Vampire Brownies: Red Velvet Brownies with a Cream Cheese “Bite”

The kids were after me to make some sort of Halloween themed weekly treat for their lunches. Last year’s Mummy Cookies were a sure-fire hit, but they wanted something new. So, I got to wondering, what was my spookiest, scariest Halloween memory? Aside from my friend Shawn’s dad jumping out at us from the tree in front of her house one Halloween night, I would have to say it was my four-year-old impression of the movie, Dracula. After trick-or-treeting on my street, all of the kids went to my next-door neighbour’s house to watch movies while the parents had a party upstairs. This was a bit before the widespread appearance of VHS/Betamax, so we were doing what all kids did, then, we were watching what was on tv (and a black-and-white tv at that).  Queer organ music played as the beautiful lady slipped into bed and lilted off to sleep. Suddenly, a bat flew up to the beautiful lady’s window…and then that bat turned into a man with slicked-back hair and a horrible suit…and then that man told the woman “I want to bite your neck.” I have to say, that glimpse of Dracula scarred me for life. For the next eight years, I slept with my blankets curled around my neck. I remember having to actually break myself of the habit as a teen!  Well, this is my way at getting back at you, foolish Dracula. I’m making you into a cake-like, sweet-topped brownie, and I’m feeding you to my kids at twilight!!!

Print Recipe

VAMPIRE BROWNIES

Red Velvet Brownies with a Cream Cheese "Bite" makes 24 squares

Author: Roseanne Carrara, The Lunchbox Season

Ingredients

Red Velvet Layer

• 1 c 2 sticks butter, melted and slightly cooled
• [Note: if you like a chewier brownie try substituting 1/2 c of the butter with vegetable oil]
• 1 c brown sugar substitute more white sugar in a pinch
• 1 c white sugar
• 1 tbs vanilla
• 1/2 c cocoa powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp red gel food colour or 5-6 tsp red food colouring
• 1 tbs [red wine] vinegar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 c flour

Cream Cheese Layer

• 1 c [16 oz] light cream cheese
• 1/2 c white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• OPTIONAL: a few drops of Wilton's White-White Icing Colour

Instructions

• Heat your oven to 350.
• Grease and Flour a 9x13 glass baking dish or aluminum pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter with the sugar and the vanilla.
• Gradually add the cocoa powder and salt and whisk until smooth.
• Add the food colouring and the vinegar and combine.
• Add the eggs and the flour and mix until smooth.
• Set about 1/4 c of this batter to the side.
• Spread the remainder of the batter evenly into the baking dish or pan.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the cream cheese until smooth.
• Add the white sugar and whisk again.
• Add the eggs and the vanilla and stir until the mixture is as smooth and glossy as you can get it.
• OPTIONAL: add a few drops of White-White if you think the topping is too yellow.
• Carefully pour the cream cheese batter evenly over the top of the red velvet batter.
• With an icing spreader or a spatula, gently spread the cream cheese batter out evenly without pulling up the red from the bottom.
• With a skewer or chopstick, carefully trace the outlines of 24 squares in the top of the cream cheese batter.
• With a skewer or chopstick, drop two dots of red batter into each square, towards the top third of each square.
• Then, use the skewer or chopstick to drag some of the red icing down, creating the effect of two red punctures dripping blood in each square.
• Bake for about 40 minutes.
• Cool completely.
• Slice into 24 squares.
• Store, wrapped, in the refrigerator if desired.