The Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake has been a long requested recipe for CopyKat.com. I am proud to add this recipe to the blog.
Moist layers of Red Velvet Cake and our Original Cheesecake covered with our special Cheesecake Factory cream cheese frosting. One bit of this delectable dessert and you will be amazed at the flavor combination. Rich chocolate cake and the creamy cheesecake is a combination that was made in heaven.
Many recipes online that are copycat versions miss the fact that this cheesecake layer is actually in here twice, not just once. Now to make this happen you may need to purchase a kitchen scale so you equally measure out the cheesecake batter evenly. I personally love my Escali Kitchen Scale. I used this one in cooking school, and it is super easy to use, and it can take a lot of use.
This is not a difficult recipe to make, but it does require some planning and some time. Read through all the ingredients and instructions, prepare ahead, and get ready to wow your guests with this gorgeous, red and white, showstopping cheesecake.
Since the contrast between the red cake and pale cheesecake is so striking, it will look best if each layer is the same thickness. If you don’t own a kitchen scale, consider getting one so you can weigh the batters to divide them exactly in half.
For example, the cheesecake batter weighed 39 ounces, so I knew needed 19.5 ounces of batter in each pan. Your batter will most likely weigh the same as mine, but weigh it just to make sure.
Do you love The Cheesecake Factory? Be sure to check out these copycat recipes.
Cheesecake Factory Chicken Piccata
Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madiera
Cheesecake Factory Oreo Cheesecake
This recipe is from Jenni Field, her blog is the Pastry Chef Online, be sure to check out her recipes over at her blog.
Cheesecake Factory Red Velvet Cheesecake
Ingredients
Cake Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces Duncan Hines Red Velvet Cake Mix
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 eggs
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cheesecake Ingredients
- 24 ounes cream cheese softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons teaspoons vanilla paste or extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature large
- 1/4 cup heavy cream at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon flour or cornstarch
For Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 ounces cream cheese softened
- 4 ounces unsalted butter softened
- Heavy pinch kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 20 oz powdered sugar 5 cups
- 3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 to 1 1/2 4 oz bars of real white chocolate (not candy coating)
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- To Make the Cake Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 2 9” cake pans with pan spray. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment and spray again. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, water, sour cream, mayonnaise, eggs, and yolk, salt, and vanilla. Using a hand mixer, mix on low speed for about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and bake in the center of the oven for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly pressed, and the cakes are just starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Allow to cool in pans for 15 minutes and then invert onto cooling racks. Invert again, so cakes cool right-side up. Note, the cakes will dome quite a bit. Once cool, use a large serrated knife to slice off the entire cake dome as evenly as you can. You should have two even discs of cake approximately 3⁄4” thick. Wrap well and refrigerate.
Cheesecake Instructions
- For the Cheesecake Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Put a rimmed baking sheet on each rack. Preheat the oven to 300F. Spray 2 9” cake pans with pan spray. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment and spray again. Don’t skip the parchment, because you’ll be turning these out once chilled.
- Set aside. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Put the cream cheese in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla, and salt, and continue to beat until well combined and smooth. Scrape the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping the bowl as needed. Whisk the cream and flour together, so there are no lumps. Beat this mixture evenly into the rest. Pour half of the batter into each prepared pan and smooth the tops. Pull out the top rack, place one of the cheesecakes into the rimmed baking sheet and then pour in boiling water to come up to the level of the batter, about 3⁄4”. Carefully slide the rack back in. Repeat with the other pan on the lower rack. Bake 20 minutes. Carefully rotate each pan and then continue to bake an additional 10 minutes.
- Turn the heat off, open the oven door for a few seconds to let some heat escape, and then close the oven door. Allow cakes to remain in the cooling oven an additional 30 minutes. Crack oven door open and let sit for 30 more minutes. Remove to racks and run a thin spatula around the inside of each pan to make sure the cakes have released from the sides. Cool completely, and then chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight. When cooled, turn cheesecakes out onto parchment-lined lined racks. Place lined rack on top of the pan, invert both and give a firm rap on the counter. The cheesecake should release from the pan with no problem. If you do have issues, set the bottom of the pan in warm water for 15 seconds and try again. Freeze the cheesecakes and then wrap well. Leave in the freezer until ready to assemble.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- For the Cream Cheese Frosting In a large bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Add the salt and vanilla and continue to beat until smooth and creamy. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar, scraping the bowl as necessary. Beat in the cream, a bit at a time, until you have a nice spreading consistency.
