Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Have I mentioned how the break room at my office is like a black hole? Have a BBQ over the weekend, and bring in your leftover chips, dip, and cookies...gone in 30 minutes. I use this to my advantage when I want to make amazingly sugary treats like pumpkin swirl brownies, but my waitline can't afford to eat the whole pan. So I cut a few pieces to enjoy, and then take the rest to the "black hole", where they then disappear. Win. Win. I loved making these from scratch, but you could also use a store bought brownie mix and top that with the pumpkin mixture. Perfect halloweenie treat. Yup. I said weenie. Have I mentioned that I am 7 years old. 

Pumpkin Swirl Brownies

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. cream cheese (I used Philadelphia's Pumpkin Spice cream cheese)
• 1 tbsp. butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped up
• 3/4 cup butter, cut up, softened
• 2 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 13x9-inch baking sheet with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Coat the foil with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 tbsp. butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup sugar. Beat until combined. Beat in the egg, pumpkin, 1 tsp. vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger. Stir in the 1 tbsp. flour. Set aside.

In a small bowl stir together the 1 1/4 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan, combine the chopped chocolate and butter. Cook and stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat. Gradually add the 2 1/4 cups sugar, beating with an electric mixer on low until just combined. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the milk and the 2 tsp. vanilla. Gradually beat in the flour mixture.

Spread chocolate mixture evenly in the prepared pan. Spoon cream cheese mixture in several mounds on top of the choclate batter. Using a toothpick or sharf knife, gently swirl the cream cheese mixture into the chocolate batter.

Bake for 60 minutes, or until center is just set when pan is gently shaken. Cool in pan on wire rack. Use foil to lift uncut brownies out of the pan. Cut brownies. Serve. Or can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.