What is it about Red Velvet Cake? {Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars}

What is it about Red Velvet Cake that makes people take notice?
Is it simply the striking color?  The fact that you are consuming massive amounts of red dye?

What is it about Red Velvet Cake?
What's the deal?

Someone on a recipe forum once asked this question, confessing that she really didn't get it and ~gasp~ really didn't like Red Velvet Cake either.

Red Velvet cake is one of my favorite cakes.  My grandpa made it for me for my birthday.  It was MY cake, so that may have something to do with it.  I liked it best cold, directly from the icebox...which is a bit off compared to most cakes.

Red Velvet Cake is not a cake I make often.  It's a lot of work.  And a lot of red dye.  But I've already mentioned that.

Maybe that has something to do with it too.  It's infrequency makes it more special.  It's usually made for special occasions.  Like Christmas.  Where all that red dye makes a little more sense.

It's probably a combination of all of the above.  At least it is for me.

A young co-worker recently introduced me to the next best thing to Red Velvet Cake.  Something her mom makes for her on her birthday.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars

Unlike the real deal, I like these best warm.

The recipe is based on a Mr. Food recipe for Strawberry Cheesecake Bars.  Except using Red Velvet Cake mix.  But you're smart enough to figure that one out.  And that you can use any flavor cake mix your little heart desires.

My mom is smart enough to figure out that these could also be called Ooey Gooey Bars a la Paula Deen.

I wanted to decorate these with a pecan half on top of each bar, but I ended up over baking and the top was too crackly for a pecan to stick.

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Red Velvet Cheesecake Bars
from Miss Chris

1 box red velvet cake mix
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 lb powdered sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 13 x 9 pan.

Stir cake mix, butter, and 1 beaten egg together in a mixing bowl.  Press the mixture into the bottom your pan.  Beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, 2 eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer until creamy and well-blended.  Pour over the cake mix crust.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the cheesecake topping is just set (test with a butter knife).  Cool before cutting.

This is my entry for June's Pantry Party @ The Law Student's Cookbook.

The theme this month is "Cheese"

Pantry items: 

cake mix

vanilla

powdered sugar

For some reason I had 2 1/4 bags of powdered sugar in my pantry.  

There's still a lot left.  I see beignets in my future.

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