Red Velvet Cheesecake Heart

Hooray for Valentine’s Day! I will admit that before I became a mom, I wasn’t really a fan of Valentine’s Day. Maybe because I wasn’t into all the mushy-gushy stuff. Maybe because I thought (and still do, actually) that love should be shown all days of the year. Maybe because my birthday falls exactly one week before, and well, I don’t like my day being overshadowed by hearts and shades of red. Wow, that makes me sound like a total diva.

Things have changed. I am so excited for Valentine’s Day this year. My oldest, Garrison, is at a fun age to enjoy the holiday. Every time he sees a heart, he excitedly exclaims “Balentine’s day!” (and yes, that’s Valentine’s with a “b”). It’s so cute, and it really has me looking forward to celebrating this week! I am sure you can imagine how big his eyes were when he saw this beautiful Red Velvet Cheesecake Heart.

I pinned this recipe not too long ago, and I knew it would be a must-make this year. I was so excited to attend a potluck and Make-A-Wish fundraiser over the weekend. I’ll give you one guess for what I made. This cheesecake heart? You bet!

This dessert is such a breeze to prepare, and the ingredients are simple. I’m a lover of made-from-scratch cooking and baking, but sometimes boxed cake mixes are the way to go, and this was an instance in which I was glad to use a mix. The color of the heart, from the cake mix, is so gorgeous. The mini chocolate chips are great for finishing the heart, and they add a wonderful texture that complements the smoothness of the cheesecake and the crunchiness of the cookies.

Everyone you serve this to will be oohing and aahing over it. Guaranteed. It’s such a feast for the eyes and the tummy.

We’ll be celebrating the V-Day with our traditional heart-shaped homemade pizza—this year it will be barbeque chicken—and chocolate-covered strawberries. I can’t wait to spend the evening at home with my hubs and our two little Valentines!

Do you have any big plans? Please share! I wish you the happiest Valentine’s Day! Xoxo.

Red Velvet Cheesecake Heart

Adapted from: Fab Food 

8 oz. Neufchatel cheese or cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1-1/2 cups red velvet cake mix, dry
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar, packed
1/2 to 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Assorted cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the cheese and butter until well combined and smooth. Add the cake mix, powdered sugar and brown sugar. Beat until well combined and smooth. Turn the mixture onto piece of plastic wrap. Using buttered fingers or a spoon, shape the cheesecake mixture into the shape of a heart, making the shape about 1-inch to 1-1/2-inches high. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Unwrap the cheesecake heart and place the bottom (flat side) on a serving plate or platter. With a small handful of chocolate chips, gently push the chocolate chips into the heart. Repeat until the heart is fully covered. Remove from the refrigerator about 20 minutes prior to serving. Serve with assorted cookies. Serves around 16.