Pound Cake Brownies
Fudgy brownies are interrupted in the best way with a vanilla pound cake. These beautiful swirled bars are part deep chewy chocolate and part light & fluffy vanilla cake.
Servings 10
Equipment
- 8x8 square metal pan
- hand mixer or stand mixer
Ingredients
Pound Cake Batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature, 113g
- ¾ cup sugar 150g
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ¾ cup cake flour or all purpose 90g
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or heavy cream or milk
Brownie Batter
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- ½ cup dutch process cocoa 40g
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour 40g
- ¼ cup chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray or lightly oil an 8×8 inch square baking pan or a brownie pan and line with parchment paper.
- To make the pound cake batter:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or a using a bowl and a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla and sea salt until very light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. This is the key part of getting the pound cake texture right so don’t skimp on time !
- Add the egg and beat for another 3 minutes. Scrape the bowl and beat for another two minutes.
- Over the bowl, sift in the flour and add the sour cream. If you are using a stand mixer with a low bowl place a dish towel over the bowl (the flour will make a mess if you don’t) and beat the batter until most of the flour has been incorporated. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. Ensure the batter is fully blended. Set aside.
- To make the brownie batter:
- Place the butter in a medium-sized heatproof bowl and set it in the microwave for 1 minute to melt. Stir in the sugar and cocoa and return the bowl for another minute. Whisk it briskly for 60 seconds.
- Once the butter is cool enough to touch (about 3 minutes) whisk in the eggs, salt and vanilla. Whisk for a full 60 seconds until you have a smooth brownie batter. Whisk in the flour until just combined and fold in the chocolate.
- Pour half of the brownie batter into the prepared cake pan. Dollop pound cake batter onto the brownie batter, as pictured above. Use the back of a spoon to swirl the pound cake batter. Spoon the remaining brownie batter over the pound cake batter and gently swirl them together with a butterknife or offset spatula.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the center has puffed and when you shake the pan gently the center doesn’t wobble. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then remove. Store in an airtight container.