CREAM CHEESE SWIRLED BROWNIE CAKE

CREAM CHEESE SWIRLED BROWNIE CAKE image

I saw a recipe for a brownie cake that looked yummy, and thought that I would tweak it and make it extra-special. Well, I tweaked it quite a bit and ended up with this beauty. It is a moist, super chocolate bundt cake with a decadent cheesecake swirl in the middle, covered with a thick drizzle of dark, rich ganache. So delicious!...

Provided by Tere Gill

Categories Cakes

Time 2h

Number Of Ingredients 15

Ingredients

FOR CREAM CHEESE SWIRL FILLING:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 c sour cream
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 egg
FOR BROWNIE CAKE BATTER:
1 box dark chocolate cake mix
1 box dark chocolate fudge brownie mix
1 1/4 c water
1 c oil
4 large eggs
FOR GANACHE ICING:
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
6 oz semi sweet chocolate morsels (1/2 average bag)

Steps:

1. Gather ingredients. Allow for time for cream cheese to soften (or use the quick warm-up trick; see **Note.)
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a bundt pan with bakers spray or use the butter/flour method.
3. Beat together cream cheese, sour cream and 1/3 cup sugar until smooth.
4. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 egg; beat until well combined; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, stir together brownie mix and cake mix until well combined.
6. Add water, oil and eggs; whisk or use hand-mixer on low/ medium-low speed to mix until lumps are mostly gone.
7. Pour 1/2 the brownie cake batter into prepared bundt pan; rap on counter several times to assure even distribution.
8. Spoon cream cheese mixture onto center of cake batter, avoiding sides as much as possible; cover with remaining cake batter.
9. Create swirls by inserting knife into batter and swirling in a figure 8 pattern all around batter.
10. Bake at 350` F for one hour and ten minutes, turning cake 180 degrees after the first 35 minutes. (Due to oven variance, start checking at one hour, then at 5 minute intervals. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center, at several places, comes out mostly clean.
11. When done baking, remove cake and allow to cool in pan for 30 minutes. Carefully turn cake out onto a cake stand or plate (I like to use parchment paper, but that's just me.) Allow to thoroughly cool before drizzling with ganache (at least 2 to 3 hours.)
12. To make the ganache, pour chocolate chips into a medium heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepan, over medium heat, bring cream to a slight simmer; immediately pour heated cream over chocolate chips; whisk until completely smooth. Pour over cooled cake. (You may double ganache recipe if extra is desired for serving with chocolate dipped strawberries or for drizzling extra over individual slices.) Serve.
13. **NOTE: How to Quickly Bring Cream Cheese to Room Temp. Remove cream cheese from box, leaving cheese wrapped in foil only. Soak a clean kitchen towel in very hot tap water; quickly squeeze out excess water and place towel on counter. Quickly wrap cheese in towel, then place a large bowl or skillet over top to trap the heat. Cheese should be softened in 10 minutes.