake layers alternate with white cheesecake layers and the whole cake is frosted with white chocolate frosting. Three layers of homemade red velvet cake are made. Plus two layers of cheesecake. Peppermint Red Velvet Layer Cheesecake is a rich, tasty, decadent cake to serve this holiday season.
Ingredients
Cheesecake layers:
- 2 (8-inch) round disposable aluminum foil cake pans
- 12 oz package white chocolate morsels
- 5 packages (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp peppermint extract
Red Velvet Layers:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp cocoa
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 8 oz sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 bottles (1 oz) red liquid food coloring
- 3 (8-inch) round disposable aluminum foil pans
White Chocolate Frosting:
- 2 (4 oz) white chocolate baking bars, chopped
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 package (32 oz) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp peppermint extract
- ⅛ tsp table salt
Red and White Candy Curls
- 1 bag red candy melts
- 1 bag white candy melts
Instructions
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Make the cheesecake layers: Preheat oven to 300 F. Line bottom and sides of 2 disposable pans with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over the sides; lightly grease the foil.
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Microwave the white chocolate morsels in a bowl according to package directions; cool 10 minutes.
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Beat the cream cheese and melted chocolate at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add the sugar, beating well. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in the vanilla and peppermint extracts. Pour into prepared pans.
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Bake at 300 F for 30 to 35 minutes or until almost set. Turn the oven off. Let cheesecake stand in oven, with door closed, 30 minutes. Remove from oven to wire racks; cool completely (about 1 ½ hours). Cover and chill 8 hours, or freeze 24 hours to 2 days.
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Make the Red Velvet Layers: Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat the butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just blended after each addition.
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Stir together the flour and next 2 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla and food coloring. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 8-inch disposable cake pans.
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Bake at 350 F for 20 to 24 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely (about 1 hour).
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Make the frosting: Whisk together the chocolate and ½ cup boiling water until chocolate melts. Cool 20 minutes; chill 30 minutes. Beat butter and chilled chocolate mixture at low speed until blended. Beat at medium speed 1 minute. Increase speed to high; beat 2 to 3 minutes or until fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, peppermint and salt, beating on low speed until blended. Increase speed to high; beat 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and fluffy.
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Assemble the cake: Place 1 layer Red Velvet on serving platter. Top with 1 layer Cheesecake layer. Repeat with remaining layers of Red Velvet and Cheesecake, alternating and ending with Red Velvet on top. Spread the top and sides of the cake with White Chocolate Frosting.
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Make the Candy Curls: Place candy melts in separate bowls. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring until melted. Spoon each color, alternating, into a mini loaf pan lined with plastic wrap. Using a knife, swirl together. Let stand until firm. Remove from pan. Drag a vegetable peeler across narrow side of candy block to form curls. Decorate top of cake with curls.
Recipe Notes
This is a BIG cake; it’s so tall I couldn’t fit in my cake dome to store it in the refrigerator. Next time I may try to use 9” or 10” pans instead of 8” pans the recipe calls for, to make the cake shorter so I can store it after preparing it. Give yourself 2 days to make this. On day one make the cheesecake layers, with enough time to cool in the oven. Make the red velvet layers if you have time. Let everything cool overnight. On day two make the frosting and assemble. Place cake in refrigerator to set the frosting. This cake is very rich, small slices are plenty big enough to serve. This can serve more than the 12 the recipe it calls for. I may try to make it with 2 red velvet layers (instead of 3 layers) and 1 cheesecake layer (instead of 2 layers) next time, to cut down on the richness per slice.