Last Monday, I made a batch of Funfetti Cheesecake Brownies. I had worked more days in a row than I could remember and was gearing up for another pretty crazy week. Even though my long to do list beckoned, Monday afternoon provided a small respite between deadlines. I calmed my anxiety by mixing sugar and eggs, cocoa and flour.

For years now, baking has been one of my very favourite way to relax. Am I the only person in the world who finds bubble baths extremely boring? I’d much rather be kneading dough, rolling out pastry, or stirring cake batter. I don’t find cooking dinner stressful, I think it’s my favourite part of the day!

I was all out of dark chocolate, but undeterred in my quest for brownies/inner peace. My search for a cocoa only brownie led me to Alton Brown’s recipe via Bakers Royale. I actually loved the taste and texture – they were very fudgy but not too sweet. Make sure you use a good cocoa powder in this recipe as it is the predominate taste and I think you’ll regret using one that you don’t love. I used a mixture of cocoa and raw cacao powder. This recipe couldn’t be easier, and will definitely be something I make again.

For something a little different, I gave the brownies a swirl of cheesecake and a good dose of colourful funfetti sprinkles. Everything is better with sprinkles. They don’t really make any difference to the taste, but I just love the colours and look really pretty.

And then I gave them all away, except one, which I enjoyed tremendously with a cup of black coffee. One went to my next door neighbour, who popped over to ask a question and left with a still-warm brownie and a big smile. A few more went to some clients at a photo shoot when they mentioned they had heard of this blog. A few to my sister, as a thank you for looking after the kitten. A couple more still to the boy and his family.

And upon tasting them, every single person was enamoured by the combination of rich brownie and creamy cheesecake. Personally, I love the addition of sprinkles, because my funfetti obsession goes way back. I think this recipe is the perfect example of a crowd pleaser – make any time of year, for kids or adults alike.

Related Post: Passionfruit Cheesecake Brownies 

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Funfetti Cheesecake Brownies

Funfetti Cheesecake Brownies. I gave the brownies a swirl of cheesecake and a dose of colourful funfetti sprinkles. Everything is better with sprinkles.

Course Cake, Dessert

Keyword Cake, Chocolate, Dessert, Slices

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Servings 9 large brownies

Ingredients

Brownie Recipe

• 1 cup sugar, sifted
• 1 cup brown sugar, sifted
• 1 cup cocoa, sifted (I used a 1/2 cup cocoa and 1/2 cup raw cacao powder)
• 1/2 cup plain flour, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 large eggs
• 220 g melted butter
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract

Funfetti Cheesecake

• 250 g cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3  tablespoons plain flour
• 3  tablespoons vanilla cake mix
• 1/4 cup mixed sprinkles

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and line a square brownie pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. To make the brownies, whisk together the two kinds of sugars until no lumps form, set aside. In another bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour and salt and set aside.In a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer, beat the eggs at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add in vanilla and sugars, and mix to combine. Add in butter and mix to combine. Add remaining ingredients and mix to combine. Set aside to make the cheesecake portion.
4. To make the funfetti cheesecake layer, place all ingredients except sprinkles in a bowl and beat until mixture becomes light and is fully combined, about 3-4 minutes. Gently fold in the sprinkles. Feel free to add a few extra ones to the top if they have sunk into the mixture.
5. Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Place large dollops of cheesecake mixture on top and then using a chopstick or skewer, gently marble the two mixtures together.
6. Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool. Wait until the brownie has cooled before cutting into portions.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Bakers Royale