Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Swirled Brownies

So, I took my favorite brownie recipe and stuffed it full of pumpkin spice cheesecake, and I am here to share it with you! That's right, buttery, delicious, chocolatey brownies perfected with pumpkin spiced cheesecake. Hello Thanksgiving dessert! Not only is the cheesecake swirled on top of the brownie, but it also get sandwiched inside the brownie itself. Y.U.M!

I hope your  fall has been delightful and productive. Mine sure has. New job, new stuff, Jesus is good. Let's get right to the recipe ok?

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake Swirl Brownies

recipe adapted from Baked Occasions 

makes 24 bars

For the Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 plus 2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 cup pumpkin puree 

1 large egg yolk

2 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ginger

In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and very creamy. Add in all the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined and smooth. Refrigerate while you make the brownie batter!

For the Brownies

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces dark chocolate (I always use these)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cubed

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and position rack in the center of your oven. Butter the bottom and sides of a 12 cup individual brownie pan** (what I used).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.

In a double boiler, melt together the chocolate and butter. Once melted and smooth, turn off the heat and add both sugars. Remove bowl from the pan (the chocolate mixture should be room temperature) and add two of the eggs. Whisk until combined. Add in the remaining egg and gently whisk in until combined.

Sprinkle flour over chocolate mixture and fold in just until combined. 

Fill each individual brownie cup 2/3 full, top with just under a tablespoon full of cheesecake, top with enough brownie batter to cover the cheesecake. Once all cups are full, take around a teaspoon full of cheesecake and dollop over each brownie. swirl a few times with a knife.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. 

Let cool and devour. 

Notes:

These need to refrigerated to keep them fresh.

**If you don't have an individual brownie pan, you can use a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Pour 2/3 of the brownie batter into the pan and smooth the top. Top the batter with the cheesecake mixture and smooth the top. Drop the remaining batter over the cheesecake, and swirl. Bake for 30-40 minutes. 

Triple Layer Funfetti Cake

Boy do I have a doozy of a creation for you today! Three layers of funfetti flavor stacked together and frosted with a sweetened whipped cream. Buckle your seat belts because here we go!

OK, so this cake has three layers. The first layer is a funfetti cheesecake, the second layer is a moist funfetti yellow cake, and the top layer is an airy funfetti mousse. That's right...cheesecake, regular cake, mousse, and it all gets finished off with sweetened whipped cream. It's impressive and delicious. So delicious in fact that we cut into this delight and I forgot to take photos of the inside. Just use your imagination. :)

This cake was a birthday treat made for my sister, Elyse, who is the funfetti-est person I know. She sent me a picture of a journal entry from middle school where she confessed that the hardest decision in her life was deciding what kind of birthday cake she wanted. Luckily this year, she didn't have to decide because I saw this creation and new it was perfect for her!

This cake is a bit labor intensive so make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make it. Also, you will need a springform pan. You can try to make this in a regular round cake pan, but I don't recommend it. :)

Triple Layer Funfetti Cake

From Life Love and Sugar

For the Cheesecake

24 oz cream cheese

1 cup sugar

3 tbsp flour

1 cup sour cream

4 eggs

3-4 tbsp sprinkles

1 1/4 tsp almond extract

1 1/4 tsp butter extract

For the Funfetti Yellow Cake

2 cups Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix

4 tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs

2/3 cup water

For the Mousse

1 tsp + 1/8 tsp powdered gelatin

1 1/2  tablespoon water

9 ounces white chocolate chips

2 1/4 cups cold heavy cream

1 tsp almond extract

1 tsp butter extract

4 tbsp sprinkles

For the Whipped Cream Frosting

2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

To make the Funfetti Cheesecake:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides.

2. In a large bowl, blend the cream cheese, sugar and flour. Use low speed to keep less air from getting into the batter.

3. Add the sour cream and 2 eggs. Beat until just combined.

4. Add other 2 eggs, sprinkles and almond and butter extracts. Beat until combined.

5. Pour the filling into the pan. Drop onto the counter a few times to release any air bubbles.

6. Wrap bottom of pan in aluminum foil and prepare it for a water bath.

7. Place foil wrapped pan in a another pan large enough for a water bath. Fill water pan with warm water about half way up the sides of the springform pan.

8. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

9. Turn off heat and leave in oven with door closed for 20 minutes or until set. Center of cheesecake will not look fully cooked, but will continue to cook in the oven.

10. Open oven door halfway and let cool for about 10 minutes. Cheesecake will be very tall, almost over the edge of the pan, but will begin to fall as it cools.

11. Refrigerate until firm 5-6 hours.

12. Remove cheesecake from springform pan to use later.

To make the Funfetti Cake:

1. Line the bottom of the same sized 9 inch springform pan used for the cheesecake with parchment paper and grease the sides.

2. Mix cake mix, oil and eggs together until well combined.

3. Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.

4. Allow cake to cool for 5-8 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

5. When cool, remove cake dome from top of cake.

To make the Funfetti Mousse:

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the water, let stand for about 5 minutes. Place mixer bowl and whisk attachment into the freezer for about 10 minutes.

2. Place the white chocolate chips in a medium bowl

3. Microwave 3/4 cup of heavy cream until it begins to boil.

4. Add gelatin mixture to the heavy cream and whisk until dissolved.

5. Pour cream over the white chocolate chips and let sit for about a minute.

6. Whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside, cooling for about 5-8 minutes.

7. Take bowl out and whisk out of freezer and whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups heavy cream at high speed until it begins to thicken.

8. Add almond and butter extracts and continue whisking on high until soft peaks form.

9. Add about a third of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture and mix well.

10. Add remaining whipped cream and sprinkles and mix until well combined. Set aside and move on to next steps.

To begin putting the cake together:

1. Prepare the same springform pan you used to make the cheesecake and cake. Put parchment paper on the bottom and around the edges, sticking up above the top edge of the pan.

2. Place the funfetti cake into the cake pan.

3. Pour the funfetti mousse on top of the funfetti cake and spread evenly.

4. Refrigerate until set, about 2 1/2 hours.

Once the mousse has set, make the Whipped Vanilla Icing:

1. Put mixing bowl and whisk attachment in freezer for about 10 minutes.

2. Remove bowl and whisk from freezer and whip cream on high until it begins to thicken.

3. Add vanilla extract and powdered sugar and whip on high until thick and creamy.

To finish off the cake:

1. Get funfetti cheesecake out of refrigerator, as well as the funfetti cake and mousse that are already layered together.

2. Place funfetti cheesecake on a cake board, or the plate you will service it on.

3. Remove funfetti cake and mousse layers from springform pan.

4. Spread a thin layer of icing on top of the cheesecake.

5. Place the funfetti cake and mousse layers on top of the cheesecake, using the cake to lift it. The cake should end up as the middle layer, with the cheesecake on bottom and the mousse on top.

6. Ice the cake with the remaining whipped icing. Decorate with additional sprinkles, if desired.

7. Refrigerate until ready to serve.