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.

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