Red Velvet Cheesecake

Red Velvet Cheesecake
Cheesecake layer
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 c. sugar
pinch of salt
2 large eggs
1/3 c. sour cream
1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
1 t. vanilla

RED VELVET CAKE:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 T. cocoa r
1 1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 c. oil
1 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. (two 1-ounce bottles) red food coloring
2 t. vanilla
2 t. white vinegar

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
2 1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted lightly to remove any lumps
16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 c. butter, at room temperature
1 T. vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Spray a 9-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper. Wrap a double layer of foil around the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
Prepare the cheesecake layer:
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese- blend until it is nice and smooth and creamy. Mix in sugar and salt and blend for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Finally, mix in sour cream, whipping cream and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared 9" spring form pan.  Set the spring form pan into a roasting pan in the pre-heated oven. Carefully pour hot water into the roasting pan, enough water so that there is about an inch of water coming up the foil along the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake the cheesecake at 325 for 45 minutes. It should be set to the touch and not jiggle. Remove the cheesecake from the roasting pan and let it cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. When it has cooled, place the pan into the freezer and let the cheesecake freeze completely, for several hours- or overnight.

Prepare the cake layers: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two sprayed 9-inch round metal baking pans. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar to the flour mixture. Using an electric mixer on medium-low speed, beat for 1 minute, until blended. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans, dividing equally. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pans, then invert cakes onto a rack to cool completely.

Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla until it is smooth and creamy (do not over beat).

Assemble the cake: Place one cake layer into the center of a cake plate or platter. Remove the cheesecake from the freezer, take off the sides of the pan, and slide a knife under the parchment to remove the cheesecake from the pan. Peel off the parchment. Measure your cheesecake layer against the cake layers. If the cheesecake layer turns out to be a slightly larger round than your cake, move it to a cutting board and gently shave off some of the exterior of the cheesecake to get it to the same size as your cake layers. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer. Place the 2nd cake layer on top of the cheesecake.

Frost the cake: Apply a crumb coat layer to the cake- use a long, thin spatula to cover the cake completely with a thin and even layer of frosting. When your cake has a thin layer of frosting all over it, place it into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to “set” the frosting.

Once the first layer of frosting is set, apply the 2nd layer. Start by adding a large scoop of frosting onto the top of the cake. Use a long, thin spatula to spread the frosting evenly across the top and then spread it down the sides of the cake too. Because you applied a crumb-coat layer, you shouldn't have any red crumbs floating around in the final frosting layer. Decorate, with white chocolate shavings.