Red Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Cake (Printable)

Moist red velvet layers swirled with rich, creamy cheesecake batter for a stunning marbled dessert perfect for any occasion.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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

# Directions:

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, mix buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, white vinegar, and red food coloring until smooth.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
05 - Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until creamy and fully blended.
06 - Spread red velvet batter evenly in prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of cheesecake mixture over batter. Use knife to gently swirl for marbled effect.
07 - Bake for 45-50 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Slight cheesecake residue on toothpick is acceptable.
08 - Cool completely in pan on wire rack before slicing. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get the best of both worlds, rich velvety cake meets tangy cheesecake in every single bite
  • The marble pattern makes you look like a baking wizard even though the technique is surprisingly forgiving
  • This cake travels beautifully and actually tastes better after chilling overnight
02 -
  • Cold cream cheese will never become perfectly smooth, so plan ahead and set it out on the counter at least two hours before you start baking
  • Over swirling the cheesecake mixture into the batter will turn your beautiful marbled cake into an evenly colored disappointment
  • This cake continues to bake slightly as it cools in the pan, so pulling it out when the center still has a tiny bit of wobble is actually perfect
03 -
  • If your oven runs hot, start checking the cake at 40 minutes and tent with foil if the top is browning too quickly
  • Use a light colored metal pan rather than glass or dark metal, which can cause the edges to overbake before the center is done

Return