Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies – Recipe!

Red Velvet cakes, cookies and bars are so fun to enjoy, especially during the month of February for Valentine’s Day or Galentine’s Day.  The red-colored creations always seem to put a smile on my face and these Red Velvet Cheesecake Brownies do just that – make me happy.  The light cocoa flavor of these cakey brownies topped with a cheesecake filling, and swirled with more brownie batter are a treat to remember, and to share with your friends and loved ones.

The base of the brownie is classic, except a teaspoon of red food coloring is added for color’s sake.  The brownish-red hue is what red velvet is most famous for and makes a mosaic presentation when spiralized on top of the cheesecake batter.  The cheesecake part of the recipe is a quick mix of cream cheese, sugar and an egg with a splash of vanilla extract for flavoring.  The entire layered pan of brownies is baked together in just a few minutes and after cooling — can be sliced and enjoyed soon thereafter.

I like to cut them in big squares and share with whomever needs a sweet-treat to lift their spirits.  You can serve them as dessert too, after a nice dinner over candlelight, or at a small gathering with friends.  They also store nicely in the refrigerator for a couple days to enjoy during the week.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar, divided

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoon sour cream

1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

1 teaspoon red food coloring

3 eggs, divided

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 teaspoon milk

(Makes 12 Brownies)

To Prepare:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9 inch square pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray or oil, set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup granulated sugar and melted butter.  Add cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, whisk until incorporated.
3. Add sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and food coloring, stir until combined.  Whisk in 2 eggs until smooth.
4. Add flour, and stir gently to combine, do not over mix.  Remove 1/4 cup of brownie batter, set aside.  Spoon remaining batter into prepared pan and smooth out on top.
5. In a separate bowl, or stand mixer – cream together cream cheese, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 egg for 3 minutes.  Add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix for another minute.  Spoon cheesecake filling over brownie batter in pan and spread out on top.
6. In a small bowl, add reserved brownie batter and whisk with 1 teaspoon milk to thin.  Drizzle over top of cheesecake mixture and swirl with table knife.  Bake in oven for 22-24 minutes, until toothpick comes mostly clean.
7. Remove and cool for 30 minutes before lifting out of pan and slicing into squares.  Enjoy!