Scream Cheese Swirl Brownies

OoooOoooOooooOooooOooooo!!

That was my lame interpretation of a ghost, or something spooky anyway.

Friends, we are SO close to Halloween!

In honor of one of my favorite holidays (Thanksgiving is still the favorite: it is, after all, focused on food) I am sharing with you some wonderfully spooky sweet treats you can whip up to share with your ghosts and goblins, your fiends and friends.

Today we shall start with a super simple recipe for Cream Cheese Swirl Brownies. Seriously, these are so easy I am thinking about adapting it for every color scheme I could ever need in my life. Valentine's swirl brownies, Christmas Swirl Brownies...Because who ever says no to a brownie??

No one.

At least no one I know. College students aren't typically known for being picky eaters. Free food equals friends for life.

But back to brownies!

I've included a couple of step-by-step pictures to help you in case you get lost, but the wonderful thing about this recipe is that it is so forgiving. The brownie recipe is one-bowl-wonderful and as long as you swirl your knife randomly through the brownie batter and cream cheese, you're bound to end up with a beautiful marble effect.

See? Nothing to it but to do it.

Mmmm...spooky and scrumptious.

I'll be back at the beginning of next week with a recipe that is slightly more involved, but will result in some adorably festive candy corn cookies.

See you then!

P.S. This last photo is from Instagram :O Finally getting the hang of it! 

Scream Cheese Swirl Brownies

Via Baked Perfection

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa powder
pinch of salt
1 tbsp warm water
1 tsp vinegar
2 egg, beaten
3/4 cup flour

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
orange food coloring (red and yellow)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9x9 baking pan.
2. In a large bowl whisk (one by one) butter, sugar, cocoa powder, egg, and vinegar together, mixing well after each addition.
3. Gently stir in baking soda and flour until just combined. Pour all but 1/4 cup brownie batter into prepared pan.
4. In a medium bowl beat cream cheese and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla, then add food coloring until desired shade is reached.
5. Gently pour cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan, covering the entire brownie layer. Dollop the remaining 1/4 cup of brownie batter randomly over the top of the cream cheese mixture.
6. Gently pull a knife or spatula through the layers, swirling to create a marbled effect.
7. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting and serving.

Sweet Escapes: Happy Halloween!

Hello my fellow Halloween-Obsessed Friends!

Although, with the weather lately I feel like I should be saying Happy Holidays. I mean, really, I just broke out the nice Fall sweaters and then it becomes a frozen tundra outside my apartment. Why can't we just have one nice, long, Autumn season?

Regardless of the chilly weather, I hope everyone is having a wonderful Halloween. Today the baking organization I run, Rutgers Student Bakers, is having a Halloween Bake Sale with Candy Corn Cupcakes, Cookies n Cream Fudge, and Witch Hat Cookies! Very festive, and very tasty.

I thought I'd share these recipes as this week's Sweet Escape! These are tried and true recipes that are sure to impress, and who doesn't love Halloween themed sweets and treats?

1. Cookies n Cream Fudge via VeryBestBaking

This is a fantastic recipe because it can be made festive for any holiday with the wonder of food coloring. We dyed ours orange to pair nicely with the dark colored Oreos, but you could always marble the white with red and green for Christmas, pink for Valentine's Day, and even green for St. Patrick's Day! The flavor on these will be a sure-fire hit at any event you have. We whipped these up last semester and sold out, and they are back by special request.

2. Candy Corn Cupcakes via OurBestBites

What a great way to add some fun to traditional vanilla cupcakes. Split the batter into 2 portions, and dye each a different color (in this case, leave one "white", and make one yellow and one orange). Pour each layer into the cupcake pan and voila! Candy-corn cupcakes, or really any themed cupcakes for any occasion. Very impressive for the school bake sale or just a whole lot of fun with your friends.

3. Death by Chocolate Witch Hat Cookies via Explore.Dream.Discover.

Now this isn't quite as versatile as the previously mentioned treats, but it's just way too neat to pass up for the Halloween parties. Bake up some killer (hah, get it? I love me some literary puns) chocolate cookies, and top each with a chocolate kiss. Pipe orange frosting around the kiss and you now have adorable witch-hat cookies that will be sure to please any chocoholic.

This has been this week's Sweet Escape! Enjoy your fright night and keep an eye out for a new post on S'mores Muffins in the next few days!









Disclaimer: I do not profess to own any of these photos. They were found across the internet at some lovely blogs, which I link directly both by name and through the image. 

Sweet Escapes - Halloween Goodies Pt 1

It is OCTOBER everyone!

I know you are all as excited about this month as I am. Not only is it the month of changing leaves and crisp, cool weather; it is also the month of my birthday AND Halloween! Like I said, best month ever.

So, since this is the best month ever, I decided that every Sweet Escape this month will be Halloween-themed (with maybe some other fall favorites sneaked in too!). If you plan on having any event this month, these are desserts that are sure to impress and get everyone into the Halloween spirit.

1. Candy Corn Cupcakes via Our Best Bites

I just love how vibrant this little cupcake is. The coloring is perfect and just screams Halloween. I don't even like candy corn but I love this. Why can't I get one of these instead of real candy corn for Halloween?

2. Peeps Rice Krispie Halloween Treats Via Love From the Oven

Now this is an inventive idea. Take a rice krispie (either homemade or store bought) and flatten it slightly. Stick a lollipop stick in melted chocolate the pierce rice krispie. Dip in chocolate and sprinkles, then add a split Halloween-themed peep on top. Ta-Da! An adorable treat full of marshmallow and rice krispie treat goodness!

3.  Candy Corn Cheesecake Mousse Via Glorious Treats

Cheesecake Mousse? Halloween themed? Absolutely. What a great way to keep to the theme with a delicious cheesecake in candy corn colors. Again, if we have all these great ideas that look like candy corn, but are way better than candy corn, why not just avoid the candy and go for the dessert?!

4.  Pumpkin Pie Bites Via Bakerella

I love Bakerella's bite-sized treats, and this is adorable for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. She gives a great tutorial on how to make these teeny tiny pies, and they are cheap AND impressive. Leave off the jack-o-lantern face for tiny pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving, or keep them on for a ghoulish treat. :)

5.  Candy Corn Sugar Cookies Via KathiCooks

Okay, I know what you're thinking. "She doesn't even like candy corn! Why so many links to candy-corn themed treats?!" But really, you can't have Halloween without candy corn. Even if I don't personally like the little candies, they inspire fabulous desserts and goodies, just like these sugar cookies. So simple, yet so adorable and impressive. These are definitely on my "to-bake" list.

This has been this week's Sweet Escape! I hope you enjoyed this first segment of fun Halloween treats. Keep an eye out for a new post on Apple Crumble Muffins in the near future!