Red Velvet Brownie Cheesecake Swirl

Welcome to another bake that is going to absolutely ruin you for standard boxed mixes. If you are a fan of casual, accessible bakes that taste like a million bucks–then this recipe is for you! Today, we are tackling the ultimate dessert mashup: the Red Velvet Brownie Cheesecake Swirl.

Red velvet can sometimes be a controversial flavor. Skeptics think it is just a mild chocolate cake with an identity crisis and a heavy hand of food coloring. But when done right—with that distinct hit of tanginess from the white vinegar and the rich, earthy depth of melted dark chocolate and cocoa powder—it is truly in a sweet, fudgy league of its own. Now, imagine taking that dense, vibrant red base and swirling it with a thick, luscious ribbon of vanilla bean cheesecake.

The result is a dangerously rich, perfectly balanced masterpiece. The vegetable oil in the batter ensures the brownie base stays unbelievably moist for days, while that creamy, tangy cheesecake layer cuts right through the decadence of the dark chocolate. I pulled a batch of these out of the oven recently, and Harrison practically hovered over the pan, trying to sneak a corner piece before they had even set. But trust me on this critical detail: you must let them chill. The wait is agonizing, but the texture transforms into pure, dense velvet once they are completely cold.

Grab your mixing bowls, and let’s get baking!

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Red Velvet Brownie Cheesecake Swirl

Created by Sue Mun

Makes 9 brownies

Ingredients:

For the Cheesecake Swirl:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 50 grams granulated sugar
• 1 tsp (5g) cornstarch 
• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

For the Red Velvet Brownies:

• 100g all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon (10g) cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 75 g dark chocolate (70 %)
• 15 g cocoa powder
• 250 g granulated sugar
• 110 g vegetable oil or canola oil
• 2 teaspoon red gel food coloring
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs room temperature

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F/163C and grease a 9×9 inch baking pan with baking spray and line the pan with parchment paper. Make sure you are leaving an overhang so it is easy to remove the brownies from thee pan.
2. To make the cheesecake batter, in a large mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese, sugar, and cornstarch util smooth and lump free.
3. Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix it in until smooth. Set the cheesecake batter aside while you work on the red velvet brownies batter.
4. To make the red velvet brownies batter, in a large mixing bowl, mix together the sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs until light and fluffy.
5. Add in the vinegar, vanilla extract, red food coloring, and melted chocolate and mix until smooth.
6. Fold in the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, and salt to the batter and mix until combined. Reserve about 3 tbsp of the red velvet brownie batter in a small bowl.
7. Pour the remaining brownie batter into the prepared pan and smooth it out using an offset spatula. Add dollops of the cheesecake filling on top of the brownie batter and smooth it out. Drizzle the reserved 3 tbsp red velvet brownie batter on top of the cheesecake layer and use a toothpick or a knife to make swirly designs on top.
8. Bake for about 50-55 minutes.
9. Let the brownies cool down for 30 minutes at room temperature. Then store the brownies in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight before cutting and serving.