Cheesecake Ingredients:
20 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 cups sugar
Lemon zest from half a lemon
Lemon juice of half a lemon
1/4 t coarse salt
2 eggs
1/2 c sour cream
Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese on medium until fluffy, scraping down side of bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Beat in lemon zest and juice, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down side of bowl after each addition. Beat in sour cream.
Spray bottom of Springform pan with baking spray. Wrap bottom half of pan in foil. Pour in filling; place in a roasting pan. Pour in boiling water to come halfway up side of Springform. Bake until just set in center, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from water; let cool 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around edge; let cool completely. Cover; chill overnight, then wrap in plastic wrap and freeze.
Cake Ingredients:
1/2 c vegetable shortening
2 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 t vanilla
2 1/2 cups cake flour
2 tbl cocoa
1 c buttermilk
2 oz red food coloring
1 tbl vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9″ round cake pans with shortening and sprinkle with flour.
Sift cake flour once. Add in salt and cocoa, and sift again. Set aside.
Cream together the shortening & sugar, adding the sugar gradually, beating well. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well, then add vanilla.
Start alternating between flour mixture and buttermilk, beating well before each addition.
In separate small bowl add baking soda to vinegar and let it bubble.
Stir in vinegar mixture, then blend in the food coloring.
Pour batter into cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Let cakes cool completely, then level.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
5 tbl softened butter, softened
1 1/2 tbl vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Directions:
Beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy & fluffy. Stir in vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar on low speed, until well incorporated.
Assembly:
Place bottom layer on cake stand. Remove cheesecake from freezer, unwrap, and remove from metal bottom. Place cheesecake layer on top of the bottom layer of the red velvet cake.
If the cheesecake is wider than the cake, and it is necessary to trim it, wait approximately 10 minutes for the cheesecake to soften, then trim it with a knife. Place top layer of cake on top of the cheesecake.
Place a small amount of frosting in a small bowl, this will be your crumb coat frosting. Apply a generous layer of the cream cheese frosting to act as the crumb coat.
Refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, then frost with as much of the remaining frosting as necessary.
