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Decadent Red Velvet Brownies Recipe Easy Heart-Shaped Cream Cheese Swirl

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These decadent red velvet heart-shaped brownies with a cream cheese swirl are moist, fudgy, and perfect for special occasions like Valentine’s Day. The recipe is quick, easy, and uses simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon red food coloring (liquid or gel)
  • 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup (60g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan with butter or non-stick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract and red food coloring until uniform.
  4. Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients using a spatula until just combined; do not overmix.
  5. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
  6. Pour half the red velvet batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Spoon half the cream cheese mixture over the batter. Repeat with remaining batter and cream cheese mixture.
  7. Using a butter knife or skewer, gently swirl the cream cheese through the batter to create marbled patterns without overdoing it.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Check doneness with a toothpick; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Tent with foil if edges brown too fast.
  9. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 1 hour. Lift out using parchment overhang and cut into heart shapes with a cookie cutter or desired shapes.

Notes

Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for smooth blending. Do not overmix the batter to keep brownies tender and fudgy. Swirl cream cheese gently to maintain distinct marbled patterns. Check baking time carefully to avoid drying out. Cool completely before cutting for clean edges. Gel food coloring gives vibrant color without extra moisture. For gluten-free, substitute flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend. For dairy-free, use coconut-based cream cheese and coconut oil instead of butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: red velvet brownies, cream cheese swirl, heart-shaped brownies, Valentine's Day dessert, easy brownies, fudgy brownies, chocolate dessert

Find it online: https://blixfood.com/decadent-red-velvet-brownies-recipe-easy-heart-shaped-cream-cheese-swirl/