{Leprechaun Worthy} Green Velvet Cheesecake
You know that saying, "when it rains it pours?" I know it's usually meant in a negative sense, but I feel like it's kind of applicable to cake making, too. Because, see, it seems like when I make one cake, I'm much more likely to make a second in quick succession. This time, it just happened to be for the same day.
Anyway, last week was spring break, so it meant there was time to make cakes!
After making the pie, it was time to start the cake layers!
Remember the red velvet cheesecake cake from a couple of years ago? Well, it was going to come back.
But then. But then, I went on Pinterest (what else?) and found a green version. With Irish cream ganache. And the best part was that it was a simple change to get from one to the other! The green recipe calls for a red velvet cake and a cheesecake. I went a step further and went back to the original red velvet cheesecake, frosting and all. I just used green food coloring instead of red!
It made really, really green batter. I guess that a whole bottle of food coloring will do that, red or not!
And then came the cheesecake. Can I just say, taking a cheesecake out of the oven is hard work. With the hot water in the roasting pan, and the cheesecake sitting in the middle, I always envision myself spilling the hot water all over myself and the oven. Then we watched an episode of Next Great Baker where everyone struggled to get the cheesecake out of the oven without spilling it. Aha! It isn't just me!
The cheesecake in this cake is slightly on the lemon-y side. I am not sure how much I'd appreciate that if I was eating it alone (it is not quite what I would expect), but it really blends well with the cake, and differentiates itself from the frosting. It also took a lot longer than the recipe said. Like at least 15 minutes more.
I think that was enough baking for one day.
The next project was to frost and decorate!
I used the frosting recipe from the original cake this time. I'm not sure if I resorted to my normal cream cheese frosting recipe last time or not. I will say, this frosting isn't the cream cheesiest ever, but maybe that's good when we're talking about a cake that includes a layer cheesecake!
I crumb coated it first . . . no green specks in my white frosting, please!
Then I frosted the sides nicely, and piped a ring around the top.
Why, you ask? To hold in the ganache!
I'm not a huge fan of Irish Cream anything (don't tell NES . . . ), to be entirely candid about it. I decided that the ganache was just so March-ish that I had to make it.
It was really easy, anyway, and it just looked so pretty. That's why I didn't fully frost the top!
It's thick enough that it's not going to ooze all over (although, I used about half of what the recipe made -- if you poured it all on, then it might!), but at the same time, it nicely filled the dammed area I made with the piped icing. Just don't forget to let the ganache cool before you put it on so it doesn't melt the frosting!
And voila! Cake!
It is tall and heavy! I guess that something with 4 full blocks of cream cheese in it has the right to be that heavy. My goodness.
And the best part is cutting it. Then you really get to see the layers! Just try to avoid having to cut it with a plastic knife. Take my word for it.
It made a wonderful Irish-themed addition to our . . . Mexican St. Patrick's day dinner. Oops. Corned beef and Irish soda bread will be coming later! I promise!!
Green Velvet Cheesecake with Irish Cream Ganache
idea and ganache from Something Swanky;
cake, cheesecake and frosting adapted slightly from Erin's Food Files
Cheesecake
1 1/4 pounds cream cheese (20 oz.), softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a kettle of water. It will need to be boiling when you are ready to bake the cheesecake.
Line a springform pan with circle of parchment paper, and wrap the outside of the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil.
Using a mixer, cream the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, continuing to beat until fluffy.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Beat to combine.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between. Beat in the sour cream.
Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Place the pan into a roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water level comes halfway up the springform pan.
Bake until just set in the center, about 45 minutes (although, mine took at least an hour).
Remove the springform from the water and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edge. Cover. Refrigerate overnight, then wrap in plastic and freeze.
Cake
2 1/2 cups cake flour (or 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour - 5 tbsp. flour plus 5 tbsp. corn starch, whisked together)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. green food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white vinegar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt.
Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar with a mixer until they are well mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until smooth.
Evenly divide the batter into 2 - 9 inch greased and floured cake pans, also lined with parchment, if desired.
Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then flip out onto a cooling rack. Once cakes are cooled completely, level (although mine have been flat enough as it is).
Frosting
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together with a mixer in a large bowl until combined.
Add sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
Ganache
2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup Irish cream coffee creamer
Mix the chocolate chips and creamer in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir.
Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is all melted and smooth. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before use on cake.
Assembly
Place a green cake later on a cake stand or circle. I added a tiny layer of frosting on top.
Take the cheesecake out of the freezer, unwrap and remove the metal pan bottom and parchment paper. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer.
If it is necessary to trim the cheesecake, wait about 10 minutes, or until the cheesecake is soft enough to trim with a knife. I again added a thin layer of frosting on top.
Place the second layer of the cake on top of the cheesecake. Coat the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting as a crumb coat. Be careful with those green crumbs!
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the ganache, and let cool for 30 minutes.
Frost the sides of the cake until smooth and fully covered. Pipe a line around the edge of the top of the cake.
