Red Velvet Brownies!
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Delicious red velvet brownies with a vanilla cheesecake swirl!
This post may contain affiliate links.
So the time has come, to give you… RED. VELVET. BROWNIES. Yeah, that’s right – red velvet brownies. This is a recipe that has been requested for longer than I can remember, so I am finally giving you the ultimate dream!
Some people may be a little confused from the beginning here about how you can have red velvet in brownie form, but roll with me. It’s possible. And it’s DELICIOUS.
SO! To explain the bake… red velvet cake is basically a chocolate and vanilla cake, that is also red. Originally, they were not made using red food colouring, but these days, it’s just the easiest and most straight forward route.
The main issues with baking red velvet cakes has always been using the incorrect food colouring. I will say it over and over again.. you MUST use good quality colouring. Cocoa powder is a vital ingredient, but also the ingredient that can cause food colouring not work with it being brown and all.
Anyway! To make the classic red velvet cake into a brownie.. you sorta have to combine several recipes. I essentially combined the ideas of my red velvet cake, Brownies, and Blondies all in one. The quantities vary slightly in comparison to them all, and basic ingredients differ, but otherwise… they’re so similar!
I use Red Extra food colouring, because it is just the ultimate for this situation. I use it for all red velvet bakes, and pretty much anything I do that needs to be red. Honestly, it is just such good quality! If you use a supermarket own brand, it just will NOT work. Also, the amount you need to use is rather disgusting.. this way, you don’t need much at all!
For red velvet to be red velvet these days… you need cocoa powder, vanilla, white vinegar and buttermilk. For these brownies however, you need the cocoa powder, vanilla and white vinegar along with the other ingredients.
I tried to incorporate buttermilk into them, but it just didn’t float at all. Neither did the bicarbonate of soda which is also found in the cakes often! Either way, I feel like this does have enough ingredients in to be called red velvet brownies.
For the cheesecake swirl, it’s a very similar recipe to the cheesecake in my cheesecake brownies just because I love it so much! You just have to stir it all together as little as possible to make it smooth, and then swirl it in!
The best way I found to achieve the swirl is to add in 90% of the mix into the tin, dollop/pour the cheesecake over, and then add on the rest of the brownie mix. Swirl it through, and bake! The cheesecake will sink into the brownie, but this way you get folds of cheesecake throughout, and it’s the best!
I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! x
Red Velvet Brownies!
Ingredients
Red Velvet Brownies
- 150 g Unsalted Butter
- 275 g Caster Sugar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 tsp Red Food Colouring
- 4 Medium Eggs
- 30 g Cocoa Powder
- 125 g Plain Flour
- 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar
Cheesecake Swirl
- 250 g Full-Fat Cream Cheese
- 75 g Caster Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 Egg Yolk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan and line a 9x9" square tin with parchment paper!
- Beat together your Butter and Sugar until combined!
- Add in the Vanilla and Red Food Colouring - I find it easier to mix these two together to make a thinner paste, and then mix into the Butter/Sugar!
- Add in the Eggs one at a time, beating each time. Add in the Cocoa Powder, and Flour, and beat again.
- Finally, add in the White Wine Vinegar - and mix. You want to mix this mixture as little as possible!
- In a separate bowl, add your Cream Cheese, Sugar and Vanilla and beat till smooth. Add in the Egg Yolk and mix again!
- Pour 90% of your Brownie Mixture into the tin - dollop over the cream cheese mix, and then dollop over the last little bit of Brownie Mix
- Swirl the mixture together - and then bake in the oven for 28-35 minutes. Mine were in for 30!
- Leave to cool in the tin for 20-30 minutes or so, and then cool fully on a wire rack!
Notes
- I recommend using this Red Food Colouring for this recipe!
- I also recommend using this 9 square tin for this recipe!
- These will last in the fridge or at room temp on a cooler day, for 3-4 days!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Hi Jane,
Really looking forward to trying this recipe. However i have my 23cm tin, and im thinking how will this make 16 servings as mentioned in your recipe. Am i right to say 23cm square tin is basically 9×9?
Thanks
Hey, yes it is the same xx
Can you do this without the cheesecake swirl?
You can, but they’ll be a bit blah without in my opinion!
Hi Jane
I have made this several times and absolutely love it, could this be done as a cake? As what I love most is the creme cheese that is swirled throughout the sponge and not just a layer of creme cheese between 2 sponges
Hi Jane what brand cocoa powder do u recommend using as I have tried making red velvet bakes before using the sugarflair extra red but it never comes out as dark red is it something to do with the cocoa powder, as I’d ljve to make these they look amazing, tia x
I use Barry cacao as I buy large bags – and its 100% so its quite a darker colour! x
Hey these look amazing I think they are going to be my valentines bake!❤️ I was just wondering if I could use white chocolate chip instead of cream cheese or would this not work? I’d like to drizzle white chocolate on top so thought it would be easier to put it inside too? Or would it taste strange
They would do – but usually I find these need the cream cheese mixture so that they are nicer! The base brownie is a bit plain/cakey so it may be the same if you just use the white chocoalate chips x
Hey, could I add red velvet baileys to this recipe and if so, would I have to add more/less of any of the other ingredients? Thank you x
You could add it to the cheesecake mixture! I haven’t tried it myself, but maybe 3-4 tbsp? X
Hey,
Made this recipe this evening followed the steps but when I’ve taken it out the brownie tin once it’s been cooling for 30 mins it’s still raw in the middle but the corners were cooked, any tips or ideas what I could do ?
I tried to put it back in the oven once I’d cut it up into slices but still a bit runny…
The corners were really nice though xxx
Unfortunately adding a cooled cake back into the oven isn’t going to work and generally should be avoided – it sounds like your oven needs to have a lower temp and bake for longer instead so its a more even bake! x
Can I use liquid food color and regular white vinegar. Unfortunately, the exact items you listed are not available in my area.
Hi Jane,
I’ve just tried making this recipe, followed every step from tour recipe and baked it for 24 minutes and it came out sponge like omelette as my partner said 🙈
Sounds over baked! It may be the oven was too hot so it made the cheesecake part go weird and over bake x
I made these a few days ago, and they are SO GOOD, I’m this close to eating the entire tray!
Hi, I’m hoping to make this recipe soon as it looks so delicious, but I was just wondering ifI double the recipe and use an 11×11 tin will it still work? I don’t have a smaller one unfortunately
Thanks in advance 🙂
I think for an 11″ square you would only need to use another half of the recipe rather than double (And I’m not certain on baking times) but it would work! X
Hello, I was wondering if I could try and make them pink velvet instead 🙊 do you think this would work or they would go an odd colour because of the cocoa? Thanks in advance, you are my go to for all my baking recipes ♥️♥️♥️ Xxxx
Because of the cocoa you might struggle somewhat to get a nice pink xx
So excited to try these! Can I use stork for the brownie? Or a baking spread? Thankyou
Yes you can use either!
Hi Jane
When you say beat together the butter and sugar, do I melt the butter first or beat the butter when it is soft
Sharon
Just beat the butter or a baking spread together with the sugar like you would with a cake x
Thank you
Hi, I made these and they tasted so good. I didn’t get the crisp top that I do in regular brownies, did I do something wrong or is this how they are?
That is just how these are – they are too different to an actual brownie xx
Could I use golden caster sugar instead of normal?
Yes!!