Red Velvet brownies with cream cheese frosting

Red Velvet brownies are red-coloured brownies inspired by the classic Red Velvet cake. This version is quite unusual… there is neither chocolate nor eggs in the batter. The brownies are lighter than traditional brownies, yet wonderfully substantial, moist and deliciously decadent. They are topped with a cream cheese frosting, of course, the same one famously associated with Red Velvet cake.

Ingredients for the Red Velvet brownies:

• 80 g butter
• 50 g caster sugar
• 50 g light brown sugar
• 65 g cream cheese, such as Philadelphia
• 150 g plain flour
• 5 tsp cocoa powder
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• 100 ml milk
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp red gel food colouring (or an appropriate amount of powdered food colouring)

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Place the butter and both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and beat until combined. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder directly into the butter mixture. Warm the milk slightly and mix it with the vinegar and vanilla extract. Pour the milk mixture over the sifted dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Add the food colouring and mix, adding enough colouring to achieve a vivid red batter.

Line a 24 cm square baking tin with baking paper. Transfer the batter to the tin and smooth the surface.

Bake the Red Velvet brownies at 175°C for approximately 20 minutes, or slightly less, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting:

• 120 g cream cheese, such as Philadelphia, at room temperature
• 50 g butter, at room temperature
• 50 g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Place the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese in three additions, beating continuously until smooth and creamy. Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled brownies and smooth the surface.

Enjoy!

Recipe source: Pastry by Saloni.