Pour ganache into the well created by the frosting on top, and spread to fill the desired area.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or until serving.
Anyway, last week was spring break, so it meant there was time to make cakes!
After making the pie, it was time to start the cake layers!
Remember the red velvet cheesecake cake from a couple of years ago? Well, it was going to come back.
But then. But then, I went on Pinterest (what else?) and found a green version. With Irish cream ganache. And the best part was that it was a simple change to get from one to the other! The green recipe calls for a red velvet cake and a cheesecake. I went a step further and went back to the original red velvet cheesecake, frosting and all. I just used green food coloring instead of red!
And then came the cheesecake. Can I just say, taking a cheesecake out of the oven is hard work. With the hot water in the roasting pan, and the cheesecake sitting in the middle, I always envision myself spilling the hot water all over myself and the oven. Then we watched an episode of Next Great Baker where everyone struggled to get the cheesecake out of the oven without spilling it. Aha! It isn't just me!
The cheesecake in this cake is slightly on the lemon-y side. I am not sure how much I'd appreciate that if I was eating it alone (it is not quite what I would expect), but it really blends well with the cake, and differentiates itself from the frosting. It also took a lot longer than the recipe said. Like at least 15 minutes more.
I think that was enough baking for one day.
The next project was to frost and decorate!
I crumb coated it first . . . no green specks in my white frosting, please!
Then I frosted the sides nicely, and piped a ring around the top.
Why, you ask? To hold in the ganache!
I'm not a huge fan of Irish Cream anything (don't tell NES . . . ), to be entirely candid about it. I decided that the ganache was just so March-ish that I had to make it.
It was really easy, anyway, and it just looked so pretty. That's why I didn't fully frost the top!
It's thick enough that it's not going to ooze all over (although, I used about half of what the recipe made -- if you poured it all on, then it might!), but at the same time, it nicely filled the dammed area I made with the piped icing. Just don't forget to let the ganache cool before you put it on so it doesn't melt the frosting!
And voila! Cake!
It is tall and heavy! I guess that something with 4 full blocks of cream cheese in it has the right to be that heavy. My goodness.
And the best part is cutting it. Then you really get to see the layers! Just try to avoid having to cut it with a plastic knife. Take my word for it.
It made a wonderful Irish-themed addition to our . . . Mexican St. Patrick's day dinner. Oops. Corned beef and Irish soda bread will be coming later! I promise!!
Green Velvet Cheesecake with Irish Cream Ganache
idea and ganache from Something Swanky;
cake, cheesecake and frosting adapted slightly from Erin's Food Files
Cheesecake
1 1/4 pounds cream cheese (20 oz.), softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a kettle of water. It will need to be boiling when you are ready to bake the cheesecake.
Line a springform pan with circle of parchment paper, and wrap the outside of the bottom of the pan with aluminum foil.
Using a mixer, cream the cream cheese until it is fluffy. Add the sugar gradually, continuing to beat until fluffy.
Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and salt. Beat to combine.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between. Beat in the sour cream.
Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Place the pan into a roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan until the water level comes halfway up the springform pan.
Bake until just set in the center, about 45 minutes (although, mine took at least an hour).
Remove the springform from the water and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Run a paring knife around the edge. Cover. Refrigerate overnight, then wrap in plastic and freeze.
Cake
2 1/2 cups cake flour (or 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour - 5 tbsp. flour plus 5 tbsp. corn starch, whisked together)
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp. green food coloring
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. white vinegar
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, cocoa and salt.
Beat the eggs, oil, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and vinegar with a mixer until they are well mixed. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until smooth.
Evenly divide the batter into 2 - 9 inch greased and floured cake pans, also lined with parchment, if desired.
Bake 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean.
Let cakes cool 5 minutes, then flip out onto a cooling rack. Once cakes are cooled completely, level (although mine have been flat enough as it is).
Frosting
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
12 oz. butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together with a mixer in a large bowl until combined.
Add sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes.
Ganache
2 cups chocolate chips
3/4 cup Irish cream coffee creamer
Mix the chocolate chips and creamer in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir.
Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until the chocolate is all melted and smooth. Allow to cool for 30 minutes before use on cake.
Assembly
Place a green cake later on a cake stand or circle. I added a tiny layer of frosting on top.
Take the cheesecake out of the freezer, unwrap and remove the metal pan bottom and parchment paper. Place the cheesecake layer on top of the first cake layer.
If it is necessary to trim the cheesecake, wait about 10 minutes, or until the cheesecake is soft enough to trim with a knife. I again added a thin layer of frosting on top.
Place the second layer of the cake on top of the cheesecake. Coat the whole cake with a thin layer of frosting as a crumb coat. Be careful with those green crumbs!
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the ganache, and let cool for 30 minutes.
Frost the sides of the cake until smooth and fully covered. Pipe a line around the edge of the top of the cake.
Pour ganache into the well created by the frosting on top, and spread to fill the desired area.
Refrigerate for 3 hours or until serving.
Oh my goodness! I didn't realize you made the cheesecake version. You are a crazy baker!
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