On Tuesday we had a dessert contest at work. I didn't want anyone else to lose, but I sure did want to win. So after a lot of research I decided to combine two recipes I found online for Red Velvet Brownie and a Whipped Frosting. Though the orignal recipe called for an 8''x8'' pan, I doubled the recipe and instead used a 18"x12" pan. It's a work function, you've gotta have a lot to feed people.
Here's the way-too-bright photo.
Still figuring out that camera, fyi. If anyone has any DSLR camera
tips, please send them my way.
Let's get started.
First, mix the cocoa powder, red food coloring & vanilla.
Mix it until it's smoooooth. No lumps, no bumps, no trouble.
Something like this.
Smoooooth.
Next, you will take two sticks of butter into a mixer.
Then you add a mound of sugar.
Because sugar and butter are two wonders of the world.
Action shot!
Beat the butter and sugar until it's nice and fluffy.
Then you add one egg.
Add another.
Add another.
Add another.
And mix.
When the eggs are all mixed in, add in the vanilla and take a blurry photo.
Then redeem yourself in the next picture of the sugary, butter vanilla goodness.
Add the cocoa and food coloring mix into the butter and sugar mixture.
And mix until it looks like this color red.
It might be unnatural, but it's going good.
Add flour and salt together and mix.
Then slowly add the flour to the mixture until combined.
Just don't over mix. It'll be the same consistency as brownies, but red.
I wrapped my pan in foil, sprayed with baking spray, then added in the mix.
Baked at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes. Because it's in a larger, thinner pan I didn't have to bake it as long.
After it came out of the oven I was tired and decided to make the frosting the morning of the dessert contest.
I used the Best Frosting You've Ever Tried mix.
It's really good, but follow the directions when it says to KEEP stirring while mixing the flour and milk. She isn't joking, you'll make dumplings if you don't keep stirring.
Once I got to work I added the frosting to the top of the brownies (easier to carry separately) and cut them into squares, then cut them into skinnier pieces.
If you're wondering, I won 'Honorable Mention' in the dessert contest.
Was I robbed? Yes.
Did the winner really deserve to win? Probably.
Will I win next year? You better believe it.
Red Velvet Brownies with Whipped Frosting
(If you want to make it for an 8x8 pan, just half the recipe)
Red Velvet Brownie Mix (Click here for orignal)
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 oz red food coloring
- 4 tsp pure vanilla extract, divided
- 1 cup (16 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degree Fahrenheit.
- In a bowl, mix the cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 2 tsp vanilla until it's a smooth paste.
- Beat butter and sugar in a stand mixer until fluffy.
- Next, add one egg at a time until the mixture is completely mixed.
- Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla.
- Add the cocoa powder, red food coloring, and 2 tsp vanilla mixture to the butter and sugar in the stand mixer.
- Once mixed, add the flour and sugar in small batches.
- Begin to mix until combined, but make sure not to over mix.
- Pour the mixture into a 18"x12" sheet cake pan that has been previously sprayed with baking spray.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes.
Whipped Frosting (click here for orignal recipe)
- 5 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar (not Powdered Sugar!)
Instructions
In a small saucepan, whisk flour into milk and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. You want it to be very thick, thicker than cake mix, more like a brownie mix is. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (If I'm in a hurry, I place the saucepan over ice in the sink for about 10 minutes or so until the mixture cools.) It must be completely cool before you use it in the next step. Stir in vanilla.
While the mixture is cooling, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. You don't want any sugar graininess left. Then add the completely cooled milk/flour/vanilla mixture and beat the living daylights out of it. If it looks separated, you haven't beaten it enough! Beat it until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.
Once you have the whipped frosting, add it to the top of your red velvet brownies and cut into pieces.
Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy!
