Red Velvet Brownies

Red velvet cake is probably my favorite cake. I'm not so sure it's because of it's taste as much as it is a reminder of my childhood. Our mom made red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting for special occasions such as our birthdays when we were younger. So now every time i make it, I'm flooded with wonderful memories of a wonderful childhood (thanks to our amazing mom and dad!). 

Anyway, I was looking for desserts to make for our Christmas Cookie Exchange party and came across these Red Velvet Brownies on Pinterest. They looked delicious! While I ran out of time to make them for the party, I made them for our Wednesday night get together. By the looks of this picture, I think you can tell they were a hit! I didn't get a picture before we headed to our friends' house, and this is what I was left with at home - just the outside pieces since I only plated the inside pieces from the 8x8 pan. Most weeks I bring some dessert back home with me, but not this week! The plate was empty by the time the night was over.

If I were to make these again, I'd probably go with traditional cream cheese frosting as the white chocolate buttercream was a bit too sweet for me. Regardless, not only are they striking with their bright red color (which make them a perfect Christmas dessert!), but they have the perfect red velvet cake taste (with a slight hint of cocoa). Yum! 

 

Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream 

Source: smells like Home

Brownies:

3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 oz red food coloring (or a scant 2 tbsp)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

White chocolate buttercream frosting:
1/2 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 oz good-quality white chocolate (not chips), melted – I recommend Callebaut
1 – 2 tbsp heavy cream

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter and flour an 8″x8″ baking pan.

In a small bowl, slowly stir together the cocoa powder, food coloring, and 1 tsp vanilla into a thick paste until no lumps of cocoa remain. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the remaining 1 tsp of vanilla.  With the mixer off, add in the cocoa mixture, then turn the mixer to medium and beat the two mixtures together until they are one uniform color.  Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix on medium-low speed, just until combined.  Do not overmix.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and stir up the batter with a rubber spatula once or twice just to ensure all of the flour has incorporated from the sides of the bowl and there isn’t anything stuck on the bottom of the bowl.  You’ll want one uniformly colored (red) batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies.  Allow brownies to completely cool in the pan on a baking rack, about 45-60 minutes.  Frost brownies in the pan, cut into 12 bars, and serve, or remove the entire batch from the pan to a cutting board, cut into 12 bars, frost, and serve.

To make the frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter until soft and fluffy then beat in the vanilla.  With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time; allow the sugar to mix in before adding the next 1/2 cup. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat on medium speed for 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Add in the melted white chocolate and beat on medium speed until incorporated.  With the mixer on low, add in heavy cream 1 tbsp at a time and beat at medium speed until the frosting has reached your desired consistency.