This Spiderweb Brownie Cake Is the Perfect Mix of Spooky and Sweet

Frosted blondies are the perfect fall dessert. These bar cookie beauties are tailor-made for a spooky gathering. Make the pretty web design by drawing three concentric circles then dragging a knife from the center outwards until you have the fall-friendly cookies you crave. This recipe calls for unsalted butter for a reason; be sure to use it in the recipe to add just enough salt to heighten the flavor without overpowering the bar cookie.

Frosted Brown Butter Brownies

ACTIVE TIME 40 mins

TOTAL TIME 1 hr, 5 mins

YIELD Serves 16 (serving size: 1 blondie)

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

2 large eggs

3 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 3/4 cup)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

Cooking spray

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk

3 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

How to Make It:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until light brown. Place butter in a bowl; cool 15 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs.
• Combine flours, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Pour batter into an 8-inch cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Transfer to serving plate.
• Combine remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, powdered sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a bowl. Place 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture in a ziplock plastic bag.
• Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or just until melted, stirring occasionally. Stir melted chocolate into remaining cream cheese mixture. Pour chocolate mixture over blondies, spreading to an even layer. Snip a hole in 1 bottom corner of ziplock bag with cream cheese mixture. Pipe 3 concentric circles over blondies. Drag a wooden pick out from the center of the pan to the edge, repeating in a circle to create a web pattern. Cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-high. Cook 1 to 2 minutes or until light brown. Place butter in a bowl; cool 15 minutes. Stir in brown sugar, oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs.

Combine flours, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture. Pour batter into an 8-inch cake pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Transfer to serving plate.

Combine remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla, powdered sugar, milk, and cream cheese in a bowl. Place 1/4 cup cream cheese mixture in a ziplock plastic bag.

Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 30 seconds or just until melted, stirring occasionally. Stir melted chocolate into remaining cream cheese mixture. Pour chocolate mixture over blondies, spreading to an even layer. Snip a hole in 1 bottom corner of ziplock bag with cream cheese mixture. Pipe 3 concentric circles over blondies. Drag a wooden pick out from the center of the pan to the edge, repeating in a circle to create a web pattern. Cool.

This article originally appeared on Cooking Light.