I have been making these for a while now – and I keep forgetting exactly how very much I like and enjoy them; so, time goes on and I forget about them.
Until…
one of the kids at our occasional weekday lunch gatherings asks for brownies instead of cake (my go-to offering for the kids) next time, so, I got to thinking about cocoa and orange and espresso and cream cheese and thought it high time to make these again!
INGREDIENTS
Brownie Layer:
•1/2 cup butter
•1/2 cup cocoa
•1 cup sugar
•2 eggs
•1/2 tsp orange flavoring
•Zest of one orange
•1/2 tsp instant espresso
•1/2 cup flour
Cream Cheese Layer:
•6 oz cream cheese at room temperature
•4 tbsp butter
•1/2 cup sugar
•2 eggs
•2 tbsp flour
•2 tsp orange flavoring
•1 tsp vanilla
Heat your oven to 350º and apply cooking spray to an eight inch square baking pan.
Make the brownie layer by melting the half cup of butter and stirring in cocoa in a large mixing bowl. until well blended.
Stir in the grated orange zest and the sugar.
Add eggs, and beat well with a hand mixer.
Stir in orange flavoring and flour, then transfer the brownie batter to the prepared baking pan.
Make the cream cheese layer by beating the cream cheese and butter together until fluffy, then adding the sugar and eggs and beating until creamy.
Beat in the flour and flavoring.
Spread the cream cheese layer evenly over the brownie layer in the baking pan, then, using a knife, swirl together with the brownie layer until you have a nicely marbled mixture.
Bake at 350º for 35 to 40 minutes, then cool, slice, and serve.