chocolate velvet cheesecake swirl cake with fudgy buttercream
I don’t really observe Valentine’s Day, much as I don’t usually invest my day in the Super Bowl. I do, however, participate in eating. This Chocolate Velvet Cheesecake Swirl Cake is pretty special, much like I’d imagine your sweetheart is. Or, if you don’t have a sweetheart, as you are. So eat the cake, damn it.
I couldn’t in my good conscience call this a “red velvet cake.” There exists a solid scarlet tint, but it does not boast the characteristically blinding bloody hue red velvet proper relays. Why is this? Beet puree colors the cake rather than a weird food dye, and unlike food dye benefits the texture of the baked delicacy by way of softening the crumb and by enhancing the bit of chocolate it contains. What really brings out the color is a swirl of strawberry-tinted cheesecake filling. When they meet, the fusion results in an explosion of a pink and red gradient. So it is velvet, sort of. But really, the chocolate takes the cake.
The cake doesn’t scream at you with complicated directions. You’ll need a few bowls and a bit of preplanning since the butter, cream cheese, and eggs need to be at room temperature, so set those out about 30 minutes before you intend to dive into your baking quest.
Start with your wet ingredients. A stand mixer, a hand mixer, or a humble whisk all do just fine. Whip up some coconut oil and sugar, then eggs, vanilla, beet puree, and milk. The mixture might appear alarming since the beets separate from the rest of the components, but don’t sweat it, this does not impact the final product whatsoever. In bowl #2, sift together the dry goods, then whip them into the beet mixture until nice and creamy. Pour into a prepared cake pan.
Bowl #3 contains your cheesecake mix, a simple blend of strawberry puree (or jam), cream cheese, and an egg to ensure it solidifies when baked rather than melting into goo. Whirl that up, then dab it onto the cake batter and swirl it deep and thoroughly into the batter. Then let your oven do the hard part.
I wanted a subtly chocolate, hint of cream cheese buttercream with the softest whipped texture I could scare up. This combination was perfect for the cake. Cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, a touch of cocoa powder, and some coconut milk or heavy cream to really up the ante on the airiness of the frosting. Just plop it all over generously and don’t forget to play with some serious swirl art as you do.
Womp, there it is. Your 2021 Valentine’s Day dessert. Or Galentine’s, if you do that sort of thing. Or your sitting on the couch watching movies cake. Whenever cake. Cake because you feel like it. Cake because you don’t feel like it. The occasion is irrelevant, the fact that cake awaits your consumption is what flips a day from ordinary to special.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts! Come say hi on Instagram and show me what you’ve made!
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Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, soft
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/4 cups beet puree
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 6 oz cream cheese, soft
- 2 tbsp strawberry puree
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
fudgy buttercream
- 4 oz cream cheese, soft
- 8 tbsp butter (1 stick), soft
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp full fat coconut milk or heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×9 inch cake pan with parchment with some paper overlapping the borders.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer/whisk, whip sugar and coconut oil until combined. Beat in 2 of the eggs one at a time, then vanilla, milk, and beet puree. The beets will look like they're separating from the rest of the liquid – this is normal!
- In a separate bowl, baking soda, baking powder, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Blend into wet ingredients until no streaks of flour remain, but take care not to overmix.
- For the cheesecake filling, whirl cream cheese, strawberry puree, powdered sugar, and the final egg until smooth. You may need a bit more strawberry puree if you'd like a stronger berry flavor or if the mix seems too thick.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Dollop cheesecake filling overtop and swirl with a rubber spatula. Bake 35-40 minutes until center is set and a toothpick inserted into the center removes clean. Cool cake for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack for 30 minutes or more until fully cooled.
- When the cake is ready, prepare the buttercream. Whip cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and coconut milk until smooth and creamy. Pour onto the center of the cake with a spatula or frosting knife and spread evenly across the top. You may not need all of it – I reserved about 1/3 cup and refrigerated it for future use. Slice into 12 pieces and serve!
