Ladies, let me tell you about this Pink Velvet Raspberry Cheesecake that’s about to become your new signature dessert! This gorgeous creation combines the tangy sweetness of fresh raspberries with the rich, velvety texture of classic cheesecake, all wrapped up in the most beautiful blush-pink color that’s completely natural – no food coloring needed! The first time I served this at a gathering, the room actually went quiet for a moment when I brought it out – it’s that stunning! But the best part? When everyone took their first bite, the compliments wouldn’t stop. Trust me, this cheesecake isn’t just pretty – it’s a flavor sensation that perfectly balances sweet, tangy, and rich in every bite. This is the dessert you’ll be asked to bring to every gathering from now on!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Show-stopping presentation – the natural pink color with raspberry swirls creates a dessert that looks professionally made
- Perfect balance of flavors – the tangy raspberries cut through the rich cheesecake for a dessert that’s never too sweet
- Make-ahead friendly – actually tastes better when made a day ahead, perfect for stress-free entertaining
- No artificial colors – gets its beautiful pink hue naturally from raspberry puree
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- Graham crackers – creates that classic, slightly sweet base that complements the filling perfectly.
- Melted butter – binds the crumbs together and adds rich flavor to the crust.
- Sugar – just a touch to enhance the sweetness of the graham crackers.
- Salt – a pinch balances the sweetness and makes all the flavors pop.
- White chocolate chips – my secret ingredient that adds a subtle creamy sweetness to the crust!
For the Filling:
- Cream cheese – use full-fat, room temperature blocks for the creamiest texture without wateriness.
- Sugar – balances the tanginess of the cream cheese and raspberries perfectly.
- Eggs – provide structure and that custard-like smoothness.
- Vanilla extract – enhances all the flavors with its warm, aromatic notes.
- Sour cream – adds incredible richness and a subtle tang that’s divine.
- Fresh raspberries – the star of the show! They bring vibrant color and bright flavor.
- White chocolate – melted into the batter for an extra velvety texture and subtle sweetness.
- Heavy cream – creates that irresistible silky-smooth texture.
- Cornstarch – just a touch helps prevent cracking and gives a perfect consistency.
For the Topping:
- Fresh raspberries – for that picture-perfect presentation.
- White chocolate curls – adds visual interest and extra decadence.
- Raspberry sauce – brings everything together with a final burst of raspberry flavor.
- Mint leaves – optional but adds a beautiful color contrast and freshness.
The full ingredient list with measurements will be available in the recipe card below.
How to Make Pink Velvet Raspberry Cheesecake
Prepare the Crust:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F and prepare a 9-inch springform pan – wrapping the outside with foil is essential if you’ll be using a water bath!
- Pulse graham crackers in your food processor until they become fine crumbs – or place them in a zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- Mix in melted butter, sugar, salt, and melted white chocolate chips until it resembles wet sand.
- Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and slightly up the sides of your pan – using the bottom of a measuring cup creates the perfect even layer.
- Bake for about 10 minutes until just set and fragrant – this pre-baking step ensures a crisp base!
- Remove and let cool while you prepare the filling.
Make the Raspberry Puree:
- In a small saucepan, heat 1½ cups of fresh raspberries with 2 tablespoons of sugar until the berries break down and become saucy.
- Press this mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds – this step is worth the effort for that silky-smooth texture!
- Set aside to cool slightly – some will go into the batter, some will be swirled on top.
Prepare the Filling:
- In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat room temperature cream cheese and sugar until completely smooth – take your time here to avoid lumps!
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition – don’t overmix!
- Mix in vanilla extract, sour cream, and a tiny pinch of salt.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch with a little heavy cream until smooth, then mix into the batter.
- Fold in melted (and slightly cooled) white chocolate.
- Mix ¾ cup of your strained raspberry puree into the batter until you achieve that gorgeous pink color.
Assemble and Bake:
- Pour the pink cheesecake batter over your cooled crust.
- Drop small spoonfuls of the remaining raspberry puree on top and use a toothpick to create beautiful swirls.
- Place your foil-wrapped springform pan in a larger roasting pan and fill with hot water halfway up the sides of the cheesecake pan.
- Bake for 65-75 minutes until the edges are set but the center still has a slight jiggle.
- Turn off the oven, crack the door open, and let the cheesecake cool gradually for an hour – this prevents cracking!
- Remove from the water bath, run a thin knife around the edge, and cool completely before refrigerating overnight.
Pro Tips for Making the Recipe
- Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable – cold cream cheese creates lumps that won’t smooth out during baking.
- The water bath isn’t optional – it creates the perfect gentle, moist heat for an evenly baked cheesecake without cracks.
- Double-wrap your springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent any water from seeping in and making your crust soggy.
- Don’t rush the cooling process – gradual cooling in the turned-off oven followed by refrigeration is the secret to perfect texture.
- Make your raspberry swirls count – less is more! Too much swirling will turn the whole cheesecake pink instead of creating those beautiful patterns.
How to Serve
This showstopper dessert deserves a special presentation! Serve slices on chilled dessert plates for the most elegant experience. Before serving, arrange fresh raspberries around the edge of the cheesecake and sprinkle with white chocolate curls for that professional bakery look.
For an extra-special touch, drizzle each plate with additional raspberry sauce in an artistic pattern before adding your cheesecake slice. A small sprig of fresh mint and a light dusting of powdered sugar elevates the presentation even further.
This Pink Velvet Raspberry Cheesecake is perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day brunches, baby showers (especially for a girl!), or any celebration where you want to impress. It pairs beautifully with champagne or prosecco for a truly festive experience, or with a cup of good coffee for a more casual gathering.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead:
This cheesecake is actually at its best when made ahead! For optimal flavor and texture, prepare it 1-2 days before serving and keep refrigerated. The flavors meld and develop beautifully with time, and the texture becomes even more velvety after a full day of chilling.
