Hey there, cheesecake lovers! If you’ve ever had a slice of that delightful red velvet cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory, you know it’s like heaven on a plate. But what if I told you that you could whip up this decadent dessert in the comfort of your kitchen? Yes, you heard me right. Today, I’m going to walk you through the steps of making a red velvet cheesecake that’s so good it could give the Cheesecake Factory a run for its money. So, let’s dive into this delicious adventure.
Servings | Cooking Time | CALORIES |
12 slices | 1hr 20mins | 551 |
The Art of Baking the Perfect Cheesecake
Before we get into the nitty-gritty details of the recipe, there’s one essential tip you should keep in mind. The key to creating a perfect cheesecake is to avoid overbaking. Cheesecake can be a bit tricky because it’s hard to determine when it’s fully baked. But don’t worry, I’ve got your back.
Watch for the Jiggle: When you take your cheesecake out of the oven, it should still have a slight jiggle in the center. That’s a good sign! It might make you nervous but fear not. As it chills in the refrigerator, it’ll firm up beautifully. The result? A perfectly baked and easy-to-slice cheesecake, ready for that luscious cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Chocolate Crust:
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies
- 4 tablespoons of melted butter
For the Red Velvet Cheesecake Filling:
- 3 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 (8-ounce) carton of sour cream
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 bottle (1 ounce) of red food coloring
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 3 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup of butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
Now, let’s break down the steps to recreate this red velvet masterpiece in your kitchen.
Gather Your Ingredients
- The first thing you’ll want to do is gather all the ingredients mentioned above. Make sure you’ve got everything on hand before you start, and let’s get cooking.
Prepare the Chocolate Crust
- Take your finely ground chocolate wafer cookies and mix them with the melted butter in a medium bowl. Once they’re combined, press the moist crumbs into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Pop it in the refrigerator to firm up while you move on to the next steps. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Whip Up the Red Velvet Cheesecake Filling
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat this heavenly mixture until everything is well blended. Now, for that signature red velvet touch, add the red food coloring and mix until it’s completely incorporated.
Fill the Crust and Bake
- Carefully pour your red velvet cheesecake filling into the chilled crust. It’s time to bake! Pop it in the preheated 375°F oven and let it do its magic. You’ll want to bake it until the edges are set, and the center is still slightly loose. This should take about 60 minutes, but here’s the catch – it should puff up a bit and tremble when shaken. The important thing here is not to overbake it. Remember, it will settle and firm up as it cools.
Cool and Chill
- Once your red velvet cheesecake is done baking, allow it to cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. After that, lightly cover it with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for several hours or, even better, overnight.
Time for the Cream Cheese Frosting
- You’re almost there! When it’s time to serve your masterpiece, it’s the perfect moment to prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until it’s fluffy. Then, add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and keep on beating until it’s silky smooth.
Frost and Serve
- With the sides of the pan removed, frost the top of your beautifully chilled cheesecake. It’s almost time to dig in, but I promise, it’s worth the wait. Pop it back in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.
The Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crust
If you’re wondering what those chocolate wafer cookies are, they’re these incredibly thin, crispy chocolate delights that give your crust that extra oomph. They’re perfect for creating those decadent crumb crusts. You can easily crush them by pulsing them in a food processor until they’re finely ground. If you don’t have a food processor, don’t sweat it – put them in a plastic zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Easy, right?
Storing Your Red Velvet Cheesecake
You might be tempted to devour the entire cheesecake in one go, but in case you have some self-control, here’s how you can store it. Your red velvet cheesecake will happily hang out in the fridge for up to 5 days if you wrap it well in plastic. If you’re looking for a longer storage solution and the convenience of defrosting, wrap individual slices in plastic and then aluminum foil, and freeze them for up to 3 months. Whenever you’re ready for a slice of heaven, defrost it in the fridge and enjoy.
There you have it, folks! With this homemade red velvet cheesecake recipe, you’ll have a dessert that could rival any restaurant’s offering. The creaminess, the red velvet richness, and that oh-so-delicious cream cheese frosting – it’s all there. So, why wait? Get baking and indulge in this divine treat that will have your taste buds dancing.
MORE RECIPES
Easy Homemade Red Velvet Cheesecake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground chocolate wafer cookies
- 4 tablespoons of melted butter
- 3 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, at room temperature
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 bottle (1 ounce) red food coloring
- 3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- The first thing you'll want to do is gather all the ingredients mentioned above. Make sure you've got everything on hand before you start, and let's get cooking.
- Take your finely ground chocolate wafer cookies and mix them with the melted butter in a medium bowl. Once they're combined, press the moist crumbs into the bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan. Pop it in the refrigerator to firm up while you move on to the next steps. Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, eggs, sour cream, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Beat this heavenly mixture until everything is well blended. Now, for that signature red velvet touch, add the red food coloring and mix until it's completely incorporated.
- Carefully pour your red velvet cheesecake filling into the chilled crust. It's time to bake! Pop it in the preheated 375°F oven and let it do its magic. You'll want to bake it until the edges are set, and the center is still slightly loose. This should take about 60 minutes, but here's the catch – it should puff up a bit and tremble when shaken. The important thing here is not to overbake it. Remember, it will settle and firm up as it cools.
- Once your red velvet cheesecake is done baking, allow it to cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. After that, lightly cover it with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for several hours or, even better, overnight.
- You're almost there! When it's time to serve your masterpiece, it's the perfect moment to prepare the cream cheese frosting. In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until it's fluffy. Then, add in the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and keep on beating until it's silky smooth.
- With the sides of the pan removed, frost the top of your beautifully chilled cheesecake. It's almost time to dig in, but I promise, it's worth the wait. Pop it back in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
Notes
I hope you find this Recipe informative. If you have any further questions or need any adjustments, please feel free to let me know!