To assemble
- To Assemble and Decorate It is easiest to assemble the cake on the stand or platter you’ll be serving it on, so make sure it is a good 12” in diameter and is nice and flat. Using a vegetable peeler, shave the sides of the bars of white chocolate to make curls. Catch them on a piece of parchment or a plate and refrigerate until needed. Place a tablespoon of frosting in the center of your platter and then press one of the cake rounds down into it, making sure to center the cake. Spread 3⁄4 cup of frosting evenly over the cake layer. Place one of the frozen cheesecake rounds onto the frosting and press down lightly. Frost with an additional 3⁄4 cup of frosting. Place the other cake round on top of the frosting and press down gently. Top with another 3⁄4 cup of frosting and then finish with the last frozen round of cheesecake. Scrape the rest of the frosting out onto the top of the cake. Spread it out into an even layer and then spread the excess that extends over the edge of the cake thinly around the sides. Use an offset spatula to make a simple zigzag design in the frosting on the top of the cake. Press the white chocolate curls liberally around the sides of the cake. Leave in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving with a signature tall swirl of whipped cream.
Latifa
This looks amazing! I plan on making this this weekend. I just have a question – for the heavy cream, what percentage did you use? And is it heavy whipping cream or regular heavy cream?
Stephanie
I used heavy whipping cream.
Bobbie
I believe there is actually a cheesecake mousse layer in the Cheesecake Factory’s version so I added that between the red velvet layers and cheesecake, and then the frosting on top of the cheesecake. I also added white chocolate shavings on the top and sides. Made it for myself for Mother’s Day and it was worth all the time and effort! Thanks for this recipe. It was my best attempt at the real thing!
Rosa
How did yo do the cheesecake mousse?
Thank you
Yelena Z.
Good looking, fresh without any decoration, rich in flavor yet not too sweet, this red velvet ranks#1 among all brands of cheesecakes, this is surely appear more in my parties!
Ennovy
The frosting taste better than the cake itself, it did not balance out also the frosting was way too runny and I followed the recipe to the T. Im glad I started with this recipe first because it won’t be one I end it with in the future.
John R
I will confess that I’ve never had The Cheesecake Factory’s version but my GF made this the other day and it was stupendous! We brought it to a get together for her son’s bday and it got rave reviews.
Yes it’s a very involved process but she followed the recipe to the letter and the results justified the effort.
Alex
Hi there,
I love your website. I live outside the US and cannot visit the restaurants so often. I want to bake your cheesecake and I am wondering what the mayonnaise in your recipe exactly is. Mayonnaise is my region is something made out of eggs, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and we eat it with potatoes, pasta, as sandwich cream etc. So I cannot imagine that our mayonnaise works for your cake. Can you maybe tell me the ingredients of your mayonnaise or name a product or provide a link?
Thanks a lot.
Alex
M
Hello,
I made this recipe 2 weekends ago and it turned out PERFECT!! Only difference was I did not allow the cheesecakes to freeze prior to assembling them. I put them in the fridge for close to 5 hours (turned the fridge setting up higher to make the fridge a little cooler for a few hours) and then assembled them after. This recipe made me look like a professional to my family & friends! I also threw some leftover slices in the freezer for a week and took them out to eat a week laster & they tasted just as good! I will be making this cheesecake again. Thanks!
Stephanie
I am so glad this recipe turned out well for you.
julie
could I do these in to individual ones like a cupcake size?
Sunflower
Do you have to freeze the cheesecake layers before assembling? Or can you leave cakes and cheesecakes in the fridge overnight and then frost the next day? My red velvet cakes are in the fridge right now and the cheesecakes are cooling in the oven.
Stephanie
I think your suggestion would work well.
Whitney
Considering the amount of time it would take (for cooking, preparation and clean-up) and the amount of money it would cost for ingredients, you might as well just purchase one from the restaurant. They do cost like 75-80$ but mmm mm mmm-my god, they’re worth every penny!! I’d just buy it by the slice. It’s too rich to have more than one piece anyway.
Cat
There’s no way I’d pay $75-$80 for a cake. All this is is one cake and two cheesecakes and done frosting. Easy peasy! Thanks for the recipe. I’m going to make this for Thanksgiving.
Cat
“Some” frosting that is. Oops!
Pat Nugent
Where do you live that it costs that much $ for a cheesecake. They are not that much in NYC! Not even close.
John R
Visit a Cheesecake Factory. My understanding is that $89 (give or take…) is the going price for a whole cake.
Alasha
Online for NYC Juniors red velvet cheesecake is $49, If you go to actual Times Square it is $36 for the 8 inch round. But if you order from QVC, or Harry and David online, and not directly from Juniors site it’s expensive from $69-$75
Nicole
I’m not into cheese cake, but this looks so good
Jenni
It’s hard to beat that red and white contrast! Add some blueberries, and it’d be perfect for the 4th! =)
Linda
when making the crust, do you include the filling from the oreo’s or just the cookie portion?
Jenni
I’m not sure if you left this comment on the right post, Linda. There are no OREOs in this recipe. In general, if I use OREOs to make a crust for a cheesecake (or whatever), I leave the filling in and just reduce the amount of butter I add to the crumbs for the crust. Hope that helps. 🙂