Red Velvet Cheesecake Blondies

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

  packed
• 9 tbsp. unsalted butter

  softened
• 5 large eggs

  divided use
• 3 1/4 tsp. real vanilla extract

  divided use, no substitutions
• 1 3/4 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour

  (bleached flour toughens baked goods), divided use
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

  `
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 24 oz. pkg. cream cheese

  softened (three 8-ounce blocks)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 tbsp. red food coloring

Instructions

• 1 BOTTOM LAYER: Preheat oven to 350°.
• 2 Meanwhile, mix brown sugar and butter in a mixing bowl.
• 3 Beat for 5 minutes with an electric mixer.
• 4 Add two of the eggs, 2 ¼ tsp. vanilla extract and continue mixing with beater.
• 5 In a separate bowl, whisk 1 ½ cups plus 2 ½ tbsp. flour, baking powder, salt and
  nutmeg together.
• 6 Add flour mixture to the egg mixture and combine.
• 7 Spread mixture into a greased and floured 9x13” glass baking dish.
• 8 Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, or until the blondie has a golden top and is
  firm in the center of the dish.
• 9 TOP LAYER: Beat softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, lemon juice and 1 tsp.
  vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and well mixed.
• 10 Add remaining 1 ½ tbsp. flour and mix again.
• 11 Add eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition.
• 12 Transfer half of the batter to a small mixing bowl.
• 13 To one of the bowls of batter, add cocoa powder and red food coloring.
• 14 Mix with an electric mixer until thoroughly combined.
• 15 Pour the red velvet batter mixture on top of the baked blondie.
• 16 Then pour the white cheesecake batter on top of the red velvet layer.
• 17 Using a spoon, gently combine the red velvet and white cheesecake batters to
  create a marbled and swirled effect.
• 18 Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until the edges of the top layer are set but the
  center is still “wobbly” and not firm.
• 19 Remove dish from oven and allow the blondies to cool at least four hours or
  overnight.
• 20 Cut into bars to serve.
• 21 Refrigerate after four hours.

Nutrition Info