Storage:
Store any leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator, covered loosely with foil rather than plastic wrap (which can stick to the surface). It will keep beautifully for up to 5 days, though the crust may soften slightly over time.
Freezing:
This cheesecake freezes remarkably well! For best results, freeze the plain cheesecake without any fresh berry garnishes. Wrap it first in plastic wrap, then in foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and add fresh toppings just before serving.
FAQs
Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh?
Absolutely! Frozen raspberries work wonderfully in this recipe, especially for the puree that goes into the batter and creates those beautiful swirls. You don’t even need to thaw them before making the puree—just cook them with the sugar as directed. The only place where fresh raspberries really make a difference is for the garnish on top, where their texture and appearance are important. If fresh berries aren’t available or are out of season, you can either use frozen berries that you’ve thawed and patted dry (they won’t be quite as firm but will work in a pinch) or consider an alternative garnish like white chocolate curls and a dust of freeze-dried raspberry powder for that pop of color and flavor. Using frozen berries might actually give you a more intense color in your puree, which could make your pink velvet color even more vibrant!
My cheesecake cracked even though I followed all the instructions. How can I fix it?
Don’t worry at all—even experienced bakers sometimes end up with cracks! The good news is that this cheesecake is particularly forgiving because of its toppings. To fix a cracked cheesecake, you have several elegant options: First, you can create a beautiful raspberry arrangement on top that strategically covers the crack—no one will ever know! Another option is to make a simple raspberry glaze (pureed raspberries with a bit of sugar and gelatin) and pour it over the top for a gorgeous, shiny finish that fills in and hides any imperfections. You could also whip up some cream cheese frosting with a touch of raspberry puree mixed in and pipe decorative rosettes over the crack. For future cheesecakes, the most common causes of cracking are overmixing the batter (which incorporates too much air), baking at too high a temperature, or cooling too quickly—so gentle mixing, a reliable oven thermometer, and that slow cooling period are your best friends!
Can I make this dessert without a springform pan?
Yes, you can still make this gorgeous pink velvet cheesecake even without a springform pan! A regular 9-inch cake pan with tall sides (at least 2-3 inches high) can work—just make sure to line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, leaving some overhang to use as “handles” for lifting the chilled cheesecake out later. Deep-dish pie plates can also work, though your cheesecake will be shaped differently and might be a bit more challenging to remove cleanly. If using alternative pans, you might want to skip the water bath and instead place a pan of water on the rack below your cheesecake to create moisture in the oven. For serving, instead of removing the entire cheesecake from the pan, you could simply slice and serve it directly from the dish—while not as impressive as unveiling a whole cheesecake, it’s still just as delicious! In fact, some bakers prefer making individual cheesecakes in a muffin tin lined with paper liners or a small rectangular pan that can be cut into bars—both are easier to serve and still allow for those beautiful raspberry swirls on top!
How can I ensure my cheesecake has that perfect pink color without using food coloring?
Getting that perfect pink hue naturally is all about the raspberries! For the most vibrant natural pink color, opt for the ripest, reddest raspberries you can find—they’ll have the most intense color to contribute to your batter. When making your raspberry puree, cook the berries just enough to break them down but not so long that the color dulls. After straining out the seeds, let the puree cool slightly before adding it to your batter—extremely hot puree can “cook” the cream cheese and affect both color and texture. If you find your batter isn’t quite as pink as you’d hoped after adding the puree, you can add a bit more, but be careful not to add too much liquid to the batter. Another trick is to incorporate a small amount (about a tablespoon) of beet juice—it adds incredible natural pink color without changing the flavor! And finally, the white chocolate in the recipe actually helps enhance the pink color by providing a neutral, creamy base that allows the raspberry color to shine through beautifully. If you’re serving this for a really special occasion and the color is crucial, you might want to do a small test batch of just the filling to perfect your technique before making the full cheesecake.
Pink Velvet Raspberry Cheesecake
Equipment
- 9-inch springform pan
- Foil Wrap
- Food processor
- Saucepan
- Fine-mesh sieve
- Mixing bowls
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
- Roasting Pan for Water Bath
- Toothpick or Knife
Ingredients
Crust
- graham crackers finely crushed
- melted butter
- sugar
- salt
- white chocolate chips melted
Raspberry Puree
- 1.5 cups fresh or frozen raspberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Filling
- 24 oz cream cheese full-fat, room temp
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 oz white chocolate melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup raspberry puree from above
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch whisked with cream
Topping (Optional)
- fresh raspberries
- white chocolate curls
- raspberry sauce
- mint leaves optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Wrap springform pan with foil and line with parchment. Prepare crust by mixing graham crumbs, melted butter, sugar, salt, and melted white chocolate. Press into pan and bake for 10 minutes. Cool.
- Make raspberry puree by simmering raspberries and sugar until saucy. Strain through sieve to remove seeds. Set aside.
- Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla, sour cream, salt, and cornstarch mixed with cream. Fold in melted white chocolate.
- Mix in ¾ cup raspberry puree to tint batter pink. Pour into cooled crust.
- Dollop remaining puree on top and swirl gently with toothpick.
- Place pan in roasting dish and fill halfway with hot water. Bake 65–75 minutes until mostly set but slightly jiggly in center.
- Turn off oven, crack door, and cool inside for 1 hour. Then cool completely at room temp. Chill overnight.
- Top with raspberries, chocolate curls, raspberry sauce, and mint before serving.