Goodies by Design: Peppermint Cheesecake cake

Ok who does not like Cheesecake?? But what about Cheesecake inside a normal cake? For my little girls birthday party I did a red velvet Cheesecake cake but this peppermint cheesecake cake is 10x better!! You will want to make this cake when you want to impress someone or just show someone how much you love them!! Do not allow the fancy frosting work fool you into thinking that is way to hard for me, you can do anything with a little patience.

For the Cheesecake:
16 Oz cream cheese, at room temp.
3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temp.
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies, make sure you crush them well

For the Cake:
White cake box mix (follow directions0
Add 1/2 cup sour cream
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the Frosting: Butter Cream
2 cups unsalted butter
8 cups powder sugar shifted
2 teaspoons mint extract
3-6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Make the Cheesecake First: Preheat Oven 350
Pan Needed: You want to bake cake and cheesecake in the same size pan so everything is uniform. Spray the bottom of the pan and add a wax paper circle.
1. Put cream cheese and sugar into the mixer and mix until smooth about 3 minutes. Add one egg at a time while mixing. (make sure to scrape down sides through out the processes)
2. Add the heavy cream and vanilla and mix until well combined.
3. Next you will need to add the peppermint candy but do not use the mixer. Use a spatula to fold in the candies. You will need to bake two circles of cheesecake so make sure you measure to have an equal amount in each pan.
4. Put the cake pans into a casserole dish and fill the bottom of the casserole with water to have a water bath. Place into the oven and bake for 44-50 minutes.
5. Remove from water bath and allow to cool...then turn pan over onto a cookie sheet with wax paper to cover. Put in fridge to help set up more before building the cake

Make the Cake: Preheat Oven to 350
Mix the cake mix as the box directed, just add the sour cream and vanilla. Bake in the same size round pans as the cheesecakes. You will need three layers of cake for this cake, plan out well.

Make Frosting:
1. Using an electric mixer beat the unsalted butter allow until whipped extra creamy.
2. Put a towel around the mixer to help prevent a huge mess as you add the Shifted powder sugar
3. Add the mint extract and Heavy cream when you are half way through your powder sugar
4. Once everything is in the mixer allow it to mix for another three or four minutes, this helps get bubbles out of the frosting.

BUILDING:
1. Cake for the first layer, trim off the top to make it level. Then add a layer of cheesecake.
2. Next layer of cake trim first and then add...repeat step one.
3. The top layer will end up as cake but after you trim it, put the trim side down. This will help keep the top of the cake level. Take a smooth knife and level the sides of the whole cake as you see in the picture below.

4. Set in the fridge to help the cake to settle, at least 30 minutes.

Time to Frost:
1. First you want to cover whole cake with a thin layer of frosting. Make sure it is level all around.
2. If you want to have the red color then put some frosting in a bowl and mix in food coloring.
3. Add White and colored frosting into gallon zip lock bags.
4. You will want to make a column of white frosting, make dime size circles.
5. Use the end of a flat spatula, press in the middle of one circle and spread.