Shelly's Recipe

RED VELVET CHEESECAKE

Category: Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 1 tbsp, divided
4 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened and divided
4 large eggs
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp distilled white vinegar
2 (1 oz) bottles red food coloring
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 (16 oz) box powdered sugar
Garnish: chopped toasted pecans

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, butter and 1 tbsp sugar; press mixture into bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. Beat cream cheese and 1 1/2 cups sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes. Add eggs and next 6 ingredients; beat until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared crust.

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes; reduce heat to 300 and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until center is firm. Turn off oven. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Remove cheesecake from oven; run knife along outer edge of cheesecake and cool in pan on a wire rack 30 minutes. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Beat remaining 8 oz pkg cream cheese and butter until smooth; gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating until smooth. Spread evenly over top of cheesecake.