Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl (Print)
Moist red velvet layers swirled with rich, creamy cheesecake filling—ideal for celebrations or satisfying sweet tooth cravings.
# Ingredient List:
→ Red Velvet Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
03 - 1 tsp baking powder
04 - ½ tsp baking soda
05 - 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
06 - ½ tsp salt
07 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
08 - ½ cup vegetable oil
09 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
10 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
11 - 1 tsp white vinegar
12 - 2 tbsp red food coloring
→ Cheesecake Swirl
13 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
14 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
15 - 1 large egg
16 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red food coloring until smooth.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Fold gently just until combined—avoid overmixing to maintain tender texture.
05 - Transfer red velvet batter to prepared pan, spreading evenly across the bottom with an offset spatula.
06 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla; mix until fully incorporated and lump-free.
07 - Drop spoonfuls of cheesecake mixture over the red velvet batter. Run a knife or skewer through both batters in a figure-eight motion to create marbled pattern.
08 - Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges mostly clean—traces of cheesecake are acceptable.
09 - Let cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing to ensure clean cuts and proper texture.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The tangy cheesecake swirl cuts through the sweet velvet cake creating the most incredible flavor balance
- It looks like you spent hours on a fancy bakery cake but comes together in under 30 minutes of active work
- The marbled pattern makes every slice unique and absolutely stunning on the plate
02 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend together seamlessly while cold cream cheese creates lumps that never fully disappear
- Over swirling blends the two batters into a uniform color instead of creating those gorgeous distinct marbled ribbons
- The cake continues cooking as it cools so removing it while the center still has a slight wobble is better than overbaking
03 -
- Gel food coloring produces the most vivid red without thinning your batter like liquid coloring can
- The vinegar might seem strange but it activates the baking soda and enhances the red color naturally