Frikkie Awesome: Red Velvet Brownies with White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Red Velvet, what is the reason behind this craze, anybody have an idea? Is it because the cake is red? Is it the buttercream frosting or the cream cheese frosting? Is it the slight hint of chocolate?

After some research on red velvet cakes I came to learn the following:

Red Velvet cake has been around for quite some time, it is said that it most likely originated in South America. The exact origin of the red velvet cake is not known. According to research it is said that the reddish-brown colour of the cake was from a reaction of the cocoa powder with an acidic ingredient such as buttermilk. Red Velvet cake is a cake with either a dark red, bright red or red-brown colour. The cake is usually prepared with a chocolate or vanilla flavour topped with a creamy white frosting, usually either made from cream cheese or buttercream.

Common ingredients are buttermilk, butter, flour, cocoa and beetroot or red food colouring.

So now, after having some background on red velvet, lets try these brownies!

For the brownies:

2 table spoons cocoa powder

4 table spoons red food colouring

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

For the White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups icing sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

100g good quality white chocolate, melted

60 ml double cream

125g cream cheese

To make the brownies:

- Preheat the oven to 180'C.

- Grease a 20 x 20cm baking pan

- Beat together the butter and sugar on a medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla.

- With the mixer off, add the cocoa and the food colouring, then turn the mixer to medium and mix until one uniform colour.

- Slowly add in the flour and salt and mix on a medium-low speed, just until combined. Do not over mix

- Stir the batter with a rubber spatula once or twice just to ensure that all of the flour is incorporated from the sides of the bowl. You'll want one uniform coloured batter.

- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the brownies.

- Allow brownies to completely cool in the pan for about 45-60 minutes.

-In the mean time make the frosting:

- Cream butter until soft and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla.

- With the mixer on a low speed, slowly add the icing sugar 1/2 a cup at a time; allow the sugar to mix in before adding the next 1/2 cup. Once all the sugar has been added, beat on a medium speed for 30 seconds and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

- Add in the melted white chocolate and cream cheese and mix on a medium speed until incorporated.

- With the mixer on low, add the double cream 1 tablespoon at a time and beat on a medium speed until the frosting reaches your desired consistency.

** Please note, this makes a lot of frosting, you can half the recipe.**