Want a dessert that will impress, but won’t take forever to make? These Red Velvet Brownies from Gooseberry Patch Gifts from the Kitchen are exactly what you need!
I love anything red velvet. It is my favorite “flavor” and yes, I realize it is essentially chocolate with red food coloring. I just like it better. So these Red Velvet Brownies caught my attention immediately.
I sent a text to my dear Michael with a list of ingredients I needed him to pick up on his way home from work (this is basically a daily occurrence…he knows better than to pass the store without at least calling to see if there is something he needs to pick up). I then received the (almost daily) phone call with questions about my list. The first question on the list was about the chocolate. The recipe calls for a bittersweet chocolate baking bar.
Him: They don’t have bittersweet. They have unsweetened.
Me: No
Him: Semi-Sweet
Me: Yes! That one!
Him: I think the unsweetened one is what we need.
Me: No, I want the semi-sweet.
Then we go on with our conversation and the other questions he had from my list. The last thing I said to him before we got off the phone was “You have my chocolate right?” He replied that he did.
Fast forward to me running around trying to finish up dinner and entertain Ryder. Michael puts up the groceries (such a good hubby), and I see where he has added the ingredients from the store to the pile of ingredients I had out for the Red Velvet Brownies. That’s when I see the unsweetened chocolate baking bar. Ugh. Ah well, at least he tried right?
They didn’t turn out bad. If you love dark chocolate, you would LOVE it with the unsweetened chocolate baking bar. (Michael loves dark chocolate, so I am still not convinced he didn’t make that “mistake” on purpose.) If you are not a fan of dark chocolate, stick with the original recipe and use bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate.
Red Velvet Brownies
This will seem complicated, but it really isn’t. If I can do it, you can do it!
Preheat your oven to 350.
Line the bottom of an 8×8 or 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil. Make sure it extends 2-4 inches over the edge.
Break up your chocolate and put it and 3/4 of a cup of butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave your chocolate and butter in 30 second increments and stir. It should take approximately 1 1/2 – 2 minutes total until they are melted and smooth.
Whisk in your sugar.
Add your eggs one at a time. Whisk each egg until just blended and then add the next egg.
Stir in your flour, food coloring, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and salt gently.
Pour this mixture into your foil lined pan and spread evenly.
Bake for approximately 45 minutes. It is done when you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out with some moist crumbs.
Remove the pan of Red Velvet Brownies from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
While they are cooling, beat together cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy and smooth.
Add in powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of salt gradually and beat until smooth.
Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and mix until well blended.
Spread icing over the cooled brownies, cut into bars and top with pecans.
I was a little nervous to try these after the chocolate mix-up, but they really were delicious (even for a non-dark chocolate lover)! So take your brownies up a notch wit these Red Velvet Brownies!
Red Velvet Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate baking bar chopped
- 3/4 c and 3 T butter divided
- 2 c sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 oz. bottle red liquid food coloring
- 1-1/2 t. baking powder
- 2 t. vanilla extract divided
- 1/4 t. salt divided
- 8- oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 1-1/2 c. powdered sugar
- Optional: chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- Line the bottom of an 8x8 or 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease the foil (Make sure it extends 2-4 inches over the edge)
- Break up chocolate bar and place it and 3/4 of a cup of butter in the microwave
- Microwave your chocolate and butter in 30 second increments and stir (It should take approximately 1 1/2 - 2 minutes total until they are melted and smooth)
- Whisk in your sugar
- Add eggs one at a time - Whisk each egg until just blended and then add the next egg
- Stir in your flour, food coloring, baking powder, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and salt gently
- Pour this mixture into your foil lined pan and spread evenly
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes (It is done when you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out with some moist crumbs)
- Remove the pan of Red Velvet Brownies from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before icing
- While they are cooling, beat together cream cheese and 3 tablespoons of butter until creamy and smooth
- Add in powdered sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of salt gradually and beat until smooth
- Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and mix until well blended
- Spread icing over the cooled brownies, cut into bars and top with pecans
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