Warning: Baking. Red Velvet and Cheesecake. Shit.
I know you’re thinking this is another humorous disaster entry because I swore off baking (for good) after the ‘crossword cookie fiasco.‘ But first, let me explain. I had saved this recipe months ago knowing that it combined my bf’s two favorite sweets – red velvet and cheesecake. Therefore, I had to do a last attempt. I just had to!!
Here’s the Final Product —- Success!!!
Adapted from: Erin’s Food Files
Ingredients:
for the cheesecake:
2 oz. white chocolate, chopped
16 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (2 packages)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsn. sugar
1 tbs. flour
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbs. heavy cream
for the cake:
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbs. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk (i had to substitute with 1 cup milk & 1 tbs. vinegar)
2 tbsn./ 1 oz. red food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white distilled vinegar (this is the same as ‘rice vinegar, no? if not, whoops)
for the cream cheese frosting:
16 oz. cream cheese/ 2 blocks, room temperature
8 tbsn./ 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt
making the cheesecake:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. To make the cheesecake, melt the white chocolate, set aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese. Add the sugar and mix slowly until smooth. Then, mix in the flour. Continue to mix while adding one egg at a time, mixing well after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl. Mix in the vanilla and cream until the mixture is smooth. Using a large spoon, stir in the melted white chocolate until incorporated. Pour the batter into a parchment paper lined 9-inch spring form pan.
Bake for about 30 minutes or until the center is set when you slightly shake the pan. Allow to cool before removing from the spring form pan. (I left it overnight in the fridge to be safe).
to make the red velvet cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar in a large bowl until well combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Divide the batter evenly between 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until an inserted toothpick in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cakes cool for 10 minutes, then invert each onto a plate, then invert again onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely, then level.
to make the cream cheese frosting:
Mix cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth. Add the vanilla and salt. Then add the powdered sugar slowly. Once mostly incorporated, mix until light and fluffy. To assemble the cake, place your bottom layer of cake on the dish/ plate you will be serving it on with the leveled side facing up. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top – it doesn’t matter how messy it looks since it will be covered. Transfer the cheesecake to the top of the cake, then spread another thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top of the cheesecake. Top with the remaining layer of cake – leveled side down so that you have a clean surface. Use the rest of the cream cheese frosting to frost the entire cake.
Garnish and Enjoy! I melted white chocolate chips (Nestle!), froze it on parchment paper, grated it all over the top, and then shaved some curlies. (:
As the icing had not completely set before our dinner reservation, I had to figure out a way to carry to cake to the restaurant without the iced sides being smeared and ruined. I successfully concocted a ‘carrying apparatus’ in order to bring the cake to Tokyo Table, where I had planned the bf’s birthday dinner.
It consisted of plate + spring pan side + aluminum foil + tape (sorry, I forgot a photo), but trust me when I say it was pure brilliance. Sometimes I think I’m a mad genius.
Props to TT for not charging for outside desserts nor cutting fees. Overall, it was a great birthday cake dining experience, and the bf LOVED it! <3
and of course, my cute little slice:
Happy Birthday to the Bested Bao!
Well, seems to me that I’ve really topped myself now. (Not that I had very far to reach considering my previous failures). But still. Crap. What’s next?
C’est magnifique!