Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
- Cooking Spray
- 4 oz. Bittersweet Baking Chocolate, Chopped
- ¾ Cup (6 oz.) Salted Butter
- 1½ Cups Granulated Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1¼ Cups (About 5⅜ oz.) All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp. Table Salt
- 1 oz. Bottle Red Liquid Food Coloring
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 8 oz. Package Cream Cheese, Softened
- ½ Cup (4 oz.) Salted Butter, Softened
- 6 Cups (About 24 oz.) Powdered Sugar
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract for Frosting
Cooking Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease bottom and sides of a 9” square baking pan with cooking spray; line bottom and sides with parchment paper, allowing 2-3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease parchment.
- Place chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl and microwave on HIGH until melted and smooth (1½ to 2 minutes), stirring at 30-second intervals.
- Whisk sugar into chocolate mixture, then add eggs one at a time, whisking after each addition until just blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
- Gently stir flour mixture, food coloring and vanilla into chocolate mixture, stirring just until well incorporated.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, about 25-30 minutes; transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely (about two hours).
- While brownies cool, prepare the cream cheese frosting: Beat cream cheese and softened butter in bowl of a heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed until creamy.
- Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in powdered sugar until blended.
- Add vanilla and increase speed to medium-high, beating until light and fluffy, about one to two minutes.
- Use a piping bag fitted with a large star tip to pipe frosting on top of brownies or spread frosting over brownies with an offset spatula.
- Cut brownies into squares and enjoy.
